Open the left menu Ladoga Lake. Ladoga lake. general characteristics

Ladoga lake is located in the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad region RF. It is considered one of the largest freshwater lakes in Europe. Its area is about 18 thousand square meters. kilometers. The bottom is uneven: in one place the depth can be 20 meters, and in another - 70 meters, but the maximum is 230 meters. 35 rivers flow into this water area, and only the Neva flows out. Ladoga area is divided into North and South, East and West.

Water area formation

Scientists say that Lake Ladoga is of glacial-tectonic origin. On the site of its basin about 300-400 million years ago there was a sea. The change in relief was influenced by glaciers, which led to the rise of land. When the glacier began to recede, it appeared glacial lake with fresh water, Lake Ancylovoe appeared, which was connected with Ladoga Lake. New tectonic processes are taking place 8.5 thousand years ago, due to which the Karelian Isthmus was formed, and the lake became isolated. Over the past 2.5 thousand years, the relief has not changed.
In the Middle Ages in Russia the lake was called "Nevo", and in Scandinavia - "Aldoga". However, its real name comes from Ladoga (city). Now not only the city is called that, but the river and the lake. It is difficult to determine which particular object was first named Ladoga.

Climatic features

In the area of ​​Lake Ladoga, a temperate and transitional climate type has formed: from continental to sea. It depends on air circulation and location. The amount of solar radiation is small here, so the moisture evaporates slowly. The average number of days per year is 62. The weather is mostly cloudy and cloudy. Duration daylight hours v different time year varies from 5 hours 51 minutes. up to 18 h. 50 min. From late May to mid-July, there are "white nights" when the sun sets below the horizon at about 9o, and the evening smoothly turns into morning.

The water resources of the lake are the main climate-forming factor in the Ladoga region. The water area contributes to the smoothing of some climatic indicators. So air masses from the continent, passing over the surface of the lake, become marine. The minimum atmospheric temperature drops to -8.8 degrees Celsius, and the maximum rises to +16.3 degrees, the average temperature is +3.2 degrees. The average annual rainfall is 475 millimeters.

Recreational wealth

Despite the fact that even in summer the water in the lake is very cold, a large number of people come here on vacation every year, so there are beaches for tourists. Many vacationers ride catamarans and kayaks.

There are 660 islands on the lake, and they are mainly concentrated in the northern part of the reservoir. Among the largest are the Western and Valaam archipelagos, and largest islands- Riekkalansari, Valaam, Mantsinsaari, Tulolansari, Kilpola. Monasteries have been built on some islands (Konevei, Valaam), where the relics of the saints rest and there are sacred relics. There is also a memorial "The Road of Life".

On the territory of the Ladoga basin, there is the Nizhnevirsky Reserve, where various species of fauna, including rare ones, live. The following types of flora grow here:

• blueberry;
• green mosses;
• elm;
• maple;
• Linden;
• mushrooms.

Lies almost in the center of the great lakes region, at an altitude of 4.95 meters above sea level, lies between the parallels 59 ° 51` and 61 ° 46` north latitude and the meridians 29 ° 48 and 32 ° 58` east longitude from Grinich. With an oval shape, somewhat sharpened to the north, the lake stretches almost along the meridian, in the direction of which it has a maximum length of 196.5 kilometers. The largest width of the lake is almost in the middle of its length, at the parallel of 61 ° north latitude, and between the mouths of the Vuoksa and Olonka, 124 kilometers.

To the north, the shores of the lake narrow rapidly and end in the Hien-Selke Bay, and to the south, the shores narrow slowly and end in the vast Shlisselburgsky and Volkhovsky bays, separated by a wide ledge. Length coastline 1071 km., Of which 460 km., Occupying part of the western coast, from the border with the Polutorny stream to the source of the Neva, the entire southern coast and part of the eastern one to the village of Pogranichnye Konduzhi belong to Russia, the remaining 610 km. belong to Finland.

The surface of the lake, including the islands, is 15923 km2, of which 8881.1 km2 in Russia and 7041.6 km2 in Finland Yielding in size to large lakes and America, Lake Ladoga significantly surpasses all European lakes: it is twice as large, three times as large as Venus, five times larger and ten times larger than Saimaa, not to mention the rest of Western European lakes.

Lake Ladoga serves as a receiver for a huge amount of water, the only drain of which is the high-water Neva, flowing from the south-western corner of the lake by two branches separated by Orekhov Island, and flowing into St. Petersburg into. Of the tributaries directly flowing into Lake Ladoga, the following are remarkable: in the western part of the lake: the Vuoksa River, flowing from Lake Saimaa and forming the famous Imatru waterfall, flows into Lake Ladoga partly directly at Kexholm, partly across Lake Suvanto by the Taipala River; in the northern part: Gellyulya, Laskilya, Uksu, Tuloma, and Minola; in the eastern part: Vidlitsa, Tuloksa, Olonka, Obzha, Svir with Oyatya and Pasha and Voronega; in the southern part: Syas s Tikhvinka, Volkhov, Kobona, Lava, Sheldikha and Nazya. The Volkhov, Syas and Svir tributaries serve as the beginning of three water systems: Vyshnevolotskaya, Tikhvin and Mariinsky, connecting Lake Ladoga with the Volga basin, and each of the named rivers, together with the rest of the southern rivers, when it flows into the lake, connects or intersects with old and new bypass Ladoga canals that stretch along the entire southern and often eastern the shores of the lake, from the source of the Neva to the mouth of the Svir.

With the help of its numerous tributaries, Lake Ladoga captures, in addition to a part of Finland, St. Petersburg and Olonets, almost the entire Novgorod and some parts of the Pskov, Vitebsk, Tver and Arkhangelsk regions... The Ladoga basin encompasses a space of 250 280.3 km2. Although Lake Ladoga, located between the basin and advantageous position, and in terms of its vastness, depth and excellent navigable conditions, it itself constitutes the inland sea, but its shipping and commercial and economic importance are extremely insignificant, due to the bypass of the Ladoga canals, which made it completely superfluous to build sea-type vessels necessary for navigation in the lake.

The bay, Lake Ladoga and rocks (photo by Oleg Semenenko)

The shores of Lake Ladoga. From the mouth of the Vuoksa to the source of the Neva, the coast consists of clay and loamy sediments, bordered by sandy soil, with numerous boulders. The coast is still quite elevated up to the mouth of Taipala, but further to the south a low-lying deserted coast stretches, partly sandy, partly covered with dense. The southern coast of the lake, between the source of the Neva and the mouth of the Svir, is low, almost treeless and consists of clay and marshy; formed by the sediments of rivers flowing into the lake, it is bounded from the south by an elevated ridge of limestones of the Silurian system, which, in all likelihood, were once the shore of Lake Ladoga. At present, they are at a distance of 3 to 30 kilometers from it, and only near the mouth of the Svir do limestones with their rocky cliffs cut in a wedge into the shore of the lake, to the Storozhensky cape, forming the outskirts of the peninsula, which protrudes far into the lake.

Eastern coast, from the mouth of the Svir to the lake. Karkun-lamba, at first low-lying and partly marshy, gradually rises and consists of clay and loamy soil, which on the very coastline turns into pure sandy. The coastal area of ​​the northwestern part of the lake is the complete opposite of the southeastern one. Here, the shores and adjacent to them are elevated, rocky and consist mainly of granite, partly gneiss, syenite and other crystalline rocks, as well as various kinds of marbles.

