Where to look for swamps
A famous song says: “I was sucked into a dangerous bog…” There are many such bogs in Moscow: with a total area of the city of 260 hectares, 100 hectares are occupied by marshy areas. Most of them are mixed or lowland, which formed in river beds. There is usually muddy black water and a lot of dangerous places. And only 12 hectares are occupied by raised bogs, replenished by heavy rainfall: the moss on them is silky and pleasant to the touch, and there are also plenty of lingonberries, many safe hummocks, which if you step on, they spring under your feet. And the view is beautiful – it opens up space. It is to these swamps, as the most harmless, that tourists are taken. As experienced guides say, raised swamps are no more dangerous than a big city, just the specifics are different. If you don’t get under the wheels of a car in the city, then in a swamp you shouldn’t go into potentially dangerous places, jump on an unreliable rafting boat or light a fire on a peat bog.
How to get there
They are taken to the swamps in small groups of 10-12 people under the guidance of an experienced instructor who has tested the path in advance and also knows how to help someone who accidentally fails more than planned. “Tours to swamps are popular because they are an excellent reboot for the whole body,” says Olga Kotova, one of the representatives of a travel company specializing in hiking. “The lack of Internet, a long walk, fresh air already bring a lot of benefits. And the path through the swamps It helps to tickle the nerves, to test a person’s strength, not only physical, but also emotional. Of the seven-hour trek, the route goes through swamps for about three hours. But we drive mainly through the swamps. region, and not around Moscow. On such tours, the body is rebooted one hundred percent. Office employees especially love such trips.”
Infographics “RG” / Alexander Chistov / Irina Ogilko
Features of the path
The great demand for such tours is also evidenced by the fact that it is now difficult to find free space for such a trip. Most of the tours are sold out by the end of the month. And November is the last month of the year when you can go on such a hike. They like to walk at this time because the raft or riptide, that is, the path through the swamp, can be frozen, and therefore more durable than in summer. In summer, people like such hikes because you can take off your shoes and stomp on the moss barefoot for part of the way. But in the summer there are a lot of annoying mosquitoes, midges, and now a walk without the test of blood-sucking. “In winter, such hikes make little sense; you won’t feel the full drive,” one of the instructors, Anton Ruchkin, shares the intricacies of swamping. “A snow-covered swamp is not much different from an ordinary snow-covered meadow or clearing. The next season of hiking in the swamps starts in April, when the snow melts.”
Who is it suitable for?
Walking through the swamps bears little resemblance to a weekend picnic or a comfortable vacation. In addition, everyone who is ready to hit the road also needs good physical preparation. After all, it will take six to seven hours to cover an average of 10-15 kilometers on foot. There is usually only one stop – at the very end of the path, where food from the fire and meditation await the tourist. No alcohol, prohibited substances. “The adrenaline is off the charts, especially when you once fell into a quagmire. In a second, you went into water up to your chest,” wrote one of the tourists, Alina Izmailova. “But it helped me rethink my values, I began to approach life and loved ones differently. And they pulled me out quickly, The tours are led by professionals.” Another tourist writes that such tours are especially interesting for biologists and zoologists, since they go through less traveled places.
Where to look for instructors
Such trips are organized by travel companies specializing in hiking tours. There are about a dozen of them in the capital. You can also look at thematic communities on the social networks VKontakte and Telegram. By the way, here you can also find proposals for inspecting bogs in neighboring regions, for example in the Tula, Pskov, Kostroma regions (in particular, where Ivan Susanin led the Polish army in the Kostroma forests in 1613).
On such tours the body is rebooted one hundred percent.
Another important factor before purchasing a tour is the availability of uniforms. You can’t go on this route in regular sneakers and a jacket. You need a special uniform: a waterproof raincoat or thick raincoat, waders (for October-November) or trekking boots (they dry easily). A travel backpack with many compartments is a must. You need to take a set of warm underwear with you and wrap it all in sealed film. Hiking poles with wide tips will be your helpers. And to be on the safe side, it’s a good idea to take a copy of your passport in a sealed case. Provisions include a supply of water, hot tea, and sandwiches. There should be nothing hanging on your stomach; this will help you get out faster if you fall into the water.
Price
From 2.5 to 5 thousand rubles in the capital region (not counting transport tickets).
Source: rg.ru
