Sabbino caves. Sablin caves: photos, excursions

Have you ever dreamed of visiting the most terrible and gloomy underground cave? Feel like a pioneer, explorer-speleologist? If so, then it's time to go on an excursion to Sablino.

In fact, these are artificial galleries, which were formed as a result of quartz sand mining . More than 150 years ago, from the natural material produced here, pure crystal was made. It is these famous developments that will make it possible today to travel to the underworld, go down into the caves. Sablino is a small railway station in the village of Ulyanovka in the Leningrad Region.

Location

If you live in the Leningrad region, then you can easily visit these caves. Sablino is conveniently located, it can be reached by road or rail. The distance from St. Petersburg is only 40 km. This makes the route a popular weekend tour. It should be noted that here a whole network of caves. One of them is used for excursions, the entrance to it is paid. All others are open to access, but there are no security guarantees.

How to get there

So, let's go study the caves. Sablino found easy, most importantly - consult in advance, whether the train stops at the desired station. After the exit at the stop, you will have to go back a little, cross the railway tracks and go to the square of the village of Ulyanovka. From here to the goal - only 3.5 km, you can take a bus or walk on foot.

From the stop "Sport Base of Leningrad State University" you need to go to the side of the bridge. From here you can already see the cliff and the entrances to some caves. Sablino is rich in catacombs, here you will see this.

Underground grottoes of Sablino

Walking down along the left bank of the river you will see the famous three entrances, which frame the entrance to the cave "Three-eyes". Here you can see everything yourself, if you are not afraid to go down without a guide. Returning along the shore back, you will see the cave "Beregovaya" (or "Pomoyka"). The entrance to it is paid, excursions are held on schedule, at regular intervals. If you came earlier, you can sign up and take a walk around the neighborhood. Going out into the sunlight, you can cross the river on the bridge - here, on the right bank, there are a dozen magnificent underground labyrinths.

Just in order along the cliff are the grottoes "Pearl", "Santa Maria", "Pants" and "Dream". The series of underground passages of the cave "Beach" ends. At a considerable distance is "Rope". The entrance to them is free, but keep in mind that you will only have to rely on yourself. Besides them, there is a mass of uncharted underground tunnels, which you should not climb without reliable insurance and equipment.

By the way, on the office building, where there is an entry for the tour, there is a detailed plan for Sablino (caves). The map of each of them is detailed and supplemented with comments. If you want to visit one of the free grottoes yourself, this information will be very useful.

Caves and waterfalls: a romantic combination

In addition to the mysterious grottoes, there is still something to see in Sablino. Caves, excursions in which you can wait for several hours at a time, is just an excuse to come here. Next to the office building, which has a road map to the waterfalls, there is a small "museum of antiquities" in the open air. Here you can see various fossils, huge shells of fossil mollusks. Inspect, photograph, and go.

The road will not take ten minutes, if you follow the map exactly. Do not expect to see a huge rumbling Niagara: here the dimensions are much more modest. And nevertheless it is very interesting to visit two beautiful waterfalls on the rivers Sablinka and Tosna. Their height is 2 and 4 meters respectively. Near a steep cliff, pine trees grow, clinging to the roots almost by the air. Near to them people like to be photographed. The main thing is not to slip down, into sticky mud, from a distance like a dry clay.

Last preparations

In pleasant hikes, time passes unnoticed, and you are ready to explore the Sablin caves. The map provided by the administration is useful only if you decide to fall behind the conductor, but so it is in the field of safety. Be sure to take care of your outfit. On the surface may be unbearable heat, but the bottom is always a stable temperature of +8 degrees. Add to this the dampness, sand and clay under your feet, on the walls and ceiling, and you will understand that the sarafan and sandals are not at all the clothes that you need. Light sneakers and expensive Olympics too. Consider the possibility of getting dirty, getting wet, freezing and getting sick.

The ideal option will be reliable, warm sports pants, tourist sneakers, a sweater and preferably a helmet. By the way, the latter together with a worn jacket are rented out. It would be nice to get a flashlight and a camera in advance.

First underground, and then, it seems, on Venus

The largest and most interesting "Coastal" cave is carefully prepared for the reception of tourists. The complex labyrinth of moves has been studied, the detailed plan has been compiled, the vaults have been strengthened. To warm up the interest of tourists, the exposition "Parking of an Ancient Man" and others are exhibited inside. For the likelihood, even rock carvings are depicted, although these artificial caves are too young for the Cro-Magnon creations to really exist on their walls.

A small note for those who came independently to study Sablino. The caves on the map provided by the local administration are drawn in much more detail than the familiarity signs posted on the network.

If such an experience you did not have, then descent into the cave will make an indelible impression. The duration of the tour is about an hour, during this time you need to walk a distance of 5 km. There is a special atmosphere here that can not be conveyed in words: it needs to be passed and felt. Like in many famous natural caverns, there is a curious underground lake. Especially beautiful it looks with the directional light of several lamps. The depth is about 2 meters. Do not forget to capture the Sablin caves, the photo can be taken without a flash (closer to the conductor's lantern), so it will turn out to be more natural.

On the way the group will visit the "monument to the speleologist". This wooden cross is installed in memory of the merits of many heroic people, scientists who discovered the rarest deposits, healing springs and simply beautiful places in dangerous catacombs. After passing a long winding labyrinth with beautiful cracks, dead ends, lakes and streams, caves and corridors full of bats, tourists go out into the fresh air. Full of feeling that they found themselves on another planet, much hotter than Earth. The sun is dazzling, and the heat seems simply incredible.

If you did not visit both waterfalls before the tour, it's time to catch up. A visit to one of them is included in the program. Then follows a bath in the river and a picnic with shish kebabs on the beach.

Borshchev grottoes

The caves of the Leningrad Region are not exhausted only by the Sablinskys. Not far from the village of Oredezh there are very similar catacombs, which arose as a result of quartz sand mining. These large beautiful caves today are quite badly damaged. Remained only a small part of the labyrinth, suitable for passage. The shape of the aisles is very unusual here: they resemble arches made in the Gothic style. This is due to the high risk of collapses. Thus, the vault was given the greatest strength. But despite this, every year the reduction of beautiful halls is fixed. Perhaps, soon these caves completely disappear.

Rebrovsky Caves

Located between the villages of Rebrovo and Kolchanovo. Their origin is the same as the previous ones. The caves "Petrovskaya" and "Comb" are quite simple, it's difficult to get lost in them, but do not forget about the elementary rules of safety. You can move here in full growth, and calcite deposits on the ceiling miraculously phosphoresce at the flash.

Zhikharevskaya karst cave

This is a natural formation near the village Gorodishche, 3 km from the station Zhikharevo. The entrance is one of numerous cracks. The floor of the cave is covered with grass and leaves, and the walls are decorated with numerous deposits of calcium carbonate in the form of icicles and various patterns.

This is one of the most interesting, but also difficult to access cavities. Entrance here is only possible for trained tourists with an experienced guide.

Let's sum up the results

To visit another dimension, you need so little - just visit the caves of the Leningrad region. You will surely love the underground silence and coolness, some privacy and detachment from the world. Here, as nowhere is played a fantasy and wakes up the desire to create: to convey your feelings in painting, song, verse. Many tourists, visiting for the first time on a paid tour, next time they gather loyal friends, stock up on a map and go to conquer the underworld on their own. A picnic in a cave with a guitar and a thermos of hot tea you will never forget.