From Kexholm to the north and further to the east to Impilax, granite gradually passes from light gray and coarse-grained to bluish-gray and fine-grained, very strong and hard, then, to Pitkerando, it turns into reddish, to the south of Pitkerando granite completely disappears from the surface land, and the soil is sandy-clay, filled with boulders different types, and granite is found only in low-lying promontories protruding into the lake, consisting of fine-grained red granite.

Islands in composition and height they correspond to the coast near which they are located. Almost all the islands in the northern part of the lake are elevated, consisting mainly of granite and hard rocks, while the islands in the southern part are low-lying, partly swampy and surrounded by shoals and reefs. Due to the many islands and the significant indented coastline, Northern part the lake is very rich in bays and bays closed from the winds, which are very convenient places for calm anchorage of ships, in the southern part of the lake there are almost no such places with almost everything, as a result of which here ships, with strong winds, are forced to settle in open lake, mainly in the open and dangerous Koshkinsky raid.

Of the islands in the northern part of the lake, near the shores, the most remarkable are the Kukosari Island, which lies at the mouth of the Vuoksa River. In Kronobersky Bay: Kilpodan, Korpan and Teposari, of which the last two form the entrance to the bay, which is a vast bay, completely calm for anchorage of ships. Sarolin Island, which forms the left bank of the Yakimvarsky Gulf, 12 km. plunging into the mainland and representing a safe bay with all kinds.

Of the islands in the middle of the northern part of the lake, stand out: Valaam group, consisting of 40 islands, which stretch along the parallel, at a distance of about 20 km. from the extreme islands of the northern skerries. The main and largest of this group, the island of Valaam (26.2 km2), which has a very irregular shape, but with the adjacent islands of Skitsky, Predtechensky and Nikonovsky, is represented in the form of an equilateral triangle. In its northwestern part, on a rock, there is the Valaam-Preobrazhensky Monastery, in the depths of the bay, with a convenient pier. To the east of Valaam stretch the islands: Bayovye and Krestovye. To the south-west of the island: Gange-pa with a lighthouse, Muarka, Yalaya and Rahma-sari, lying almost on the same parallel. To the south are the islands: Suri Verko-sari and Voschaty or Vasia-sari. To the south of this last island lies Konevets (6.5 km2), on which the Konevsky-Rozhdestvensky monastery is located.

Lake Ladoga (photo by Dmitry Savin)

Depth Lake Ladoga is generally quite significant; distributed unevenly, depending on the height of the banks: the steeper and higher the banks adjacent to the water's edge, the deeper the depth, and vice versa. From the southern low-lying coast, the depth, starting from half a meter, slowly and gradually increases; after passing the reefs and shallows protruding from this coast, it begins to increase rapidly, so that in the middle of the lake it is from 60 to 110 m, further to the north it increases to 140, and in some places reaches 200 meters. Thus, the Ladoga bottom has a very significant slope from south to north, and it consists of a number of more or less irregular ledges, on which in some places there are significant hillocks and hills, in places of depressions and hollows. So, between the lines of equal depths of 60 and 80 m. There are bottom elevations at which the depth is only 32 m, and in the northwestern part of the lake, between the lines of equal depths of 10 and 140 m, there are depths of 200 or more. m.

Water level and current... The water level of Lake Ladoga is subject to constant fluctuations, depending on the totality of all meteorological circumstances in the entire lake basin, as a result of which the height of lake water not only in different years, but also at different times of the same year is very different. From time immemorial, the existing belief about a seven-year periodicity of changes in the water level of the lake, according to which the horizon of lake water seems to rise constantly for 7 years, and constantly decreases over the next 7 years, was completely refuted by 14-year observations. which were produced on the island of Valaam and from which there was no correctness in changing the position of the water level.

Opening and freezing... First of all, it is covered thin ice the shallow southern part of the lake, usually in early November, sometimes in late October, at a temperature of about 5 degrees Celsius. This thin ice or lard is brought into the Neva by the current, on which the autumn ice drift begins, which does not last long. In the lake itself, with increasing frosts, the entire southern part of the lake is covered with ice, both at the very coastline and in the space between the reefs and shoals protruding from it. Further, to the north of the parallel of the Sukhsky lighthouse, under the influence of winds that easily break the formed ice, the lake does not freeze for a long time, and at great depths of the northern part it freezes only in December, often in January, in other years the middle of the lake remains not frozen all winter long ...

In general, the lake is covered with solid ice only in the most severe winters, while with ordinary frosts, only the outskirts, 20-30 kilometers from the coast, are covered with ice. It is rather difficult to determine whether the middle of the lake is frozen or not, due to the remoteness of the middle of the lake from the shore. Fishermen who carry out under-ice non-water fishing determine this with great accuracy along the current in the ice-holes: if a current corresponding to the direction of the wind is noticed in the ice-holes, then the middle of the lake remains not frozen, the absence of a current indicates that the entire lake is covered with solid ice.

The opening of Lake Ladoga, like freezing, also begins at the southern coast of the lake, usually at the end of March - the first half of April, simultaneously with the opening of the southern tributaries and warm water, which has a direct impact on the opening of the Neva, which always starts from the source, at Shlisselburg , moreover, two ice drifts occur on it: the river itself, which does not last long, and the very long Ladoga ice drift, almost never passing at once.

Europe is renowned for its beauty and appeal. Its nature has more than once become the property of songs and legends, fairy tales and poems, compositions and stories. Among all the diversity, water spaces stand out. Lake Ladoga is a striking representative. Its main difference from other water bodies is its rich flora and fauna.

general characteristics

Lake Ladoga is called the largest in all of Europe. Its area exceeds 18 thousand square kilometers. It is interesting that 457 kilometers of water area is occupied by the islands of Lake Ladoga, which in themselves are not so large. For example, the area of ​​the largest land areas located in the middle of the lake surface does not exceed one hectare. And there are more than 650 of them. Nature has arranged the islets so that over 500 of them are located in the northwestern part of the lake.

Rocky Islands are different bizarre shape and unusual outlines. Their height is 60-70 meters. It is especially interesting to observe the harmonious combination of coastline and island lines. The islands are separated by numerous bays, which cut into land areas.

Mother Nature has been working for more than one millennium on the artistic and aesthetic design of this corner of the globe. Lake Ladoga is one of the oldest water bodies. In its lifetime, it has seen a lot, experienced amazing events, which can be judged by the numerous remains and remains on its shores and bottom.

New research has made it possible to find out more accurate parameters of the water body. Lake Ladoga is 83 kilometers wide and 219 kilometers long. Without an island territory, it occupies a total of 17,578 square kilometers, which allows us to call it the largest European lake.

The length of the coastline exceeds one and a half thousand kilometers. Scientists managed to calculate the coefficient of its irregularity. It is 2.1, which suggests the presence of multiple bays. The bowl of the lake has an impressive capacity, which is 908 cubic kilometers.

Depth of the lake

The depth of Lake Ladoga is 51 meters on average. However, if we talk about the largest, then the figure already rises to 230 meters. The map of the depths of Lake Ladoga can be judged about impressive indicators. It usually marks the areas that are considered the deepest.

