All about Uzunge canyon in Crimea

Crimea can not be called part of Colorado, but nevertheless there are crevices here. Of course, they are not the deepest on earth, but this does not detract from their beauty. Hiking routes along mountain rivers are very popular among tourists, because they allow you to relax from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis. A great place for such an excursion is considered Uzunja Canyon in Sevastopol.

From the Turkic language, the name of the Uzunja canyon is translated as “long river”. This surprises many tourists who find themselves in this picturesque place in the summer - the fact is that under the scorching rays of the sun, the water dries up. But in early spring or early autumn, the river appears in all its glory, turning into a real mountain beauty, full-flowing and swift. The total length of the canyon is 7.8 km, the width varies from 80 to 700 m. The highest point is about 560 m above sea level.

Conventionally, the Uzundzha canyon can be divided into two parts - one leads from the village of Rodnikovoye to the Kolkhoznoye village farm and has a relatively smooth road so that the passenger car passes without any problems. The second route starts from Kolodnoye - this is a completely wild path, it is impossible to overcome it by car.

Several quite interesting routes run along the canyon. Crimea is still a relatively small peninsula, the canyon originates from the Ai-Petrinskaya Yaila, and the well-known Suuk-Su spring is considered the source of the river. First, the river flows between the mountains along the hollow; here is the Kolkhoznoye settlement.

The gorge itself begins a little further when the channel makes a sharp turn.

The river is surrounded by picturesque sheer cliffs that hang over it, rising almost a kilometer. Over many millennia, stones under the influence of wind and water have acquired the most intricate shapes and rough surface - this is especially evident at the bottom of the canyon in the summer, when the river dries up - at this time you can appreciate amazing stone vases, bowls and bathtubs, as if carved by water. The whole valley is literally strewn with light round pebbles that resemble ping-pong balls, only intended for giants.

If you go to the valley in spring or summer after heavy rain, you can enjoy the beauty of the gutters and diverse rapids - there are a lot of them, although their height can not be called a record. The highest waterfall rises 10 m, the water in them remains cool even in the summer, but this does not stop lovers of mountain swimming.

The massif is densely covered with vegetation - here you can find juniper thickets, fruit trees, as well as beech.

Among the attractions of the canyon, several places can be highlighted.

Source Suuk-su - Translated from Turkic, its name means “cold water”, this spring is filled with sediments that accumulate in the underground voids of the entire plateau.

Uzunge Cave - not far from the source, just above it you can see a slit-like entrance to the cave, which is an extensive network of passages with a total length of 1.5 km.

No important historical findings were made in this place.

Not far from the village of Rodnikovoye at the place where the canyon intersects with Baydar Valley one can see gigantic stone blocks about 3 m high. It is believed that they appeared around the 3rd-2nd centuries. BC e.

Skelsky spring - this is the second largest spring in the Crimea, the hallmark of which is the strongest discharge of water, its flow rate approaches 1400 l / s. The water never dries up, and the locals believe that it is the spirit of Uzundji that gives the source of strength, as if it were the second breath of the mountains.

Skelskaya cave famous throughout Crimea - a magnificent cave in the canyon, which is equipped for tourist excursions. The length of the passages in it is only 700 m. The vaults are quite high, empty, as if decorated with the most intricate sagging in the form of wild animals - looking closely, here you can see the outlines of a gopher, a monkey, as well as dangerous dragons, phoenix and other mythical creatures. Some even compare the pillars with the architectural structures of Crimea - the Swallow's Nest and the Russian fortress.

The canyon is famous for its waterfalls in the valley of the Uzunji River - Dry and dead. They look very impressive - the valley near them is literally strewn with flowers that sparkle and shimmer in splashes of water with their rich colors. In hot weather, the waterfalls are empty, and you can only find them by the thickets of moss covering the stones. No less interesting is the waterfall Thorny Dew.

The canyon section between these waterfalls is often called Dead gorge - the fact is that the bones of dead animals are often found here, in addition, tourists note that in this place the general state of health sharply worsens, up to a complete loss of strength and even fainting. The most mysterious and mysterious legends go about the Dead Gorge, which freeze the soul. However, none of them has any scientific or historical confirmation, but in any case, energy anomalies in this place, indeed, are.

Tourists taking a walk along the canyon must bear in mind that it will not be possible to overcome the route by car. Of course, in the upper river there is a small road along which you can drive, but in this way you can only reach the middle of the gorge, and then you will have to leave the vehicle and walk on foot already, overcoming the blockages of stones, sometimes slippery and rounded with water.

To every tourist who chooses this route you should take care of comfortable shoes with a thick anti-slip sole, a hiking suit, a supply of provisions and drinking water, and, of course, a small first-aid kit. But even in this case, the road will be fraught with many dangers, therefore, mainly people with special climbing training and appropriate equipment or accompanied by guides move along the canyon to it.

In the next video, you can watch the beauty of Uzunji Canyon from a bird's eye view.