Sochi is located incredibly on the territory of the National Park beautiful place - Ashe river valley. This valley contains several tourist sites:
1. Witch's cave. You can see it while traveling by boat.
2. Psidah Waterfall
3. Waterfall Shapsug.
Suspension bridges crossing the river will also attract attention.
We went here on a special day. I had a holiday - Birthday. Throughout the previous week, we basked by the sea of \u200b\u200bthe Tuapse district, walked in the nearby mountains. My husband decided to give me a ride. There was no doubt that it would be unforgettable.
Finding ourselves in Tuapse, we stood in a traffic jam for a long time and this darkened our mood for a while. Every time Tuapse meets us with long traffic jams. Therefore, I associate it with long rows of non-moving cars.
But after the city of Tuapse was left behind, there were fewer cars, and the road took on a sharp twist.
When we reached the Kalezhsky track, I admired every second the speeding beauty.
On the way we saw Shapsugsky aul. The name of this place is formed by two words: “hajj” (the pilgrim who reached Mecca) and “ko” (the place where this pilgrim returned).
Along the way, we met a nice cafe, which was called "Far from Wives." Unfortunately, we had absolutely no time left, so we were unable to call in there. Yes, and we were traveling as a couple - we could not let my husband go 🙂.
So we got to the village of Kalezh. This place is not very large, but for some reason it translates as the "old city".
As soon as we got to the aul, the herd of resting cows blocked the entrance to the bridge.
Mysterious Valley of Waterfalls
Before our eyes appeared the unsurpassed valley of the Ashe River. Translated, the name of the valley means "weapons." But only this heart can hurt this place unforgettable beauty. Bright greenery, clear water, in which the blue sky is reflected. because of a large number green, the valley was called the Emerald.
However, the valley is not as calm as it seems at first glance. During the rain, the river begins to run amok, its banks diverge and the hasty stream blows away everything that meets his path.
It happened in 1991. The river spilled so much in August that the entire village was flooded. This led to some houses collapsing. This entailed sacrifices.
Ashe River Valley is considered a very mysterious place full of various legends. People have composed many diverse legends associated with this place.
It is located here. Legend has it that earlier, exhausted and sick old people were thrown down from here. But once one man did not want to dump his father, and so that no one would find him, he took the old man to the cave. The son often came to his father for advice. For making the right decisions in the district, he was nicknamed the sage. And once father’s advice helped save the whole village. And then the young man spoke about his secret. Since then, dropping the old people off a cliff has stopped.
Of course, this legend is very similar to fiction, because the Caucasus has always been distinguished by its respect for old age. Probably, guides who turn their tongues to tell tourists such implausible legends more deserve a cliff flight.
And if you start looking at travel sites, then in general you can find a bunch of incorrect and outdated facts about the valley. For example, there you can find information that the path to the Witch's Cave is closed because it was flooded. Anyway, only the most courageous can enter it.
I believe that this is all speculation. We were there even with children. There are flooded areas in the cave, but this makes staying in this place even more exciting and intriguing. We did not experience any fear and horror from being in the cave.
ASHE VALLEY PROVIDES THREE TYPES OF MOVEMENT ON IT.
The first view is on foot. It takes a lot of time and is very tiring, especially when it is very hot.
The second type - SUVs (UAZs are most often used, and large groups prefer GAZes). They move along the river. It’s really fun to watch the splashes fly under the wheels in different directions.
However, all equipment will have to be carefully hidden and packaged in something waterproof. Yes, and you risk being completely wet.
The third view is your car. Recently, a road has been laid along the riverbank. You must pay for the journey (hiking, by the way, too). The road takes you almost directly to the waterfalls. Even an ordinary car can easily drive along this road, let alone an SUV.
We got to this beauty in our car.