The bottom topography is not uniform. Therefore, it is not surprising that the depth of Lake Ladoga is different throughout its water area. For example, in the southern part, the bottom is even and smooth. This contributes to a decrease in depth. The decrease is observed from north to south. In the northern part, the depth reaches 10-100 meters, and in the southern part, this value is an order of magnitude lower and varies in the range from 3 to 7 meters. The bottom is distinguished by rocky spits and shoals; you can even find clusters of boulders.

Bottom relief

In general, such differences in depth are explained by the peculiarities of the geological structure of the bottom. Which, in turn, is due to its impressive length. Geological structure also leaves its mark on the lake basin and its appearance. Interestingly, the bottom topography seems to resemble islands. He copies them exactly. Thus, at the bottom of the lake one can observe mountains and plains, depressions and potholes, hills and slopes.

Most often, depressions up to 100 meters deep prevail. There are more than 500 of them in the northwestern part of the lake. It is interesting that such formations are concentrated in groups. And they, in turn, create a kind of labyrinth of bays. This phenomenon is called skerries. The map of the depths of Lake Ladoga makes it possible to verify this.

The slope of the lake has an average of 0.0105, and the angle averages 0.35 degrees. This value near the northern coast it is already equal to 1.52 degrees, and on the eastern coast - 0.03. This is also considered a fairly important indicator.

Animal world

In a country like Russia, Lake Ladoga plays a huge role. They call him a supplier drinking water for Northern capital state - St. Petersburg. However, in addition to this, a huge number of a wide variety of animals live in Ladoga. The main place among them, of course, is occupied by fish.

To date, more than 58 species and species of fish are known to exist in the waves of Lake Ladoga. It is interesting that there are those who are "guests" in Ladoga. These include conger eel, Baltic salmon and sturgeon. They only occasionally swim into the waters of the lake. Their permanent habitat is The Gulf of Finland and Baltic.

Unfortunately, because of the massive fish catching today, not all of its former inhabitants are left to live in Ladoga. Sometimes representatives of the fish kingdom disappear for no apparent reason. For example, sterlet. In Ladoga waters, it is no longer found, and the researchers have not found the reasons for this.

New species

But new inhabitants appeared in the lake. They are represented by peled and carp. The latter appeared in Ladoga relatively recently - in 1952-1953. The reason for this was that it was bred in the nearby Lake Ilmen. The fate of the peled was similar. She "wandered" to Ladoga from the Karelian Isthmus, where she was actively cultivated in the late 50s of the last century.

In addition, fish such as char, salmon, pike perch, whitefish, bream, trout, ripus and vendace can be found in the waters. They are distinguished by their value in the field of industry. These species are called commercial. There are also less valuable inhabitants of the lake. Among them are roach, smelt, pike, ruff, blue bream, bleak and silver bream. They are considered no less tasty, but their use in food is represented in smaller volumes.

Probably, it is impossible to name really all the fish that are found in the waters of Lake Ladoga. There are so many inhabitants there that work on their discovery and study continues now.

On the verge of extinction

Some fish of Lake Ladoga are now on the verge of extinction. Among them are those that are considered valuable in the industrial field. The clearest example is salmon. In Ladoga, there are individuals weighing more than 10 kilograms. They are real giants. It is interesting that fish go to spawn in late spring and summer. Young animals live there for no more than a couple of years, and then return to the lake.

Now the rivers are littered with lumber, so spawning of salmon has become difficult. In this regard, it was decided to suspend the massive fish catch. The corresponding law was passed back in 1960.

Palia is another valuable fish. She lives in the northern part of the lake. In winter, it can be found at a depth of more than 70 meters, and in warm months it rises to 20-30. Reproduction takes place in the middle of autumn.

Live in Ladoga and whitefish. Now there are seven varieties in the lake. Four of them, namely Lake Ladoga, Ludog, Black and Valaam, are considered exclusively river, and three others - Svir, Vuoksinsky and Volkhov - can live both in the lake and in the river. On average, during the breeding season, each individual lays about nine thousand eggs in October and November.

More recently, people were massively engaged in catching whitefish, and now this species is on the verge of extinction. A peculiar reason for this can be called the construction of the Volkhovskaya HPP dam. Pisces could not overcome such an obstacle, and the measures taken by people for this did not save the situation.

Rivers of Lake Ladoga

Now let's talk about waterways.

The rivers of Lake Ladoga are very numerous. This allows us to speak about its wide drainage basin. Its area exceeds 250 thousand square kilometers. Not every lake can boast of such figures.

Finland and Karelia, located nearby, share water resources with Ladoga; rivers also carry their waves from Novgorod, Pskov and Vologda lands. Water bodies of the Arkhangelsk and Leningrad regions make their contribution.

In total, about 45 thousand streams and rivers flow into Lake Ladoga. It is interesting that before becoming a part of Ladoga, river waters accumulate in the nearest lakes, including Saime, Onega and Ilmen. They, in turn, make it possible to form such tributaries of the main Ladoga as the Volkhova, Vuokse and Svir. In total, they bring more than 57 cubic kilometers of water into the lake per year. This accounts for approximately 85 percent of the total water mass that accumulates in the considered by us geographic location in a year.

All other tributaries are called small. There is no explanation for this, because among them there are also such impressive full-flowing rivers as Janisjoki, Syas and Tulemajoki.

It should be understood that the tributaries of the Ladoga are rather young - by river standards - in age. They are only 10-12 thousand years old. That is why most of them have not yet formed wide valleys. They flow among rocky terrain and steep banks.

From the northeastern part of the lake lies the Baltic crystalline shield. That is why the deepest and loudest tributaries flow into Ladoga from the other side. Very often they turn into full-flowing stormy streams, encountering rocks on their way that are difficult to wash out.

Svir tributary

Lake Ladoga is located in Russia, and the Svir is called its most full-flowing stream. This river flows out of the Svir Bay of Onega Lake, and flows into Ladoga from the southeast.

Its length is about 224 kilometers. The river includes two large tributaries called Pasha and Oyat. It is interesting that the origin of this object is still shrouded in secrets and riddles.

The Svir river itself and its banks are not distinguished by the picturesque nature inherent in Ladoga. The description of Lake Ladoga tells about the amazing beauty of its shores, which Svir cannot boast of. Its coast is covered with alder bushes and boggy plants, and coniferous forests are found. Basically, the banks of the Svir River are accumulations of stones and boulders.

In ancient times Svir was famous for its numerous rapids. They could not be called high, but the heaps of boulders presented a serious obstacle to navigation. Locals very often rescued sailors, helping them to cope with the crossings. Very often, residents of coastal villages and cities themselves served as sailors, pilots and even captains. The proximity to the deep river has left its mark on the character and way of life of people.

But if we talk about the animal world, then it is large enough. It is in the waters of this river that salmon spawn is often observed. In the spring you can meet schools of these fish, which are sent to the mouth of the Svir. The Oyat and Pasha tributaries play the main role in spawning. Ichthyologists believe that it is these rivers that can contribute to the revival of salmon in Lake Ladoga.

When to visit

Over its centuries-old history, Lake Ladoga has been shrouded in secrets, riddles and legends. All this, of course, attracts numerous tourists. People also go to Ladoga to admire the amazing beauty of nature, to see firsthand one of the largest lakes in the world.

In order not to miscalculate, you should know when it is better to go, what time to give preference.

A trip here in May and June will be hazy in literally this word. In late May and early June, thick fogs descend on Ladoga, it is quite easy to get lost in them. In such cases, it is very important to take experienced guides with you, who will help you get on the right path and see all the surrounding beauty.

