The Upa River is one of the most picturesque tributaries of the Oka. It flows through the Tula region of Russia and is very popular among fishing enthusiasts. In addition, on its shores there are many interesting sights worthy of the attention of lovers of history and architecture.
Description
The Upa River, praised in the works of the great Russian writers Tolstoy, Turgenev and Bunin, has a basin area of 9,510 square meters. km, its length is 345 km, and its width varies between 30-40 meters. It begins on the Volovsky plateau and flows within the boundaries of the Central Russian Upland. Up to Tula, the water of Upa, which forms several large loops, moves north. Then its channel turns west and flows into the Oka River near the village of Kuleshovo.
The food of the river is mainly snow. High water lasts from the last days of March to the beginning of May. Moreover, the average annual water flow at a distance of 89 km from the mouth of Upa is up to 40.2 cubic meters. m / s The river freezes at the end of November during December and opens around late March - early April.
On the banks of Upa are the cities of Tula and Sovetsk, as well as the village of Odoev.
Flow
At first, Upa is narrow and flows northward through an open area. In the city of Sovetsk, a 5.7 square meter reservoir was built on it. km Beyond its dam, Upa has a stable level and steep picturesque banks, overgrown with mixed forests. Behind the village of Prilepy, the river crosses the Tula highway.
Below the confluence of the right tributary of the Shat into the Upu, it leaves the zone of green areas and continues to flow between the fields. Further on its way is Tula, and it becomes a rather full-flowing river with steep, open banks and a wide valley.
Having passed the village of Ketri, Upa makes a turn and, changing the direction of the current, moves to the southwest. This site, right up to the village of New Pavshino, is a great place for fishing.
Below the village of Nikolskoye, swings and rapids begin, and then Upa flows through the Krapivensky settlement. In this area, the floodplain of the river is swampy in some places, and the banks are covered with dense mixed forest. Having passed the village of Yartsevo, Upa comes out of the scaffold and creates several convolutions. The river flows into the Oka just above the city of Chekalin.
History
Researchers believe that the name Upa comes from the Baltic word “upe”, which translates as “river”.
It is known that the basin of this tributary of the Oka was already populated at the beginning of the Iron Age. There, about 6 in. BC e lived the East Baltic carriers of the Upper Oka culture, who founded the settlement Radovishche. Later, in the 5-7 centuries of our era, they were assimilated representatives of the olyad tribe, and after 500 years the same fate befell them, and they disappeared into the Slavic tribe of Vyatichi.
Upa and its tributaries in the territory of Tula
In 1741-1831, 10 rivers flowed through the city. Among them, besides Upa, there were Tulitsa, Khomutovka, Funnel, Bezhka, Rogozhnya, Rzhavets, Trostyanka, Serebrovka and Sezha. At the moment, only 6 rivers have survived, some of which are more reminiscent of streams. More recently, the Upa River was navigable, and barges moved along it. Today it is significantly shallow and divides Tula into 2 unequal parts.
Interesting Facts
At the beginning of the 18th century, when locks were built on the Oka, Upa became part of the shipping route leading from central Russia to the sea along the Oka, Shatu and the Don through Ivan Lake. The first caravan of ships passed along this path in 1707. However, after the attention of Peter the Great turned to the Baltic, the route lost its relevance. At the same time, the Upa River was intensively used until the middle of the last century as a transport artery to meet local needs.
Tulitsa
This is the right tributary of Upa. It has a length of 38 km and a winding channel. The river flows through the city from the village of Medvenki to the confluence of the Upu River at the Zarechensky Bridge. The floodplain Tulitsa is rather marshy and is a place potentially dangerous for flooding. For this reason, it is not built up and is a corner of pristine nature in the city.
Attractions on the banks of Upa
Tula is a city famous for its monuments. Among them there are those that are located on the banks of Upa. In particular, this river flows through the territory of the Demyan Bedny park, as well as near the Chulkovsky cemetery, where the famous Lefty was buried in the 19th century. In addition, a few years ago the embankment of the Upa River was decorated with a beautiful snow-white rotunda, from the platform in front of which there is a magnificent view. She quickly became a favorite place for Tula newlyweds who come there to be photographed. The Rotunda is also notable for the fact that opposite it, on the other bank of Upa, is one of the main tourist sites of the city - the Museum of weapons. By the way, the “joint” photograph of these two architectural symbols of Tula, together with the adjacent section of the embankment, is the main decoration of most tourist avenues dedicated to the region.
Upa River: fishing
The rivers of the Tula region are very popular among fans to sit with a fishing rod. In particular, this river is home to tasty, fatty and large roach. Moreover, the largest specimens are caught, usually closer to the Oka. You can successfully catch roach on spinning at the village of Sergeevskoye, where Upa is crossed by the Tula highway and access to the river can be carried out without problems at any time of the year. The main fish is a perch and small pike, which can be caught in large enough quantities.
Chubs, minnows, ruffs, catfish, breams, burbots, zander, carps and bleak are also found in the waters of the Upa River.
Alloy
Fans of outdoor activities can admire the beauty of the landscape of Upa, breaking it on a kayak. The best place to start such a mini-trip is the embankment of the Upa River (Tula) in the area of the railway bridge, which is located 0.5 km from the station.
On the site from the city to Krapivna, you will meet several active and destroyed dams. Therefore, approaching them, you will need to pull the kayak out of the water and make a carry-out. Below the city of Tula, the Upa River for about 25 km is polluted by sewage, and this section should be tried to go through quickly.
There are practically no beaches on the banks of the river. In addition, for a large part of the journey, it will be difficult for you to find a place to exit. At the same time, the bottom of the river is mostly rocky-silty, and after Odoev at the water's edge, willow thickets come up very often. The most interesting thing begins after overcoming the mouth of Upa, as there are already many beaches and open shores. You can complete the journey on the right bank of the Oka River, reaching the bridge on the Kozelsk-Kaluga highway.
Now you know the name of one of the most beautiful rivers of the Tula region. Sights located on its shores, as well as magnificent landscapes deserve to be seen. Almost all areas of the Upa River can be easily reached by boat, so it is best to study everything from the water.