PSYDAKH - ONE OF THE WATERFALLS OF ASHE VALLEY
Getting acquainted with the Ashe valley, the very first you can see the Psydah waterfall (sometimes called Psedah). Translation of its name means "beautiful water"
The beauty of this waterfall is impossible to dispute. It is located in a very unusual place, which can be seen only by taking a closer look, looking into the cleft well.
You can hear another name for this waterfall - “Brides Waterfall”. There is a sign that if a girl bathed in this place, then in the near future she will marry. Therefore, at the waterfall you can see a huge number of ladies who have nothing to do with cold jets. Even women of advanced age are not averse to believing a myth and trying their luck.
But the origin of the second variant of the name can be connected with another fact: water falls on the ground in a way that resembles a veil in shape. So ladies dreamers, perhaps, in vain do they sacrifice themselves in vain, plunging into an ice stream. But in general, the main thing is to believe in the realization of your dreams.
On the way to the waterfall you will meet the wish bridge. All desires made here must certainly come true. True, I didn’t guess - I was fascinated by the view of the waterfall.
The waterfall includes three cascades - upper, middle, lower. Now even the highest cascade can be easily reached, because they built bridges and even equipped special platforms from which everything is perfectly visible.
The waterfall reaches a length of 30 m. The upper cascade looks most spectacular.
The height of this cascade is 20m. He paved his way in a recess in the rock. Water from it falls directly into the bowl located below. The spray from the waterfall is scattered over a long distance, forming a cloud, so there is a pleasant coolness even if it is hot everywhere.
The upper cascade is located in the canyon, which looks like a bag made of stone 6m wide and 11m long. Its slopes are steep and seem to consist of layers. Indescribable sensations arise when you stand in this huge well, which was created by the power of water.
The height of the middle cascade is approximately 5m. Under it, too, is a bowl. In size, it is larger than the top.
And the last, lower cascade. It is smaller and wider than the other two. In height, it reaches only 2.5m. The foot also has a small bowl.
The whole rise of the waterfall is dotted with signs warning that people were careful, walking only in sports shoes and others. But if you come here in slippers, nobody will kick you out. However, it is very thoughtless and unsafe. You risk not only breaking up with slippers, but falling and damaging yourself something.
There are various tents in front of Psydah Falls, where you can buy local honey and wine or eat fresh pastries. I don’t recommend tasting wine before climbing to the waterfall - the stairs here are so very dangerous. It is better to buy wine and take it with you. It is made from local berries, so it has a truly unique taste.
Not far from this waterfall there is another smaller one. It is also beautiful here.
A chairlift stretches along a small waterfall. It has all rusted, because probably no one is using it anymore.
PHOTO OF WATERFALL “Psydakh” (FATA OF THE BRIDE)
WATERFALL SHAPSUG
Shapsug includes 4 cascades. It is higher than the first waterfall. Its total height reaches 50m.
The height of the lower cascade is approximately 20m. At the base of the waterfall there are a lot of huge stones. The remaining cascades reach 5, 10 and 8 m.
To get to the waterfall you need to cross the bridge. It is very narrow, about 30m long. When you walk on it, then everything starts to stagger. This is very exciting.
Near the Wish Stone, located next to the waterfall, you can make something to make it come true.
By the way, there are plenty of other places for making wishes. Yes, and desires, it seems to me, in this place everyone is alike - to return here again.
Waterfalls can be found at the following coordinates: Psydakh - N44 00.041 Е039 23.454,
Shapsug - N43 59.947 E039 23.808.
Most likely, they will not be useful - there are signs everywhere.
The Ashe River Valley is rich in other attractions that we could not get to: Skara Starikov (I wrote a legend about it) and Mukhortova Polyana. But we still managed to visit one very mysterious place - an unusual cave.
PHOTO WATERFALL "SHAPSUG"
CAVE WITCH
The Ashe River Valley contains another unusual miracle - the Cave of the Witches or in another way the House of Spirits, the Cave of Salvation. It is located on the right side of the river.
To get to the cave, you must cross the bridge, which is 90 meters long.