This time is considered cold enough for those places. In the evening, the skerries can be covered with a thin crust of ice, and the wind brings dampness. A few hours after sunny weather... At such moments, the lake shines with tranquility and attractiveness. However, in the next instant a breeze comes. It causes meter waves in the bays, although the lake off the coast continues to be peaceful.

One of the most striking advantages of this time, of course, after the attractive appearance of the coastal area, is the complete absence of mosquitoes. The extraordinary purity of the lake is also called a virtue. The bottom, even at a depth of several meters, can be seen very clearly. It is believed that if you drink water at such a moment, then happiness will not be long in coming. The water itself is clean and tasty.

Those people who value comfort and coziness should visit Ladoga in the last two months of summer. It is this period that is considered the best for a good rest. In this case, the air and water temperature exceeds the optimal mark, allowing you to swim in the waves of the lake and sunbathe on the shore. On the islands, you can pick berries and mushrooms, which are abundant there.

Those people who travel to Ladoga in order to admire the local beauties should choose the autumn months, when literally the entire coast is cast in gold and bronze. In October, the weather deteriorates, accompanied by fogs and storms. At times like these, many painters and landscape painters can be found here. They try to capture the exuberant beauty of Ladoga.

Lake Ladoga in winter is also an interesting sight. However, it is rather cold here at this time of the year. But the middle of the lake does not freeze even in severe frosts due to the impressive depth.

Those people who want to visit this corner of our vast Motherland should look for Lake Ladoga on the map. Many travel companies offer entire routes. If you wish, you can choose one of the proposed ones or make your own.

A trip to the shores of Lake Ladoga will surely be remembered by everyone. This area is distinguished by the amazing beauty of nature at any time of the year, the variety of flora and fauna, as well as the opportunity to have a great rest.

Ladoga Map

The total area occupied by the waters of the lake, excluding islands, is 17.6 thousand km², and if we take into account the islands, then 18.1 thousand km². Its length reaches 219 km, and its maximum width is 138 km. Overall volume water resources the lake is about 908 km³. The bottom relief of the lake is quite varied. It is characterized by an increase in depths from south to north. This change occurs quite unevenly, if in the northern part the depths fluctuate from 70 to 230 meters, then in the south only from 20 to 70 meters. Average depth on the lake, 50 meters are counted, and the maximum are located in the northern part of Lake Valaam and are 233 meters.

In total, about 35 rivers flow into Ladoga. The largest of them is Svir, it connects Ladoga with another large lake- Onezhsky. The only river that flows out of the lake is the Neva.

There are about 660 islands on the lake, their total area is more than 1 hectare. About 500 of them are concentrated in the northern part of the lake. The largest are Riekkalansari, Mantsinsaari, Kilpola and Tulolansari.

In Lake Ladoga, scientists have counted about 120 species of higher aquatic plants, 378 species and species of planktonic animals and 256 species of birds. There are 53 species and varieties of fish, which go to the rivers for spawning. The brightest representatives underwater world lakes are Ladoga slingshot, salmon, farel, whitefish, smelt, vendace, bream, catfish and pike perch. Used photographs from Wikimedia © Foto, Wikimedia Commons

“We live in the most beautiful country in the world, and all other countries envy us!” - I am ready to subscribe to every word. And the point is not even that “we shod a flea and pierced a caterpillar,” but that so many natural and man-made miracles are concentrated in Mother Russia that you constantly feel a sense of pride in your Motherland, and this makes your soul feel so good !

We have everything the most: the deepest lake in the world (Baikal), the most extensive forests (Siberian taiga), the coldest settlement on Earth (Oymyakon), the largest Orthodox church located in Moscow (Cathedral of Christ the Savior) ... We have many what is, the list is endless.

Now I want to tell you about one more "most", about the most big lake in Europe - Ladoga. In length - more than two hundred kilometers, in width - 125 kilometers! When you stand on its shore, it seems that this is not a lake, this is the SEA! Ladoga is definitely national treasure not only for its impressive size, but also thanks to clean water, unique flora and fauna, rich history ... Well, I will try to embrace the immense and tell in a short form all the most interesting and useful that I know about this miracle of nature.

How to get there

Lake Ladoga occupies a vast territory and is located in two regions at once Russian Federation- Leningrad region (western, southern coast) and the Republic of Karelia (northern, eastern coast).

The choice of the preferred mode of transport directly depends on which shore of Lake Ladoga you are trying to get to. In principle, it is possible to reach it by plane, train, bus, ferry, and, of course, by private car.

By plane

To St. Petersburg

The nearest airport to Lake Ladoga is Pulkovo airport, located in St. Petersburg. The distance from it to the south-western coast of Ladoga in the most optimal way (by car) is 55 kilometers. Pulkovo is the largest air transport hub in the North-West region, receiving daily flights from many settlements in Russia and from abroad. Pick up optimal route from your city, I think it will not be difficult. The official website of the St. Petersburg airport and other Internet resources will help you. For example, you can monitor ticket prices.

You can rent a car right in the arrivals hall (Avis, Europcar, Sixt). The price for renting an economy class car (eg Hyundai Solaris) for one day is about 2000 rubles; the longer the lease term, the more acceptable the final cost. Compare prices from different distributors.

If you have plans to continue your trip to public transport, then now is the time to decide how you intend to get to your final destination on Lake Ladoga - by railroad or by bus. In the first case, you need to get, no, not to Ladozhsky, but to Finlyandsky railway station (among the people "Finban"), in the second - to the bus station of the Obvodny Canal or to North Bus Station.

How to get from the airport

So how is it possible for a tourist to leave the airport? There are two acceptable options:

• by taxi. Just do not try to hire a driver from among those who offer their services at the exit from the terminal! They usually charge prices three times higher than citywide. Just call the taxi service (for example, "Lucky", "Taxovichkoff", "068"). The car delivery time is no more than 15 minutes; the cost of the transfer to Finban ~ 850 rubles, to the bus station on the Obvodny Canal ~ 600 rubles, to the Northern bus station ~ 1100 rubles;
• bus + metro... Buses (No. 39, No. 39A) and minibuses (No. 39K) run regularly from the airport to the Moskovskaya metro station. The travel time is 15-30 minutes, depending on the traffic situation, the fare is 40 rubles. In order to get to the railway station, you need to get to the metro station "Ploshchad Lenina" (change to the station "Tekhnologicheskiy institut"), the bus station is within a 5-minute walk from the metro station " Bypass channel"(Transfer to the station" Sennaya ploshchad "), the Northern bus station - near the metro station" Devyatkino "(transfer to the station" Tekhnologicheskiy institut "). I am placing a map of the St. Petersburg metro for your convenience. On it there is a mark of the beginning of the route - st. m. Moskovskaya (red star), marks of the final stops: Finlyandsky railway station - yellow rectangle, bus station - light green, Northern bus station - purple.

To Petrozavodsk

Alternative airports "in the vicinity" of Lake Ladoga:

• airport "Besovets" in g.... The distance to the eastern shore of Ladoga (Pitkyaranta) is approximately 190 km. Keep in mind that it has air links only with Moscow. The flights are operated by RusLine five days a week. The travel time is about 2 hours, for a round-trip ticket you will have to pay approximately 8000 rubles. Read about how to get from the airport to the city center. It is better to take a bus from the local bus station to the coast of Lake Ladoga (the cities of Lakhdenpokhya, Sortavala, Pitkyaranta, Syasstroy). For example - to Sortavala the travel time will be about 4 hours, the ticket price is 550 - 600 rubles; to Syasstroi it takes longer - about 5 hours, the ticket price starts from 650 rubles.

