White Mountain in Crimea how to get there. White Rock (Ak-Kaya) in Crimea
As much as I traveled around Crimea, I always had the feeling that on this island of land someone had collected geological and landscape beauties from almost all over the world - such different reliefs and views can be found here.
One of such places can be called White Rock, which we will talk about today.
Almost in the middle of Crimea, between the Main mountain range and the endless steppes, an extremely unusual cue formation rises more than 300 meters, reminiscent of the world-famous landscapes of Arizona (albeit, with the exception of the color scheme) - the vertical wall of Ak-Kaya, or White Rock.
It’s hard to imagine, but this rock was once the seabed, as evidenced by the huge number of fossilized shells and mollusks that come across here just under your feet.
Since Soviet times, this place has been chosen by directors making films about the American West, Indians and more - at different times, “The Man from Capuchin Boulevard”, “Mustang Pacer”, “Leader of the Redskins”, “Mirage” were filmed on White Rock, “Cipollino”, “Armed and Very Dangerous”, “Kings and Cabbages”, “Lobo”, “Moneychangers”, “Wonderful Valley”, “The Headless Horseman”, “The Plane Flies to Russia”, “Dungeon of the Witches”, “Escape” to the ends of the world”, “Code of the Apocalypse”, etc.
2. White Rock is located in the Belogorsk region of Crimea above the valley of the Biyuk-Karasu River. If you get to it from the north, you will not immediately understand that you are heading towards an incredible cliff - you are driving along steppe roads, rolling over hills, and suddenly... there is a sheer wall below you.
From the south, the rock looks exactly as in the photo - Ak-Kaya itself is on the left, Mount Adjilar is on the right. Between them there is a crumbling winding road, along which we used to climb to the plateau. Now there is an asphalt road to the right of Adjilar, from which a dirt road branches off at the top, running almost along the edge of Adjilar and Ak-Kaya. 
3. White Rock was formed by erosion and weathering of Cretaceous limestones and sandstones over many thousands of years. If you stand under the rock itself, at the foot you can clearly see the mounds of what were once rock walls 
4. Plateau on Mount Acilar. Here, at the foot of Ajilar and further, in the depression between it and Ak-Kaya, the very films that I said at the very beginning were filmed 
5. Views from the plateau of Mount Acilar 
6. Geometry of fields 
7. And in the distance you can already see the White Rock 
8. This is where the same giant repeater is located, which I mentioned earlier 
9. At the foot of the White Rock, more than one city was built with scenery for filming. Everything that you saw, for example, in “The Man from the Boulevard des Capuchins” was located in this place under the rock. 
10. Views from White Rock 
11. The end of the rock wall. It feels like someone just cut off all the excess with a knife 
12. The altitude here is about 325 meters above sea level 
13. The old road that led to the rock. Today you can climb it only with a well-prepared SUV. 
14. Faults in the upper part of the plateau. There are generally a lot of faults, natural grottoes and caves here. 
15. Rock wall of White Rock. The scree created by the wind is clearly visible below. 
16. One day these “small” pieces will fall off and fly down with a roar. 
17. At the foot of the White Rock in the 70s, about 20 sites of primitive man of the Mousterian era were excavated.
And found near ancient hearths a large number of bone remains of the extinct fauna of Crimea: mammoth, cave bear, giant and red deer, saiga, primitive bull, wild horse, onager, etc. 
18. One of the faults on the rock wall 
19. But once upon a time this was the seabed. Yes, it's hard to believe, but it's true. Here and there under your feet you come across such boulders of stone, which consist entirely of fossilized shells 
20. Clam frozen in stone 
21. In some places it’s just part of a rock 
22. Some mollusks themselves became pebbles 
23. White Rock, view from the highway. This is exactly how most people passing by see it. 
24. Layer cake created by wind and time... 
GPS g. 45.104846,34.624079 (format used in online maps)
GPS g.m. 45°6.907", 34°37.444" (format used in navigators and geocaching)
GPS g.m.s. 45°6"17.45", 34°37"26.68"
The White Rock (Ak Kaya) is a hundred-meter steep wall of limestone origin, like the rest of Crimea. The rock, clearly visible from the southern directions, gave its name to Belogorsk, becoming its landmark as a monument of nature, archeology and history.