The view of the bridge, of course, leaves much to be desired. It is as if made by otherworldly forces - its curvature, old age, rotten planks and the absence of railings in some places make me start. Nails stick out here and there.
But from this bridge, the Ashe Valley looks unforgettable.
Bypassing the bridge, you will fall into the Colchis forest. To get to the cave, follow the signs.
All three names of the cave have a history.
It was called the Witch's Cave because in the past witches were locked here. If it was discovered that one of the women was engaged in magic, she was immediately sent here, they propped up the entrance with a huge stone, and the poor sorceress in the cave was waiting for death. Of course, little is believed in this, because the entrance there is very large. And if you find a stone of this size, then move it would not be possible not only for the poor witch. And the guide whispered to us that the witches did not live here. All this was invented to give this place more mystery.
The real cave is called the House of Spirits or Ginan in Arabic. There is a legend that the spirits of the dungeon waters lived here.
This place has another name - the Cave of Salvation. According to legend, at one time the village of Kalezh was surrounded by enemies. Residents, not wanting to give up, hid in a cave. There were no flooded places in it at that time. Therefore, the men managed to lead the people to a nearby valley and hide them there. The warriors themselves went back and, taking the enemy by surprise, they won. After that, they began to live in their aul calmly and happily.
Approaching the cave, we received rubber boots and disposable caps for the legs (hygiene requirement).
About 40 meters had to walk on water on foot. In some places it was necessary to bend strongly - the ceiling was either low or high.
I was scared that you could slip, because the water was dirty in color and the bottom could not be seen because of this. The conductor assured us that there could not be algae here, since light does not penetrate here. Therefore, it will not be slippery.
As we walked, we saw many bats and unusual calcite outgrowths. It looks like stones are growing - something on a fantasy level.
Finally, we got to the boat. We lit our way with lanterns. The course was set by our guide. Here and there on the walls there were yellow growths.
In some places, they hang over the water, forming curtains of stone.
The guide told us that in our time, many places in the cave cannot be reached. At the end of the tunnel, he showed us a depression in the water. Through it you can penetrate into the lower layer of the cave. Scuba divers worked there, who opened below a whole hall filled with water. There are also many moves. It is not known where one can go from them. Nobody was engaged in a detailed study of the cave, so no one can tell its exact size. It is believed that in length it stretches for about 12 km.
Peering into the darkness of the passage located in the water, I got goosebumps from the fact that below is a dungeon full of mysteries and suspense.
Rumor has it that there is another way out of the cave. It is located near the village of Bolshoi Pseushko, located just twelve kilometers from here. Therefore, the belief in the capture of the aul is quite plausible and, perhaps, it is based on real events. Indeed, if the cave was not flooded, then there were all chances to get out.
Currently, the water in the cave reaches a depth of 1m 20cm (because of this you can walk on foot only at the beginning of the tunnel, and then only by boat). Cave water flows into the Ashe River. This water is incredibly cold. My legs were chilled in boots and warm socks, although the weather was warm outside. Our guide explained that the water temperature is unchanged throughout the whole year and is approximately 10 degrees.
Still, the cave is teeming with mosquitoes. We were all bitten by them. Therefore, remember this and wear something with a long sleeve and handle something from mosquitoes. You can also find spiders here. The guide warned us about this. But we did not see them. The cave we visited reaches a length of 74 meters, a width of about 2.5 meters, and a height of 1.6 - 2 meters.
Photo
CAVE VISITING PRICES
Now I’ll tell you how much this fascinating tour will cost. A walk in the cave costs 100 rubles for an adult and 40 rubles for a child under 10 years old. But remember that you won’t be able to walk the entire cave - it is flooded. So you will see only half of all the beauty. So I advise you to pay immediately for a boat trip.
For the price it will not differ much from a walking tour: adults 150 rubles, children 60. But emotions will be much stronger and brighter.
If you are afraid to go inside, you can take a walk near the entrance to the cave and capture the original shots. Entrance to such a walk will cost children under 10 years 30 rubles, the rest - 50 rubles.