By train

From Saint-Petersburg

From Finland Station(metro station "Ploshchad Lenina") commuter trains run regularly to Priozersk (northern direction) and Shlisselburg (southeast, east direction). There are more flights in summer and fewer in winter. You can view the current schedule on the Russian Railways website. For clarity, I post a print-screen of the map. It shows the nearest railway stations to the coast of Lake Ladoga with colored markers.

• Crimson marked Priozersk (fare ~ 350 rubles), standing on the Vuoksa river. The lake shore is located no more than 5 kilometers from the city center. From the Priozersk bus station (Vyborgskaya st., 31) you can go to smaller settlements on Ladoga.
• Orange marker- railway station Ladoga Lake (fare ~ 130 rubles). From the station to the beach, walk no more than one kilometer.
• Purple marker- railway station Petrokrepost (~ 120 rubles), located in the village of them. Morozov. The Ladoga coast is 500 meters away.

From Ladozhsky railway station(metro station "Ladozhskaya") twice a week (Wednesday, Friday) runs train # 350A, following the route - Kostomuksha. He makes stops in Priozersk and Sortavala. The train arrives in Priozersk 2 hours after its departure from St. Petersburg, in Sortavala - in 5.5 hours. Please note that the cost of tickets to Priozersk will be higher than to commuter train- about 450 rubles one way; to Sortavala the ticket will not cost much more than to Priozersk, about 550 rubles.

From Moscow, from other cities

I advise you not to invent a bicycle, but to get from Moscow (by train, plane, bus) to St. Petersburg, and from here start to your final destination. You will not find convenient direct trains or electric trains going straight to Lake Ladoga from Moscow or any other large Russian cities.

By bus

From Saint-Petersburg

Bus station on the Obvodny Canal(metro station "Obvodny Canal") offers for tourists daily flights to Novaya Ladoga (No. 847), Syasstroy (No. 862) and Pitkyaranta (No. 963). All these settlements are located in close proximity to the shores of Lake Ladoga. A bus ticket to Novaya Ladoga will cost about 300 rubles, travel time - 3.5 hours; to Syasstroi - from 350 rubles, travel time - 2.5 hours; to Pitkyaranta - about 900 rubles, to get to the time - at least 7.5 hours. The bus to Pitkyaranta makes stops in other settlements with access to Lake Ladoga. You can easily buy a ticket to the villages of Vidlitsa or Salmi. Kill two birds with one stone - save a little and get into a sparsely populated area (important for those who are going to have a rest as a "savage").

North Bus Station(metro station "Devyatkino"). Tickets to Syasstroi (350 rubles) and Priozersk (250 rubles) are sold here. Tickets can be bought either at the ticket office of the bus stations or on the Internet.

From Petrozavodsk

Petrozavodsk bus station(Chapaeva St., 3) offers a large number of inter-republican routes to Sortavala, Lahdenpohja, Pitkyaranta. More interesting direction- northern (to Sortavala). The cost of a ticket from Sortavala to Petrozavodsk (4 hours on the way) is ~ 600 rubles. It is possible to get off this flight earlier, in such scenic spots, like Rautalahti or Karjavalahti (the village is not indicated on the map, but bus stop From Petrozavodsk to the Pitkyaranta bus station (Pryvokzalnaya str., 30) the fare is about 450 rubles (3.5 hours on the way). Current schedule can be seen on the website of the Petrozavodsk bus station.

From Moscow, from other cities

As with by rail, I strongly advise you to first get to St. Petersburg or Petrozavodsk in any convenient way, and from there take a bus following the routes I suggested above.

By car

The most, most, the most convenient way to get from St. Petersburg and Moscow to Lake Ladoga! It is possible to get to almost any place on the coastline by private car, without thinking about tickets, their cost and availability, time for transfer ... You can take a bunch of things with you; this is especially true for "tents" and amateurs active rest.

From Saint-Petersburg There are two main highways surrounding Ladoga - one goes along its western and northern coasts (A-121 "Sortavala"), the other - along the southern one and then turns to Petrozavodsk (R-21 "Kola"). These routes meet each other in the area of ​​the Karelian village of Pryazha, located not far from Petrozavodsk. On East Coast(road 86K-8) can be reached from the P-21 highway after the town of Olonets, and from the A-121 road, turning from it to the south in the area of ​​the Leppäsilta village. Which way you prefer depends on the final point of your journey. Theoretically, to get to the southern and eastern coasts, it is better to use the Kola highway, to the northern and western ones - the Sortavala highway. Or maybe you just want to ride around Ladoga? Then the “problem of choice” disappears by itself.

From Moscow, of course, to go longer, at least 700 kilometers longer. If you want to get to the western or northern shores of Ladoga - feel free to follow to St. Petersburg along the familiar M-10 highway, and along the St. Petersburg ring road take the Sortavala highway. If you were planning to find yourself on the southern or eastern banks, then from the M-10 highway after the settlement of Chudovo you need to turn right onto and Volkhov. In the end, this road will take you to the Kola highway and further to Lake Ladoga. Another alternative route from Moscow to the eastern coast of Lake Ladoga is the A-114 road passing through Kalyazin, Pikalevo,. But, I warn you, the quality of the road surface and the roadside infrastructure of the A-114 road is inferior to the same indicators of the federal highway M-10. In the “worst” case, you will have to spend about 13 hours on the road, for example, if you follow from Moscow to Sortavala or Pitkyaranta ( ~ 1000 km). However, I do not advise you to stay overnight on the road. This distance can be easily overcome in one day, and even with small children, it has been tested by myself.

It will not be superfluous to immediately make a road estimate (for a traveler-motorist from Moscow):

• payment for gasoline (based on 2,000 km in both directions) - about 8,000 rubles;
• travel on toll road M11 - from 1000 to 1500 rubles, depending on the time of day (round trip);
• snacks at roadside cafes - at least 300 rubles per person;
• hotel room - at least 1,500 rubles for double occupancy (if you do decide to stay on the way for the night).

The total is about 15,000 rubles. Of course, you can optimize costs by removing all items from the list except for the purchase of fuel - then our estimate will be cut exactly by half!

By ferry

From Saint-Petersburg

Since the beginning of May, numerous travel companies have been offering a huge number of water cruises on Lake Ladoga. You can easily choose the route you like, for example, "St. Petersburg - Valaam - St. Petersburg" (for 3 days, price from 8000 rubles), "St. Petersburg - Valaam - Konevets - St. Petersburg" (for 4 days, prices from 11 thousand rubles), extended "SPb - Valaam - Sortavala - Pellotsari - Konevets - SPb" (for 5 days, prices from 19 thousand rubles). And so on and so forth. There are countless cruises, they are all different in terms of price, content, and duration.

Motor ships start from the River Station of St. Petersburg (Obukhovskoy Oborony Ave., 195) and arrive there. Unfortunately, public budget river transport to the islands on this moment does not exist. If you want to swim to an island in Lake Ladoga from the Northern capital, you will have to buy a ticket to river cruise, but this, as you probably noticed, is not a cheap pleasure.

