In the north of the Chelyabinsk region of Russia, not far from the city of Verkhny Ufaley and the village of Vishnevogorsk, Lake Arakul is located. The reservoir has a tectonic origin, located in the north of the Ural Mountains, in the mountain iala. The lake is big enough. Arakul spanned 3 km in length, and almost 2 km in width. The pond is quite solid in depth: the average is about 5 meters, but in the eastern and southern parts of the lake there are indicators more than 10 meters. The maximum mark of Aracul is 12 meters. The catchment area is 21.6 square meters. km According to the chemical composition, the water in the lake is mineral; the mineralization is 240 mg / l.
Forests located near the lake are inhabited by squirrels, hedgehogs, hares, foxes, moose, bears and lynxes. The last of these are rare and do not fit the pond itself.
Legends of Origin
Such translation of the name stands out from the Bashkir language: “ara” means “between,” and “cul” means “water between the mountains.” The origin of such a reservoir as Lake Arakul is shrouded in legends. One of them tells about the love of a young guy and a girl. The evil spirit decided to separate the lovers and take the girl with them. But, when he did not succeed, he turned the guy into a stone boulder. The girl cried a lot near the stone, and from her tears a clear crystal lake formed. And when the evil spirit wanted to pick up the girl, a block fell off the boulder and crushed the evil spirit. Then he turned the girl into stone. The father of a young man avenged the death of young people. He bound the evil spirit and threw it into Lake Arakul. The fact that he rests at the bottom is reminiscent of a ripple that often appears in the middle of a reservoir, even if it is quiet and calm.
Springs and flowing rivers
Arakul is a passing lake. Two small rivers flow into it - Olkhovka and Kaganka. Also from the lake Arakulka gets its source. It is this river that connects Arakul with the water system of the Chelyabinsk region. The local name for the lakes in this region is Kasli or Kaslinskie. From the Tatar “kasli” - “blue hollow”. Lake Arakul is surrounded by green forests and is a favorite vacation spot for residents of the Chelyabinsk region. At the bottom of Arakul many small springs hit, because of this the water is constantly cold, it warms up very slowly. Even in the summer, it keeps its cool.
Coastline
Arakul is a lake, the bottom of which has a silt character, only a little along the coast acquires a rocky-sandy relief. Water has a "glass effect": on clear days, transparency reaches a depth of 5-6 meters. On Arakul there is one small island. Its dimensions are 125x17 meters, the local population calls it the island of Love. The shores near the lake are mostly flat and flat. Left - suitable for relaxation. The right one is a little rocky, sometimes the hills become steep. Because of this, patency is complicated.
Landscapes near the lake
The uniqueness and special beauty of the place is added by the nearby landscapes. Among the forests there is an interesting rocky massif - Shihan (Arakul Shihan). Locals call it the wall of China. He really looks like a miracle of the world. The fact is that at the top of the cliff it stretches 2 kilometers long with bizarre shapes in the form of stone ridges. The height of the rises is 60 m, and the ridges reach a width of 40 m. From afar, Shikhan resembles an impregnable fortress. The only difference is that it is created by nature. This is a fairly popular place among climbers. It often hosts training and competitions. However, there are still traces of human activity in this place. At the foot of the cliff, archaeologists have found several ancient sites. They are dated by the era of bronze (35-11 centuries BC) and early iron (13-4 centuries BC). And in the stones on the top of Shihan, you can see dozens of indentations measuring about 2 meters. Scientists suggest that they were used as a place for sacrifices or for other ritual ceremonies.
Tourists
Lake Arakul (Chelyabinsk region) and its surroundings are very popular among tourists. Every year, more and more people go to these parts for recreation. Slowly but surely, infrastructure is developing here, routes are being organized - weekend tours. Camping facilities are available. This is now the most common form of recreation. Also on the left bank of the lake was built "Arakul village" - a guest complex. You can rent houses, catamarans, boats, barbecues, sports grounds. In winter, sledges, skis, snowmobiles and skates are rented.
Fishing
Arakul is a lake, reviews of which are only positive. It is a favorite place for fishermen. In the waters there are fish such as perch, pike, bream, roach, burbot and other species. At the beginning of the 20th century, one of the first fish-farming stations was opened on the territory of the lake. To this day, they continue to work, raising fish. And in the vicinity there are moose, squirrels, hedgehogs, hares. Sometimes you can see lynxes and even bears. However, they do not live near the coastline.