But I think that you need to overcome all your fears, go inside and make sure that there is nothing terrible there. But there are many interesting and fascinating things. Of course, there was little discomfort in the form of very cold water knee-deep and clouds of mosquitoes. But this did not overshadow the excursion. Positive emotions drowned out all the bad. To all this, caves are my passion. And I was delighted that I could go to such a place on a boat.
TOTAL
After the tour ended, we got out of the cave. The valley seemed even more picturesque to us, its colors sparkled with bright colors.
Clothes in the sun very quickly became dry, and we warmed ourselves. Near the cave we saw some mushrooms.
I do not really understand them, but it seems to me that these were fly agaric. Perhaps the witches made their terrible potions from them.
The Witch's Cave can be found at the coordinates: N 44.015621, E 39.365446. The likelihood that you will use them is very small, because there are signs and trails all over the place.
Have you ever been to the Ashe River Valley? What natural paintings have led you to a greater delight - the kind of waterfalls, the Witch's Cave, or man-made bridges?
Mysterious, mysterious and alluring tourists Witch's cave is located in. Such a landmark is located on the Ashe River in one of the blurry coasts of the reservoir. Now the cave is a rounded tunnel with high humidity. True, this state of affairs does not repel tourists at all.
Recommendations
Typically, tourists are advised to go deeper into the cave to a mark of 74 meters. After this value in the tunnel, it becomes difficult to breathe. However, there are courageous travelers to whom this state of affairs is not an obstacle, and they continue to delve further. Thus, you can find yourself in another branch hall Witches Caves.
Those who wish to fully enjoy all the splendor natural siteIt is worth taking with you:
- waterproof clothes;
- rubber boots, preferably long;
- for further movement you will need a boat.
- Divers continue to study this place, since there is a part of unexplored corners.
Local Legends of the Witch's Cave
Its name, according to locals, this place was received because the cave was the place of exile of witches and evil women. According to legend, the entrance and exit from this place was piled with stones and left these people there so that they would not harm anyone else and cause various troubles.
According to some, this is the Cave of Salvation, since people found refuge there during enemy raids. It was used as a transition from settlement to a safer place. Moreover, one could go unnoticed: alive and unharmed.
Witch's cave located near the village of Kalezh. True thrill-seekers, ordinary tourists tired of boring excursions, it is recommended to visit this picturesque corner, where you can get a lot of indescribable sensations and an explosion of emotions.
Vacationers in the Lazarevsky district of Sochi, and not only there, but throughout the Black Sea coast Krasnodar Territoryhaving plenty of fun in the sea and getting all the charms beach holiday, have the opportunity to arrange for themselves a real adventure trip. We are talking about visiting one of the attractions of the Ashe River Valley - the so-called Witch's Cave.
The cave is sometimes also called the House of Spirits or the Cave of Salvation.
You can get to the cave via a long suspension bridge. All ninety meters of the passage over the gorge, where a mountain river beats along numerous rapids, will bring travelers many exciting moments. The entire wonderful valley of the Ashe River, and in particular the Witch's Cave, located on its right bank, is shrouded in many legends and secrets. One of them says that the cave in ancient times became a place of salvation for the inhabitants of the village of Kalezh and other villages from the invaders. When the Circassians learned about the approach of the enemy, they went into this cave, plunged into its depths and were able to find a way out to the wonderful magical valley.
Then the women and children were left to wait, and the male half of the population went back to the native villages through the cave, suddenly attacked the enemy and drove him out of their centuries-old places. Experts say that this legend has every right to exist. Despite the fact that at present the length of the cave is only seventy meters, and the pedestrian part of it ends with an underground river, which in turn has the end in the form of a water lock, scientists believe that the true size of the cave is much larger. If at the end of the river you shine a lantern on the surface of the water, you can see a dark hole. This is the entrance to the underwater part of this amazing cave. It is believed that its length is about twelve kilometers, and the magic valley from the legend is nothing more than a place in the area of \u200b\u200bthe village of Bolshoi Pseushko, where in ancient times there was a way out of the cave. Who flooded the cave from that legendary time - the gods themselves or nature, can only guess. How many more secrets the flooded corridors hide - one can guess.