From Moscow

It is also easy to swim to the islands of Lake Ladoga, as well as from St. Petersburg - you just need to buy a ticket for the ship. All river vessels to Ladoga sail from the Northern River Station (metro station " River Station"). Interesting cruises, in my opinion, "Moscow - - - Peplotsari - Sortavala - Valaam - St. Petersburg" (duration - 9 days, cost - 42,000 rubles) or "Moscow - - Peplotsari - Sortavala - Moscow" (for 12 days , cost from 64,000 rubles) ... In general, the offer of cruises is truly impressive, apparently, and the demand for them is quite high, despite their fabulous cost.

Prompt:

Lake Ladoga - time is now

Difference in hours:

Moscow 0

Kazan 0

Samara 1

Ekaterinburg 2

Novosibirsk 4

Vladivostok 7

When is the season. When is the best time to go

You probably already guessed that the very season on Lake Ladoga is, of course, summer. The climate here is not very pleasant - humid, cloudy, windy - and even in summer there will probably not be a single sunny day during your holiday on the coast. But this is the saddest option. Statistics asserts that on average there are about 60 sunny days in a year, of course, the lion's share of them falls on the summer, when the southern anticyclone enters the lake area, and in winter - during the dominance of the arctic anticyclone. Spring and autumn are usually very rainy and windy, especially in the fall when the storm season begins.

The northern and eastern shores of Ladoga (Lakhdenpohskiy, Pitkyaranta, Olonetsky districts and the city of Sortavala of the Republic of Karelia) are equated to the regions of the Far North. I can't say that the climate here is already very harsh in comparison, for example, with St. Petersburg, but the average annual temperature is clearly lower by a couple of degrees.

Ladoga lake in summer

As I said, summer is best choice to visit Lake Ladoga. At least positive air temperature will be guaranteed here. It was in the summer that the residents of St. Petersburg and others major cities of our Motherland are chosen on the shores of Lake Ladoga in order to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, breathe fresh air, and improve their health. In June it is still quite cool, for a trip it is better to choose July-August, when average monthly temperature air will still exceed the mark of 20 degrees Celsius. True, it is not a fact that you will be able to swim, because the water in Ladoga only in rare years warms up to more than 21 degrees, and even then, such a temperature is relevant only for the southern shallow areas, on the northern coast, where the depths are much deeper, only "Walruses".

Lake Ladoga in autumn

Navigation on Lake Ladoga is closed in October, and this is no coincidence. It is at the beginning of October that the strongest storms rage on Ladoga. The weather is disgusting - cold, damp, cloudy, plus fog and gusty wind. If we go to Lake Ladoga in autumn, then only in September, preferably at the beginning of the month. There are lovely quiet days of early autumn here, when in calm weather, inveterate amateurs can enjoy good fishing, when tourists can still swim to the islands and Konevets, and when "middle managers" can spend the last weekend in nature, barbecuing and contemplating the local beauty ...

Ladoga lake in spring

March and April are not at all the best time for planning a trip to the shores of Lake Ladoga. But this is purely my personal opinion. I am repelled by the fact that in March and even in April there can be negative temperatures, and if "no", then there is a high probability of precipitation, fog and gusty winds. The first tourists usually appear in these parts at the beginning of May, besides there is a good reason for this - the long May weekend. Navigation opens in May - welcome to Konevets, Peplotsari and other islands. But do not flatter yourself too much - the average monthly temperature in May for the region is 10 degrees Celsius, so you can safely leave your sunscreen at home!

Lake Ladoga in winter

In winter, numerous lovers of hunting behind the Okushka come out on the ice of Ladoga :). Winter fishing on Ladoga is very, very popular. Unfortunately, due to the unstable temperature (either wild cold or thaw), sad cases often happen on the ice of Lake Ladoga. People, be careful and extremely careful, no "okushok" is worth a human life! In addition to fishing, in winter people are engaged in various "activities", for example, skiing, ice skating, snowkiting ... The average temperature worldwide is -8.8 degrees Celsius.

Conditional areas. Descriptions and features

The nature of Lake Ladoga is beautiful, amazing and, by the way, quite diverse.

• North coast Ladoga from Priozersk to Pitkyaranta is a rocky skerry area with fjords and numerous small islands. It is very beautiful and romantic here. Natural landscapes immediately resemble Finland, Norway, and Sweden taken together. It is impossible not to fall in love with this harsh northern beauty; and those who have visited Severnaya Ladoga at least once will definitely want to come back here again. And again. And again. There are plenty of housing offers here. Mainly guest houses and cottages. Where there is demand, there is supply. Recently, especially "thanks to" the economic crisis, more and more Russians choose to rest at home. Severnaya Ladoga is an ideal option in this regard - the service and views are like abroad, but you still pay for the rest with our "wooden" ones. The flow of tourists to this area is now steadily high, so you need to try to find decent housing in terms of living conditions, but affordable housing. Some make it easier - they come here in the summer with tents. If you have your own boat, you can sail to any micro island, set up your camp and feel like a real oligarch at least for the weekend!

• South coast, in contrast to the Northern, low, marshy, slightly indented. From interesting places I can name - the fortress "Oreshek" at the mouth of the Neva River, the city of Novaya and Old Ladoga... Actually, all hotels and inns are concentrated around these sights. The reason for the poorly developed infrastructure, in my opinion, is the fact that the entire southern coast of Ladoga is surrounded by the Staroladozhsky and Novoladozhsky canals. They have a high daily cargo capacity and, probably, partly hinder the development of the tourism business due to the fact that they separate the lake shore from the "mainland". However, there are also a couple of decent guest houses here. They say that on south bank better "bite" that here is "paradise for a fisherman." The water temperature is also higher here, so you can even swim in the summer!

• West bank also weakly indented and densely overgrown with shrubs and forest, approaching directly to the water's edge. It's hard to find a decent secluded parking spot here. Very popular, as they are located not far from St. Petersburg, the beaches in the village "Kokkarevo" and the village "Ladoga Lake". There are a couple of decent looking spa hotels and guest houses nearby. But further to the north - "golyak" up to Priozersk.

• East coast probably the least popular with tourists, no, not because it is "worse" there, but because it is farther away. Few of the residents of St. Petersburg want to spend five hours on the road one way to grill a barbecue, and the next day to go home again for five hours, so as not to be late for work on Monday. But everything changes dramatically if you are not planning a weekend getaway, but a full-fledged vacation. Then go to the east coast with its wide sandy beaches, clean water and the complete absence of people. After the Nizhne-Svirsky and Olonetsky reserves, that part of the eastern coast begins, which the traveler needs to get to. You can choose to stay in a guest house, or a hotel, or rent a house from a private owner (this is important not only for the east coast).

Below I put a map of hotels / hotels / guest houses in Ladoga. The pink rectangle is the north coast; purple is not a rectangle - South coast with a meager choice; red - the western coast with an even less rich choice of housing; yellow - oriental. Accommodation and entertainment prices will be discussed in the next section.

What are the prices for rest

Accommodation prices range from 1,500 rubles per night to infinity (say, 20,000 rubles in a club spa hotel). This is for a double room. If you come with a large company and rent a house, then, most likely, it will come out quite budget - the same 1000 - 1500 rubles per person, but the living conditions will be much more comfortable. The house, as a rule, has its own kitchen (so you can cook yourself and not spend money on a restaurant), barbecue or barbecue on the street. Double rooms hardly have a cooking corner, maximum refrigerator and kettle.