Monument of nature, archeology and history
On northern slopes Ak-Kai, four sites of primitive man of the Mousterian era were discovered, a Neanderthal skull was found, proving that civilization arose not only in Europe. It was not so bad to live there - water, black soil on which something tasty grew, many grottoes and caves in which you could hide from animals and bad weather. And the high cliff made it possible to practice driven hunting - the remains of a mammoth, saiga, cave bear, giant and red deer, primitive bull, wild horse, and onager were found around.
Caves in White Rock
There are many legends about the caves and grottoes in the White Wall. In the “Golden Hole” cave, the entrance to which is located 52 meters from the base and 49 meters from the edge of the cliff, there used to be a dragon who kidnapped beauties from all over the area. And the robbers kept their gold there, which gave it its name.
They also said that this cave lasts all the way to Feodosia, but only climbers in 1960 were able to verify this. As it turned out, this is not a cave, but a high grotto, where the rays of the sun never reach, which is why it seems so bottomlessly black.
According to the fourth legend, the sea once flooded around the White Rock, and even somewhere on the rock you can find iron rings for mooring ships. Well, in the place of Crimea there was not a sea - the Tethys Ocean, only there were no people then, and on the young Earth there was only one continent - Pangea.
The closer you get to the rock, the more majestic it seems, these rocks are millions of years old and they are made of billions of shells of ancient mollusks, as small relative to you as you now appear in front of this rock.
And in 1783, Prince Potemkin took the oath of the upper classes of the Crimean Khanate, ending the centuries-long struggle of the Russian Empire for Crimea.
Be that as it may, the rock is simply very beautiful. You can drive up to it from Belogorsk, knowing the coordinates, you can climb the embankment to the right of the two main grottoes, there is even the possibility of driving in a non-wheel drive along the road with the coordinates. 45 07.272; 34 36.265.
To the left of the rock is Red Balka, a cold gorge. It got its name from the huge number of red wild peonies that bloom here in late April - early May. In general, the place is worth a visit, and along the way you can hug a centuries-old
In the Middle Ages, the White Rock became a place of execution - they liked to throw off prisoners from it, who before death could contemplate all the beauty of the nearby lands. It's not the best consolation, but people have always been cruel. This is how they blackmailed Bogdan Khmelnitsky, hinting that they could hurry up with the ransom of the prisoners.
Even if you don’t have time to go upstairs, at least visit the lower cave - its atmosphere evokes thoughts of an ancient sanctuary. It's light and dry, the entrance is comfortably shaded by a tree, and the view would probably be the envy of any view from the window.
White Rock (Crimea) is something completely unusual and mysterious for ordinary people. This place attracts many tourists every year who want to have an unforgettable experience. Getting to the natural attraction is not difficult, because Ak-Kaya is located near Belogorsk, that is, almost in the very center of the peninsula. White Rock - Crimea in its almost original form, preserving its natural splendor and permeated with the spirit of history.
The content of the article:
- First acquaintance with White Rock
- How to get there
- Historical information
- Active recreation and entertainment
What does the Ak-Kaya mountain range look like at first glance?
Unfortunately, it often happens that masterpieces created by nature are destroyed by man for some pressing purpose. While a destroyed building can be restored, the situation is different with a mountain. Fortunately, now guests and residents of the peninsula can admire the preserved Ak-Kaya rock. Crimea is not only wonderful beaches, warm sea, parks, palaces and fortresses, but also picturesque mountains, formed over millions of years of tectonic processes. The white rock is one of the most unusual places which you should definitely see with your own eyes.
Ak-Kaya translated from Crimean Tatar means White Rock. Crimea was repeatedly visited by film crews who were creating films in these amazing beautiful places Oh. Interestingly, the mountain looks mesmerizing even from afar thanks to the color of the limestone rock. In bright sunlight, observing the massif is a particular pleasure: it seems that there is a glow coming from the White Rock. Crimea is definitely worth a visit if you haven’t seen this magical place yet.
Hiking to enjoy stunning views of the White Rock
A pleasant and useful way to spend time is walking to the White Rock (Crimea) with a visit to very ancient caves that were formed in the Paleolithic. In addition to the benefits of walking, you will enjoy the stunning views that open over the surrounding area from Ak-Kaya. It is interesting that it is possible to get to the mountain range and directly to it by horseback riding.