It is also advisable to bring mosquito ointment or aerosol with you, because these bloodsuckers feel just fine in the cave.
The cave inside is a rather eerie sight: the height of the ceiling does not exceed two meters, and in many places much less, a damp floor, an ominous knock of falling drops of water, twilight, strange formations of beige shades on the walls. Yes, the atmosphere is quite oppressive. Here in the underworld you can meet a colony of bats. The impressions are reinforced by another legend, according to which it was here that women who had been convicted of using black magic were brought here before and were walled up alive in a cave. Until now, the restless souls of witches roam underground in search of a way out.
At the beginning of the entrance to the cave, all tourists are given high rubber boots, because most of the underground route has to go knee-deep in the water. Further, having pre-ordered a boat, you can continue the journey along the underground river. The cave is quite cool, so warm things will not be superfluous. In addition, those who have already visited the Witch's Cave, are advised to take with them, in addition to what is given during the tour, extra lights. Thus, it would be possible to better see the quaint interiors of the cave.
Located on the left tributary of the Bekisha River. The height of the Psydah waterfall is about 30 meters. It half-falls, half-flows down a stone gutter into a small lake. Consists of three steps. Psydah Falls is surrounded by sheer cliffs and it is impossible to climb. Therefore, you can look at it only at the foot of a stone bag.
“Psydakh” is translated as beautiful water. It was not by chance that the Shapsugs called him that - the sight is really beautiful.
By the way, Psidakh also has a second name - Waterfall Brides. According to another local legend, if a girl swims in the waters of this waterfall, then very soon she will meet a narrowed one. Judging by the number of swimmers, ladies of all ages are looking for married people.
There is another version of why Psydakh is also called the “Waterfall of the Brides” - its lower cascade resembles a veil.
Shapsug Waterfall
Shapsug is 600 meters further than its neighbor. The waterfall consists of two cascades, and the lower cascade is noticeably larger than the upper. The upper part of the waterfall consists of several jets that break down onto a rocky ledge. After this step, Shapsug further breaks down with a single powerful stream. The height of the waterfall is about 20 meters.
Not far from Shapsug there are 3 more waterfalls, 10, 8 and 5 meters high.
Also near the waterfall is the Wish Stone, which according to the beliefs of the guides fulfills the wishes.
Witch's cave
Inside the cave is not the most pleasant. There is complete darkness, a low ceiling, high humidity - and in some places water is knee-deep. Everything else here lives a whole colony of bats. The cave is very well equipped - it is very far from the Vorontsovskaya or Akhshtyrskaya cave. In general, for ordinary tourists it is not the most pleasant place, but for adventurers it is the most.
Please note that the trip to the sights of the Ashe Valley is quite long, tiring, but very exciting. So stock up on food, water and comfortable clothing
Names and legends about the cave
There are several versions of the name of the cave and they are all connected with different stories / legends.
- A standard legend connects this cave with a place of severe execution of witches. Allegedly, if the highlanders caught the lady in black magic, then she was led into this cave and blocked the entrance with a huge stone. This version is more like the fantasy of the guides than the truth. If only because the entrance to the cave is large enough and it would be very difficult to find and move the stone that would close it.
- Initially, the cave was called the Jinen Cave, which the Russians heard as a “witch's cave”. By the way, this name could be translated as “cave of spirits”. By the way, for the same reason, another name appeared - the House of Spirits.
- There is another name - the cave of Salvation. According to one version, enemies attacked the local village. The Muzhin gathered women, children, and their belongings, and with them went into the cave. Leaving them safe, the Highlanders returned home and accepted the battle, in which they won a glorious victory. Also, according to one version of this legend, the cave had a second exit and was used as a tunnel, and women and children were left in a beautiful valley.
