This morning we met our botanist guide, Larisa at the Galichya Gora headquarters. Our first visit was an overlook of the River Vargol. The area was covered by an ocean millions of years ago. These ancient seas deposited the limestone cliffs. The river used to be much higher, but as the water fell, plants survived their changing environment by growing in the limestone. Plants found in the Caucasus, Altai and in Siberia are present here in isolated populations. Limestone cliffs around the world harbor endemic and relict plants, which makes them so fascinating!
River Vargol overlook, Shi Lei, Ben, Mariel, Larisa, Svetlana
Andrey setting up the camera for a group shot
A nice patch of Asarum europaem
Today we saw many interesting plants growing in and near the limestone, including some ferns!
Thymus calcareous
Asplenium ruta-muraria
Campanula rotundifolia
Fern garden
Wild strawberry
Veronica spuria
Viola rupestris
Gymnocarpium robertianum, a rare fern
Though the Galichya Gora reserve areas are closed to the
public, the areas adjacent to them are very popular for recreation. We saw a lot
of rock climbers and even watched a paraglider launch off the cliffs! The
public use of the surrounding areas makes taking care of the reserve areas more
challenging.
Andrey and Shi Lei left our group after lunch to
travel to Crimea for a conference. We were glad to have them along and hope to
meet again in the future!
Lunch near a small waterfall
It’s our last night in Zadonsk. We have been enjoying
evening walks in this small town each night. Our hotel is across the street
from Zadonski monastery, which has given us picturesque evening views. The Tilia cordata trees are in full,
fragrant bloom. There is a nice garden on the other side of the monastery and a
long pedestrian street that ascends a hill. It was a busy weekend in Zadonsk.
School has just finished and there were many weddings, so the restaurants in
town were all booked on Friday and Saturday night! On Friday night, we had a
picnic in the hotel room, but tonight we were able to get a small dining room
and have dinner from the hotel restaurant.
Tomorrow we will explore Zadonski monastery after breakfast.
Then we will head back north and stop at Kulikovo Pole.
Pedestrian street on one side of the monastery
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