If you decide to ride a horse, there will be even more positive emotions. People with a developed imagination can feel like a character in one of the Soviet films that were filmed in these places. White Rock (Crimea) will fully meet all your expectations and even exceed them. The mountain is located far from crowded and dusty cities, it is easy to breathe on it - you can feel the wonderful aromas of sun-warmed herbs. There are no heavy industries or endless streams of cars with suffocating exhausts nearby, so if you want to breathe the cleanest air, then be sure to visit the White Rock. Crimea is ready to give you many of the most positive impressions and help you restore your health.
the views at the top of Ak Kaya are so different
White Rock, Crimea - how to get to an amazing attraction
You can find it five kilometers from the city of Belogorsk. If you like to spend active holidays, you should definitely visit these picturesque places. You will be captivated by the grandeur of the steep white cliffs, from the tops of which a stunning view of the endless expanses opens.
You can get to Mount Ak-Kaya, Crimea, in different ways.
- If you are driving your own car, you need to get to Belogorsk first, and then drive another 5 kilometers towards the mountain.
- You can also enter the coordinates of the mountain into the navigator: 45° 5" 55.45" N 34° 37" 53.92" E.
- For those who travel to public transport, first you need to take the Simferopol - Belogorsk bus. From there you need to take a minibus that goes towards the village of Belaya Skala, Crimea. There you need to walk along a wide street leading to the river. You can also walk along the river valley, cross it over a small bridge, and then pass an apple orchard. if you don’t have water with you, then it’s better for you to get it in this river, since there are springs on the White Rock itself fresh water No.
We are on the map:
If you have any difficulties on the way to Mount Belaya Skala, Crimea, you can find out how to get to it from the residents of Belogorsk or the village of Belaya Skala, who will be happy to tell you which road and where you need to go to get to this amazing place.
The height of the White Rock is 325 meters above sea level. White steep cliffs proudly rise above the picturesque river valley with amazing name- Biyuk-Karasu.
Clarification of where the rock is located
Some tourists who decide to go to this place for the first time require more detailed information. From White Rock (Crimea) to the capital of the peninsula is about 50 km and about 7 kilometers to the road connecting Feodosia and Simferopol. You should cross Belogorsk and drive about 4 kilometers to settlement, called the White Rock, which is located next to the mountain range of the same name, which rises above the Biyuk-Karasu river valley. From the surface of the valley to the top of the mountain is about a hundred meters.
History of origin
It is interesting to learn about exactly how the masterpiece created by nature was formed. In addition to internal tectonic processes, the cuesta relief was affected by weathering. Due to the external influence of atmospheric phenomena, all kinds of niches were formed.
At the bottom mountain range As a result of erosion, residual materials accumulate, such as:
- limestone blocks;
- scree of small stones;
- ravines and beams.
Vegetation partly inhibited the weathering process, which influenced the unusual appearance mountains. Having rented housing for daily rent in Belogorsk, you can go see the amazing beauty of this place. No photographs or videos can convey the stunning view of the rock.
Historical information about the attraction
In the 20th century, in the 60-70s, on the northern slope of the massif, a paleontological expedition excavated sites of primitive people, the total number of which was about 20 places. Then they found numerous household items, as well as skeletons of animals that do not exist in Crimea today:
- wild horse;
- giant deer;
- cave bear;
- mammoth.
At the same time, the remains of Neanderthals were discovered.
Ancient people settled in this region because it was optimal for subsistence. Nearby one could find water, shelter in caves, and flint necessary for everyday life. In these places, primitive man hunted, which brought great success, because there was a lot of game.
Much later, Sarmatian tribes built their dwellings on the territory next to the rock. They created ritual places in rock cavities, left signs in caves, carving them on stone. Tourists love to engage in interesting entertainment in Crimea - looking for symbols of ancient people on the rock.
Traces of history
On the hill there are numerous mounds left by people who lived next to the rock. It is interesting that in the Middle Ages the head of a rich Tatar family, Shirin, lived near it.
It is difficult to enter the Altyn-Teshik cave located at the top, since it is 50 meters away from the base of the mountain. There are several legends about this place:
- the grotto cave was the haven of a werewolf snake who stole beautiful girls and took them to his lair;
- there are rumors that secret passages stretch all the way to Feodosia;
- The cave was once inhabited by a gang of bandits who hid treasures somewhere.
In the old days, various political meetings were held on the mountain, when it was necessary to choose a clan head or discuss a khan who was causing discontent. Executions were also carried out in this place. Bohdan Khmelnytsky was present on the mountain when captured soldiers were thrown off it to speed up the process of payment of money by the hetman.