The legend of the Rock of the Old Men
In the Ashe river valley there is a place called the Old Man's Rock. According to popular beliefs, once local residents lived according to Spartan laws. Only not frail children, but decrepit old people were thrown off the cliff. One young man loved his father very much and did not dare to kill. He hid it in a cave. Wore him food and often consulted. Thanks to the advice of his father, he was known as a sage. One of the old man's advice saved the village. The young man then admitted to his fellow villagers that his old father gave all the advice. Since then, the old people in the village began to be revered.
How to get there
Ashe River Valley on the map
First, let's determine the location. The Ashe River is located on the road from Lazarevsky to Tuapse. To get to waterfalls, caves and other places, you need to climb upstream
By car
The road towards Tuapse will go along the sea. The first river we will meet is Kuapse. By the way, here are the Berendeevo Kingdom park and the beautiful Mamedovo Gorge. But today we skip them and move on. The second river from Lazarevsky is Ashe. First we cross it, and then turn right and go to the mountains, to the village of Kalezh. From it along the river there is a road along which you can get almost to the waterfall
By public transport
There is only one bus to Aul Kalezh - 159, from Lazarevsky station. The main problem is that he walks an average of 1 time in 2 hours, which is not very convenient
Taxi
There is such a way, but if you go from Lazarevsky, it will turn out a little expensive. But a taxi is convenient with some tricky options.
Another bus + taxi
You can take a bus to the stop “Pension Vodny” and from there get to Kalezh by taxi. Suitable if you are not comfortable adjusting to the bus schedule 159, or if you are traveling from the other side (let's say from Sovet-Kvadzhe to 160 or 161)
Train + taxi
You can get to the station boarding house water and continue on a taxi. This is convenient if you are far from Lazarevsky and schedule 159 is poorly coordinated with the time of your arrival in Lazarevsky. It allows you to get here faster and without unnecessary expectations.
As part of the tour
Considering the location of the aul is not the most convenient, an excursion is a good option to get here. Excursions often include a show program from local highlanders with dances, songs, national clothes and, with luck, a tasting.
Vacationers in the Lazarevsky district of Sochi have the opportunity to arrange a real adventure trip for themselves. We are talking about visiting one of the attractions of the Ashe River Valley - the so-called Witch's Cave. The Witch's Cave is located on the right bank of the Ashe River, behind the village of Kalezh.
There are two options for the origin of the name.
First:
- The name remains from the aliens (guests, not aliens). In the pronunciation of the Circassians - the locals, the name of the cave sounds like Jinen (gin (Arabic) as spirit, and un - as house.), In a free translation: house of spirits. Why witches are accepted by spirits is not explained in this interpretation.
- There is an even more intriguing option: they say that in ancient times, if a woman was convicted of black intentions directed against fellow villagers (apparently using magic) - she was led to this cave, a stone was rolled off, blocking the entrance to it, and the witch was closed there (such Caucasian version of the European Inquisition bonfires).
The second:
- The cave is also called the cave of Salvation. There is a legend that says: once, when the enemies approached the aul, all its inhabitants hid in the depths of the cave. Passing through it, all the inhabitants came out in a wonderful mountain valley. Leaving the women and children safe, the men returned back through the cave and attacked the enemy, who was not expecting a dirty trick. The Highlanders won, and saved their people. According to many testimonies: the second exit from the cave was in the area of \u200b\u200bthe village of Bolshoi Pseushko, more than twelve kilometers from the first entrance.
The cave is quite deep - its length is more than eighty meters. The corridors of the cave in many places are flooded. You can go through the investigated part of the cave (in some places - swim), then there will be a siphon, passing which we get into a small corridor, followed by another long siphon (not yet passed by anyone). The cave is still not fully explored, the length, the presence of other halls and corridors are only speculations.