The vacation season is in full swing, and therefore now is the time to think about the rest. Turkey, Egypt, Cyprus - resorts are popular and comfortable. Summer, sea, beach, buffet, alcohol, poorly speaking Russian animators. A complete entertainment package and hard work for the liver.
But not a single foreign resort will give such peace of mind and emotional recharge as the native places of the Central Russian Upland. The blue river, bright greenery, Russian fishing, Beautiful Swords. Calming for the Russian soul.
Fishing river
Beautiful Sword is an amazing place in the Tula region. The calm expanse of one of the most beautiful rivers in Russia. The indescribable splendor of pristine nature. The proximity of ancient settlements. Limestone of the Devonian period, appearing on the banks. All these are excellent conditions for an unforgettable vacation for everyone who decided to get to the shores of the fishing river.
The Beautiful Sword River stretches for 244 kilometers. The entire thread of the winding channel before flowing into the Don is suitable for fishing. The bank is steep on bends. The closer to the mouth, the higher it is.
The river is very shallow. 2.5 meters - is that a lot? Although there are pits of 6-7 meters, it is more likely an exception to the general rule. In such water, grace is found in fish. Beautiful Sword is famous for its abundance of chub, perch, pike, silver carp, rudd, bream, ruff and roach.
Popular river for rafting
The river is popular not only among fishermen, but also among kayakers. And all because of natural and artificial obstacles, now and then encountered on the way. The route along the Sword is not only the overcoming of turbulent flows and treacherous pitfalls, but also amazing views. In the process of fusion along the Beautiful Sword, extreme people will meet the destroyed hydroelectric station. After the station, the river briefly breaks into channels, there are small riffles from gravel. Bridge, mill, ford, fast current. Many villages, dilapidated temples and the restored Troekurovsky monastery, collapsed bridges and a forgotten power station, the remains of a hydroelectric station in the village of Kurapovo, which was built on the basis of a water mill and beaver dams, steep banks and the Ishutinsky fortress along the way.
Routes are usually designed for 2 days. For inexperienced beginners, the way, as experienced athletes advise, can be shortened, or add a couple of days to rafting. The current on the river is not very strong. We have to row. Sometimes there is wind in the face. This factor also reduces speed.
But the river is known, of course, for fishing. Beautiful swords, fishing are almost synonyms.
What to bring with you?
If you are traveling on a Sword, you need to take everything you need with you. First of all, an awning or a tent. In the summer it will shelter from mosquitoes, and closer to the fall, when the influx of vacationers subsides due to rain and wind, it will protect from the weather. You will also need stew, meat and other food products. Bread is necessary if there is no desire to go on a trip to the neighboring village. An ideal substitute for bread would be homemade crackers. And stored longer, and taste is no worse.
Warm clothes, linen change, waterproof shoes (still fishing), head protection, sleeping bags, flashlights, ignition products, maps or a navigator, bowler, dishes, mugs, an ax, a shovel, water, salt and spices - all this is needed.
And of course, fishing gear, a knife, a first aid kit and an insect repellent.
The Beautiful Sword River is so winding and full of beauties, significant places that can not be walked around. Without a car, it makes no sense to advance on it.
How to get there?
Getting to the river is easy. P141, 120, 127 and 126 highways cross the channel in several places. Roads between dozens of villages and villages densely mesh the area around the river and serve as access roads to the water.
If you move along the roads 120, 141, you can get to the town of Efremov, which is 310 and 149 km from Moscow and Tula, respectively. It is just broken on the river. It is mainly visitors who are guided by it.
Recreation center
Efremov, as already mentioned, is the starting point for vacationers. 30 kilometers east of the town is the recreation center "Shilovo". Neat buildings of hotel complexes and Finnish houses for an individual settlement will shelter tired travelers. Cozy rooms, pleasant atmosphere - just a nice addition. The main thing that vacationers strive for is the river. For the pacifying beauty, the places around the river are called "Russian Switzerland". Beautiful Swords, relaxation, excellent fishing - everything is almost nearby, in the protected corners of Mother Russia.
You can end your journey on this, having settled down in the town, having rented a hotel room or a house at the base, and nature lovers can even get settled on the river bank. For those who seek to completely immerse themselves in the pristine Russian nature, the journey has only just begun.
Stone horse
Before you pull out the rods, you should visit the Horse-Stone. This is a huge boulder brought by glaciers, which resembles, oddly enough, a horse. It stands on three pillars and, according to legend, has wonderful properties. And all because before it was used for sacrifices. So, at least, it is considered. He paved next to the village of Cozier. You need to get to Soldatovo, and immediately after it take the dirt road. The primer to the stone, like an alley, is so good that it will ideally lie on the artist’s canvas.
Not far from the same village of Kozye there is another amazing place that stands out from the general picture of forests and fields of central Russia. This is the valley of megaliths. Moving from the village, you can get to Krasnogorsk. There, local residents will tell you where to look for stones. It is amazing to observe such a large number of small rocks in the Tula region. Stones would naturally fit into nature beyond the Arctic Circle. Here they look as if the giant, passing by, shook the crumbs out of his pocket.
Ishutinsky settlement
Separately, it is worth mentioning the ancient monument of human culture - the Ishutinsky fortification. The main thing is to get from the highway to the road to Slobodskoye. And on the way to Ishutinsky - 10 minutes of a quiet ride. Unless, of course, the roads were washed away by rain or snow.
There is little to be confused with the settlement. There are plenty of tourists - the Beautiful Sword is already so popular that lovers of fishing and nature come from all over Russia. At night, when the lanterns light up, the Ishutinskoe fortification is covered with dimly glowing multi-colored tents.
There is little reliable information about the Ishutinskoe fortification . Apparently, people once lived here, but then they disappeared. What kind of people these were, where they came from, what they did, and why they left the settlement - it’s still not clear. And it is not known whether the researchers will be able to find out at least something.
One thing is clear - that people knew how to choose places for cities. Beautiful, calm, satisfying.
Fishing on the Beautiful Sword
Having finally reached the river, it is possible to fulfill the dream - to go fishing! The fish on the river is successfully caught on bloodworms, maggots, steamed wheat. Common carp, roach, bream, dace, chub and perch, ruff and bleak are found.
Fishing on the Beautiful Sword will appeal to everyone. Beautiful views and a wealth of fish are pulled here by spinning, guide, carp and fly fishing and just like to sit with a fishing rod. Describing the fishing process is a thankless task. These emotions must be experienced yourself.
The boundless pleasure of the process and the result, from the path to the river and back will give Beautiful Swords. Fishing on it will seem like a real paradise for avid anglers and ordinary tourists. Beautiful Sword - thank you for being there!