Even on the White Rock in the 70s of the 18th century, a headquarters was located in which Suvorov was engaged in military affairs. In the 80s of the same century, local noble people became loyal subjects of the Russian Empire, taking the appropriate oath.
Attraction in our time
To get acquainted with ancient sights, you should go on weekend tours in Crimea - Amazing beauty The White Rock will definitely not leave you indifferent. When approaching the mountain range on close quarters It will become clear that its color appears absolutely snow-white only from afar. In reality, the slopes of the mountain are beige with a yellowish tint.
In the caves located on the rock, you can feel like a real speleologist. You should definitely stock up on a flashlight, because sunlight penetrates only to the beginning of the caves, and beyond there is absolute darkness.
Numerous patterns can be found on the rock. It seems that only people could create them, but in fact, nature did their best. As a result of the activity of the winds, all kinds of cavities were formed, as well as supports on which the upper part of the massif rests.
The top of the mountain is marked by numerous signs of erosion. At the bottom of the rocky massif, crushed stone embankments cut into hollows are visible. Among them, large fragments of limestone are noticeable, having great weight and impressive appearance.
Guides and seasoned tourists It is advised to go to the mountain in the evening because it is not so hot and visibility is better. If you want to look into the caves and recesses, then it is better to climb the western path. Armed with a camera, you will take many wonderful pictures as a keepsake.
Active recreation and entertainment
White Rock (Crimea) is perfect place For active rest. Extreme enthusiasts will definitely appreciate the opportunity jump off a mountain range , tied with a rope. You need to register in advance, because only 2 dozen jumps from a height of more than 100 meters are carried out per day. The cost for the first time is 1200 rubles, then jumps are done for 900 rubles. Length free fall- 80 m.
If you have never jumped with a rope before and are worried, then there is no need to worry - professional equipment provides a 100% safety guarantee.
Great on the rock spend time camping , sit with a guitar by the fire.
Horseback riding
If you want to climb the White Rock on horseback, then there are all possibilities for this. You should use the services provided by the Cowboy equestrian club. Available:
- many horses;
- car parking for which you don’t have to pay anything;
- area for picnics open air;
- refrigerators;
- dishes;
- barbecues.
Riding horses that are calm in nature will give you a pleasant experience. In addition, for the convenience of tourists, various routes have been developed to the White Rock - a place that is definitely worth visiting.
Come and enjoy the wonderful Crimean nature!
The Cowboy equestrian club offers its services to everyone who wants to have fun. With us you can:
White Rock, or in Crimean Tatar, Mount Ak-Kaya, is one of the most beautiful places in Crimea. And for my taste, this may be the most beautiful thing! At the same time, it is not as well-known as the attractions of the tourist South Coast, but the views that open up here will delight even those travelers who have been to many places in the world. White Rock is located in the vicinity of the city of Belogorsk, just four kilometers from the main Crimean highway connecting Simferopol and Kerch. This massif is a sheer wall formed as a result of the erosion of Paleogene limestones and sandstones, formed in that distant, distant time when modern Crimea was the bottom of an ancient ocean. The height of the rock from the foot to the top is 100 meters, and it looks unusually picturesque at any time of the day. During the day it is white, and if you arrive early in the morning or at sunset, then, illuminated by the soft sunlight, the mountain shimmers with gold.
The bizarre topography of these places is somewhat reminiscent of the famous landscapes of the Western United States, and thanks to this similarity, White Rock became the filming location for many famous Soviet “westerns”. The films “The Headless Horseman”, “Mustang Pacer”, “Armed and Very Dangerous”, “The Man from Boulevard des Capuchins”, the detective “Mirage” of the Riga Film Studio and many other Soviet and Russian films, the action of which, according to the script, take place on " Wild West." The White Rock is an incredibly interesting place, so I went there twice: first, just by car to photograph the general views, and then I drove to the very top of the rock in a UAZ, examining the caves, grottoes and admiring the views from the very top point of the rock massif.
1. On the road to the White Rock there is another unique monument nature and history - "Suvorov Oak". This tree is about 800 years old! And it was under it that more than 300 years ago Suvorov’s headquarters was located during the battles with the Turkish Sultan Shagin-Girey in 1777. Here the commander received envoys of the Turkish army during negotiations. Despite the fourfold numerical superiority of the Turks, the battle ended in victory for the Russian army and became an important stage in the events that culminated in the annexation of Crimea to Russian Empire.