You can save money by carefully monitoring coupon sites. Discounts on accommodation in some hotels sometimes reach 50%! If you are planning a long vacation on the shores of Lake Ladoga, then you can think about renting country house- summer cottages. Quite good options will cost from 30,000 rubles per month of residence, bargaining is appropriate.

In hotel restaurants, prices can vary without yielding to any laws of logic. Maybe cheap and tasty, or maybe vice versa. But on average, you count on the following prices: breakfast 150/300 rubles, lunch 250/500 rubles, dinner 250/600 rubles.

Another expense item is the rental of sports equipment. The cost of renting a boat on oars is approx. 1500 rubles / day, boats with a motor - approx. 2500 rubles / day, bike - from 200 rubles / day, ATV - from 2000 rubles / hour, snowmobile - from 1500 rubles / hour; negotiated price for hunting, fishing, excursions to the islands.

Major attractions. What to see

The main attraction of Ladoga is undoubtedly its stunning nature! No matter how many times you come to Ladoga, it doesn't matter, you can never indifferently look at its harsh northern landscapes. This incredible symbiosis - pines, rocks, mosses, a coastal wave, a distant horizon ... They act magically - they calm the mind, help to tune in a philosophical mood, throw away everything empty and even make an important decision. Yes, it is! That is why, my number one in the TOP-5 list.

Top 5

Beaches. Which is better

All the beaches of Lake Ladoga, of course, are countless! There is a huge, enormous number of them. I'll start my short review, perhaps, from those that are located near St. Petersburg:

• beach in the village "Kokkarevo" (on the map number 1). A very popular and crowded vacation spot. On a fine day, owners of nearby summer cottages and residents of the eastern districts of St. Petersburg flock here (and residents of the western districts go to rest on the Gulf of Finland). The beach is sandy, without any infrastructure, but surprisingly clean enough, apparently, the proximity of the Cultural Capital plays an important role. This beach is a gathering place for kitesurfers and windsurfers;

• beach in the village "Lake Ladoga" (on the map №2). There are an awful lot of people here on a summer day off, but it is always possible to lay down your own towel. The beach is sandy, clean with the necessary infrastructure (changing rooms, toilets, cafes). There is a volleyball net and sports equipment rental. The Museum of the Siege of Leningrad is located 20 meters from the beach; the area is dominated by the Osinovetsky lighthouse (one of the highest on Ladoga). The only negative is that the water temperature is not always happy, but this does not stop desperate Petersburgers at all. Arrived - swim!
• There is an excellent beach not far from the village "Vladimirovka" (on the map number 3). It is located just opposite the island of Konevets and hosts summer yoga festivals. The beach is a long sandy strip with a gentle slope into the water. At the bottom there are quite large boulders and pebbles. But you will probably notice them, because the water is very clean and transparent! The beach is NOT equipped with changing rooms, there is no cafe here, but there are pine trees, sand and sun (sometimes);
• Wonderful long sand beach there is not far from the village of Motornoye (on the map №4). Almost the twin brother of the beach at number 3. Sand and pines are the main advantages of this place. The water is probably cold. Lovers of camping often stay here, it is a fairly safe place. For information - the beach is located at a distance of 150 km from St. Petersburg;
• Further after Priozersk begins the area of ​​skerries, which rarely pampers tourists with warm sand. Among the rocky northern shores of Ladoga, no-no, yes there are sandy bays, but you have to look for them yourself. I will give the highest rating to the beaches of Koyonsaari Island (on the map # 5), they are magnificent. A minimum of people and no service, but a maximum of nature and silence;

• On east coast after Pitkyaranta, in the area of ​​the settlement of Karku, an almost continuous sandy strip begins, a kind of eastern "monoplag". I would especially note the area of ​​the village of Vidlitsa (on the map # 6), it is beautiful and pleasant to relax here, and, if anything, it’s not so far to go to the grocery store. Of course, don't count on any service here - just privacy, only hardcore!

After the town of Olonets, swampy areas begin, occupying almost the entire southern coast of Ladoga up to Shlisselburg. To make it easier for you to navigate, I place the map. I want to emphasize that this is my personal set of acceptable places. beach holiday I think you understand that you can swim, if you wish, on any stretch of the Ladoga coast.

Churches and temples. Which are worth visiting

Almost every settlement on Lake Ladoga, be it a city, village or village, has its own church, and in some even more than one. It makes no sense to issue here a list of hundreds of items, I will limit myself to a few:

Museums. Which are worth visiting

To the above museum objects (Valaam, Konevets, Oreshek fortress, Korela fortress) I will add a few more interesting cultural attractions for the inquisitive mind:

• Museum "Road of Life" (village "Ladoga Lake"). Big and entertaining museum complex, consisting of a street exhibition and several thematic pavilions. Here you can personally contemplate and even touch the genuine military equipment those years, to examine in detail the personal belongings of the soldiers of the Red Army, to see unique photographs, to listen to a "taking to heart" excursion. The museum is a must-see! Working hours: Wednesday-Sunday from 11-00 to 18-00. The cost of the visit is 200 rubles. for adults, excursion service - 150 rubles, audio guide - 300 rubles.

• Museum of the history of the city of Shlisselburg (Shlisselburg, Factory Island, 2A). The museum is located in a relatively small room, so the exhibitions are constantly changing. The museum seemed to me interesting because here you can book an excursion not only in the stationary building of the museum, but also throughout Shlisselburg for a small fee (200 rubles for a group of 5 people). A senior museum researcher will guide you through key places and tells everything about the founding of the city and its history. Working hours: Monday-Friday from 09-00 to 18-00, Saturday from 10-00 to 17-00, Sunday is a day off. The cost of an adult ticket is 30 (!) Rubles.

• Regional Museum of the Northern Ladoga Region (Sortavala, Ladoga Flotilla Embankment, 5). Sortavala is a city with a Finnish rather than a Russian face. You can feel the Scandinavian spirit of this Karelian city in the halls of the museum of the northern Ladoga area. Look at the main local history expositions, go to the halls of temporary exhibitions, visit excursions around the city and the nearest islands. Per detailed information refer to the site.

Parks

In the southeastern part of Lake Ladoga there are two especially important natural objects - the Nizhne-Svirsky state nature reserve and Olonets state nature reserve(found in the first). They were created in the 1980s to preserve and protect the flora and fauna of the region. First of all, this concerns waterfowl and migratory birds, which have a stop in these places for rest and feeding.

The Nizhne-Svirsky and Olonetsky reserves will be interesting for ornithologists and fans of virgin nature to visit. But getting to the territory of the reserves is not so easy! You must first send an application to the director, indicating the purpose of the visit, the length of stay, the number of people in the group. When the management makes a positive decision on admission, payment is made (nowhere is it specified how much, apparently, this is a big secret), and the group is entered into the visit schedule.

