Krasnaya Polyana

At 55 kilometers distance from coast of Black sea, among woody mountains there is Krasnaya Polyana - wonderful place of Western Caucasus, got love and wide popularity at tourists. Proximity to the capital of the Russian resorts of Sochi, a variety of a landscape, natural resources; the optimal microclimate, all this promotes prospect of transformation of this nook to present "Switzerland".
There are some versions why this surprising place was named Krasnaya Polyana. Somebody approve, the first settlers, going down from mountains in the autumn, caught sight of thickets of fern on a glade and from afar its dark - brown colour in rays of decline have accepted for red. Someone on the contrary, asserts opinion, that a name to settlement was given the sun has painted nearby mountain tops in the morning. And one of topographers in 19th century, having seen this miracle, has exclaimed: "Red Glade! (Krasnaya Polyana)". That means beautiful.
Many foreign visitors, tired of too civilized resorts, appreciate much rest in Russia year by year, where virgin pieces of nature are still kept. And as to service already in the foreseeable future it promises "to catch up and overtake" the most prestigious European mountain resorts. Sometimes they compare Krasnaya Polyana for some reasons to mounting skiing resorts of Switzerland and Austria. Actually a climate of Krasnaya Polyana may hardly be compared to anything. Even in Switzerland there is no sea...
Krasnaya Polyana is located at height of 500-600 meters above sea level on crossing of two mutually perpendicular valleys formed by the rivers Mzymta and Beshenka. Who were those legendary people who nowadays left in our memory the name of the river Mzymta and settlement Medoveevka in area of Krasnaya Polyana, names of rivers Achipse and Psou, a beautiful ridge and settlement Aibga? Up to Caucasian War mountain Sadzs lived here, they are relatives of Borngian Sadzs and Ubyhians. As well as the Ubyhians they had the original language which concerns Adydh-Abkhaz group (Caucasian language family).

Glade Kbaade was occupied by four communities of mountain Sadzs under the common breeding name Medzyuaa (Midzyuaa). They also have named that present Mzymta, the native river - Medzyumta (in ancient sources mentioned as Mijigon, or Vorgiy - Vruhont - Mizig). Up to J.K.Efremov? there were a lot of names of river Mzymta on ancient maps, - Mdzymta, Mezyumta, Medzyumta. Anyway the name of Medovea is the most preferable for us since local honey had been glorified. Baron Tornau, stayed at Medovey's place in the beginning of 19-th century, has left us an original historical memory about those times: "Psou (Pshuaa), Achipsou (Achipsaa, Achipse), Aiboga (Aibga), Chuzhgucha (Chvizhepse). Those four societies living on northern side of mountains, known at Circassians under the common name Medoveys.

Sometimes in spans between gardens the broaden Mzymta's flood-lands is visible - to one of the most mighty rivers of Krasnodar region. It begins at 80 kilometers point from the coast, from the picturesque mountain lake Kardyvach located at height of 2050 meters above sea level. Tens of small and big rivers and rivulets feed it the year round.
High mountain ranges surround Krasnaya Polyana. At the left of settlement rise spurs of Achishko. It looks like a giant which has sat down to have a rest and suddenly has hardened. He has as though embraced Krasnaya Polyana, having protected it from winds and inclement weather. Hands of a giant have turned into mountain ranges, a grey-haired head and mighty shoulders - into mountain tops.