What to see in 1 day

To go to Ladoga for one day from afar is somehow ridiculous. We will start from the fact that you are a Petersburger or a guest of the Northern capital, who, tired of the bustle of the city, decided to get out into nature for a “weekend”. Let's say you have a private car and the weather outside is +25 degrees Celsius. So be it! Then my suggestion:

1. At 10-00 we leave the house / hotel / hostel in the direction of Shlisselburg. In principle, from any district of the city to the mouth of the Neva (where Shlisselburg is located) it takes no more than an hour (without traffic jams).
2. Our path lies in the Oreshek fortress. Fill in on the navigator the address of the pier from which the ships sail to Orekhovy Island - the village of them. Morozov, st. Skvortsova, 76.
3. Let's assume that at 11-00 you are already there! We take a boat to the island. We walk-wander-admire-take pictures. You can even make a short halt at the fortress wall. Admire the views of Ladoga, Neva and Shlisselburg. Drink coffee from a thermos, eat a sandwich (which you, of course, brought with you from home).
4. At one o'clock in the afternoon or so, I propose to move towards the beach in the village of Lake Ladoga.
5. On the way, we will stop by to see the Broken Ring monument, which is located in the village of Kokkarevo.
6. Around two - we are on the beach. Hooray! The main landmark of the beach is the huge Osinovetsky lighthouse, if you are near it, then you are on the most popular beach in Ladoga.
7. We have a rest - we swim and sunbathe, we sunbathe and bathe.
8. For those who are hungry, there are a couple of cafes on the beach. Of course, the prices here bite a little, but hunger is not aunt!
9. Those who are not delighted with the pointless lying on the beach, or do not like to play, for example, beach volleyball (by the way, there are nets here), you can go to the “Road of Life” museum nearby to cultivate.
10. I think that by six or seven o'clock in the evening you will have time to feel all the charm of beach life on Lake Ladoga - it's time to go home.
11. On the way back, buy dried or smoked fish. Yum yum, delicious. And such delicacies are sold almost everywhere - in stalls on the highway and in rural shops.
12. At eight o'clock in the evening, you - contented and happy - are already at home.

Neighboring regions

Mountain park Ruskeala (34 km from the town of Sortavala) - former marble quarries, now - unique in beauty natural object... The main attractions of the park are the "Main" quarry, together with the Italian quarry and Ruskeala failure. Read more about the place, or on the official website.

Nearby islands

Lake Ladoga pleases the tourist with islands - there are about 660 of them (!), And about 500 of them are concentrated in the northern part of Ladoga, the so-called "skerry area". The two most famous islands are Konevets (I wrote about them above). Most large islands Ladogi - Riekkalansaari (near Sortavala), Mantsinsaari (south of Pitkyaranta), Kilpola (near the village of Kuznechnoye). But some micro islands do not have a name at all, travelers themselves give them names! An interesting island is Pellotsaari, which has the shape of a heart, the “heart of Ladoga”. There is a walking ecological trail “One day in the life of a taiga island” on it.

Each, even the smallest island, is a unique and unrepeatable world. If you go by boat on the skerries, you can find the perfect island for your taste!

Food. What to try

One of the main treasures of Ladoga is FISH! In the waters of the lake, there are more than 50 species of fish, including salmon, trout, lamprey, whitefish, pike perch, smelt ... Since the waters of the lake are considered quite clean, you can safely eat the Ladoga catch without fear of being poisoned by heavy metals or toxic chemicals. Almost in every settlement on Lake Ladoga there are shops or stalls selling fresh - smoked - dried fish. I advise you not to neglect the alluring aromas, but rather buy, for example, smoked bream, and take home the most fresh tender trout!

They say that on the Murmansk highway, 75 km from St. Petersburg in the village of Yushkovo, there is a wonderful fish market, which amazes the city dweller with the range and price. There is nothing here - fresh and smoked, and salted, and dried, and dried fish and, of course, caviar. The initial cost can be overpriced, so bargain. Approximate prices per fish (per 1 piece): trout, whitefish, salmon, hot smoked bream - approx. 300 rubles; the same names, but cold smoking are more expensive - prices from 350 rubles per unit; dried bream and pike - approx. 200 rubles; dried vendace - from 200 rubles 0.5 kg.

All more or less decent places are located either in cities (Priozersk, Shlisselburg, etc.), or at hotels. In both the first and second cases, you can choose a restaurant to your taste and budget. It is clear that in large settlements there are European, Japanese and Russian taverns, and you can have a snack with a shaverm or a hamburger, but the seeker will find it! This is me saying that instead of McDonald's or the cafe "At Sveta", you can find establishments where freshly caught Ladoga fish, national Karelian dishes (kalaruoka, gates) are prepared. I think that without tasting local "delicacies" the trip will be incomplete!

Very decent places where you can try something from Karelian cuisine:

• restaurants "Dacha Winter" (in the city),
• Piipun Piha (in),
• "Ladoga Estate" (in the village of Niemelyankhovi).

The cost of a dinner with drinks per person starts from 1000 rubles.

Holidays

In my opinion, the two most significant events on Lake Ladoga are of a sporting nature:

Security. What to watch out for

In Russia, of course, one should beware of roads and fools. The road around Lake Ladoga is mostly passable, but there are separate sections of the primer on which you can kill the car's suspension or get chipped body paint (as it was with us!). You should drive in such areas slowly, carefully, gently; however, the more agile guys are trying to overtake you and throw a wave of roadside dust. At the approaches to the edge of the lake, you also need to be careful - it is quite possible to get stuck in liquid soil, or to skid in the sand, or God knows what else! It is worth constantly carrying a winch and a couple of strong men. As for the fools ... My friends and I love to relax in nature in tents, but this is not always safe, unfortunately. Bad people can take you by surprise - steal, or even worse ... Therefore, if you go to nature "savage", then only in large companies, and if together, it is better to stay at recreation centers, or in tent campsites. Another attack for a tourist - the weather. If you are sailing in a boat in "open" water, beware of sudden changes in the weather. Such a phenomenon is not uncommon on Ladoga. Severe storms and dangerous waves often occur on the lake, which can overturn any floating craft, even with an experienced captain.

Things to do

In summer, of course, sunbathe and swim, weather permitting. Go boating (you can rent a boat at almost any hotel on Lake Ladoga), pack up and go on a hike from point A to point B (first, develop a travel route in detail!), Pick mushroom-berries that grow in abundance here in summer and autumn, you can fish in all seasons. This is a standard set of Ladoga entertainment, but if you want something hotter, try something a little more extreme (see below).

Extreme sports

Souvenirs. What to bring as a gift

It does not occur to me that you would advise you to bring an amazing and unique one from Lake Ladoga. Most likely, it depends on the place where you will be resting.

For example, ritual items - icons, crosses, candles, Christian literature - are mainly brought from the islands of Valaam and Konevets. Prices in the church shop are democratic, starting at 50 rubles per unit of goods (candles are cheaper). From the northern region of Ladoga, tourists take shungite products ( rock black, mined exclusively in Karelia). The cost of small figurines starts from 300 rubles. In many cities of Ladoga, they offer products made from natural materials - leather (bags from 2000 rubles), birch bark (a box from 500 rubles), wood (jewelry from 300 rubles), textiles (rugs from 1500 rubles) ... Of course, you shouldn't forget about natural gifts - mushrooms, berries (which you can pick yourself), fresh and thermally processed fish, but, of course, the best thing that you can bring from Lake Ladoga is a persistent northern tan and a charge of positive mood!

How to get around the region

Ladoga lake - rest with children

I am a supporter of traveling with children everywhere. Therefore, of course, I advocate that it is necessary to take children with you on a trip to Lake Ladoga, but more! They are fun, knowledge of the world around them, communication with nature, healing, hardening (solid pluses). You are just strained to keep an eye on them; but raising children is not easy at all! I advise you to get yourself and children vaccinated against ticks before going to "any country". In recent years, cases of tick-borne encephalitis infection in the Leningrad region have become more frequent. Be careful!

Anything to add?