The width of the valley occupies about 1 kilometer and stretches along a channel of the river on six kilometers. Its general area is about 400 hectares. Its climatic area represents an isolated mountain territory. Surrounded from all directions by abrupt and rocky mountain ranges, covered with a rich wood, it is reliably protected from all adverse air currents and winds.
In Sochi it is difficult to look after changes, but in Krasnaya Polyana precise revolution of the season is observed and the real winter with snowfalls and frosts comes annually.
Rather steady snow cover reaching 3-4 meters of depth is the most significant feature of winters in Krasnaya Polyana. In winter there is a fall of snow up to 500 millimeters, that is much more, than at the coast. It is much colder in Krasnaya Polyana in winter, than in Sochi.
Another winter feature of this corner of Caucasus is an abundance of bright sunny days. In summer the air here is not so humid as at the coast - so Krasnaya Polyana admires tourists with the cleanest and transparent air.
Woods of Krasnaya Polyana and its environs are extremely rich. Here there are almost all representatives of arboreal and shrub breeds of Caucasus and the Black Sea Coast. Like in alive giant herbariums, here is a wide collection of 3 thousand kinds, forms and versions of plants. Valleys of all rivers in the area of Krasnaya Polyana are located at significant height above sea level. A microclimate of these valleys and gorges is warm, damp, with short winter and little fall of snow. Deciduous forests dominate here. Their structure is motley and various. The hornbeam, a maple, a beech prevail. Silver fir fills great in the Caucasian mountains. At mature age it reaches height in 50 meters and more, and more than 2 meters of diameter.
A wood jungle remains behind you after climbing a little. Fir-tree forest becomes sparse, and trees do not surprise with huge growth any more. Here one can enjoy the brightest subalpine meadows. They are bordered with high-mountainous birch woods, undersized and bent. Subalpine meadows are covered by rich deep grass. Everything is amazing for travellers: three-meter grassy cow-parsnip, baby blue handbells of meter height and motley conites.
Subalpine meadows rise to glaciers and snows, are stretched up to the point of 2200 - 2300 meters above sea level. And higher the empire of naked rocks and eternal snows begins.
So-called zoning is vertical for local fauna. Deciduous woods is home of the Caucasian bear and a wild boar. It is possible to meet some timid roes on wood glades. Wild cats, badgers, martens here live also. There are a lot of tracks of an otter and a mink in valleys of the rivers. They prefer catching a trout.

This tier of the wood is rich in the feathery population. The wood is filled with voices of chaffinches and itmouses, trills of black and singing ouzels, loud cluck of jays. Sometimes cuckoo and singing of a hangbird is heard. Fir woods are less occupied. The Caucasian deer is the rare visitor here. In subalpine and Alpine meadows numerous herds of chamoises and Caucasian goats are grazed. Silence of high mountains is broken by the crick-crack of Maltese daws and choughs.
Over 200 kinds of birds and more than 60 breeds of mammals occupy neighbouring mountains and woods. The empire of insects counts tens thousand of kinds. The specific structure of herptiles is a little bit poor. Though it is possible to meet frequently non-poisonous snakes and lizards, just Kaznakov's viper is dangerous to the person.
Riches of Krasnaya Polyana mountains and woods are inexhaustible. The fur craft, fish trade, gathering of wild fruits supplement the basic employment of local residents: gardening and farming, beekeeping and timber cuttings.
On Tretya Vodopadnaya river, on the rivers Laura, Bzerpy, Rudnaya copper quivers are deposited. In the local spurs of the Main Caucasian ridge there are looses of silver and gold sand, fields of many other valuable minerals.
There are a lot of mineral water springs in the environs of Krasnaya Polyana. In river Mzymta basin they are more than 10 in number. The local springs differ from the costal. At the coast they are salty and richly sated with hydrogen sulphide, here they alkaline, with an abundance of carbonic gas. The closest spring is on a slope Achishkho, in a valley of right inflow of Mzymta - Achipse river.
"Borzhomi"-like water spring is situated in 12 kilometers distance from the Krasnaya Polyana, on left-bank terrace of the river Psluh. Water springs here from the black slates. The largest mineral water spring is found on Engelman glade, 25 kilometers from the community. It is located at coast of Mzymta at height of 1200 meters above sea level. Its daily debit is 25,000 litres.
A lot of people were surprised to learn that the city of Sochi was a candidate city to host Winter Olympic games of 2002. Subtropics and skiing? Sounds funny. But don't forget about Krasnaya Polyana with the steady snow coverage during 6 months of the year. When experts of the International Olympic Committee arrived to Krasnaya Polyana, they were sincerely surprised - the Black Sea is so close to grey-haired and proud mountain tops...

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14