3. White Rock. The landscapes are incredibly beautiful. Let's just admire it!
4. A mighty vertical wall of whitish color seems to hang over and dominate the surrounding area.
5. On the opposite side of the ridge there is a rock resembling a sphinx.
8. The steep slope of the White Rock is dotted with caves and grottoes formed as a result of weathering of rocks. Some of these caves can only be accessed with climbing equipment.
17. Perhaps the most famous “postcard” photograph of the White Rock.
18. Now let’s climb to the top of the White Rock from a gentle slope, examining several interesting places. The first of them is the ancient Scythian fortress Ak-Kaya, dating back to the 3rd century BC - 3rd century AD.
22. In addition to the remains of fortifications, some interesting adaptations of the daily life of the Scythians have been preserved. Here, for example, is a hole in the rock where food was placed so that it would not spoil. A kind of ancient “refrigerator”.
24. From here the rock begins to rise smoothly - right up to that very high and steep cliff on three sides, which is photographed in all its glory in photo 17. From above, magnificent landscapes of Central Crimea open up.
25. Those distant mountains beyond the steppes are already South coast. Behind them is the Black Sea. 25 kilometers in a straight line.
27. Rocks make up a mountain in layers. Each layer is its own era. In some places, the underlying rocks are looser than the upper ones. This is how caves, grottoes or rocky vaults hanging overhead, like this one, are formed.
28. Millions of years ago, Crimea was the bottom of an ancient ocean, then a gradual uplift of the rocks occurred. But the memory of those distant times is alive. The slopes of the White Rock are made of ancient shell rock.
30. Let's examine another grotto in the rock.
31. In plan it is almost circular in shape. It’s cool here even in the heat, and water drips down the walls of the cave.
34. Another cave in an inconspicuous ravine between neighboring hills. Archaeological research claims that it served as a refuge for ancient Neanderthals.
One of the most interesting natural attractions of Crimea is the White Rock near Belogorsk. It is clearly visible from the Kerch-Simferopol highway, but we advise everyone - take the time, turn towards it, admire it closer!
April-May is the best time for an excursion to the White Rock (Ak-Kaya, Turkic). In the spring, its rather modest vegetation has not yet withered in the sun, and most importantly, Voronets bloom in Krasnaya Balka - amazingly beautiful wild peonies.
White Rock - a miracle of Central Crimea
We arrived at Belogorsk at 8 o'clock, when the rock was still in a light morning haze, so we decided to start exploring the surrounding sights with a visit to the Suvorov Oak. The highway all the way from and partly to Belogorsk now resembles a huge construction site - the Tavrida highway, bridges across rivers, and a canal are being built:
Crimea has not seen anything like this for a long time.
Suvorov Oak and Biyuk-Karasu
The 800-year-old oak itself is simply amazing (diameter 4 m, circumference 10 m, crown 40 m), you feel like an ant next to it:
It is not only botanical, but also historical monument- under him is our famous commander A.V. Suvorov in 1777 accepted capitulation from the envoys of the Turkish Sultan. This happened after a 10,000-strong Russian army defeated a 40,000-strong Turkish army not far from this place.
From the oak tree we went to the rock, but crossing the bridge over the Biyuk-Karasu River, we decided to first drive up to it, it winds too beautifully in these places:
Then they turned to the rock itself, to the very place that resembles the bow of a ship. Its height above sea level is 325 meters, above the valley more than 100 meters. In Crimea there are many such cuestas - mountains, steep on one side and gentle on the other. We previously talked about an excursion to a similar one -. But White Rock is undoubtedly the most unusual.
Many probably recognized this landscape from Soviet and Russian films, of which more than a dozen were filmed here. That's why I was immediately indignant - I see Texas, but where are the cowboys on horses? Immediately, as if on my order, the horses appeared, but the unlucky “cowboy” ran screaming after.
At the foot of the White Rock, onosma bloomed - a plant listed in the Red Book with funny yellow bells:
Yellow flowers noticeably predominate in the area, especially on the arid yayla - a flat mountain top, but more on that later.
Having admired the white bulk hanging overhead, we decided to climb into the grotto. In fact, there are a lot of grottoes, caves and other depressions in the White Rock. It is not for nothing that about 40 ancient human sites were found in these places.
Grottoes Altyn Teshik, Uch-Koba and Krasnaya Balka
At the nose of the cliff large caves two. The first one, looking like a huge drop and inaccessible to the average tourist, is Altyn Teshik. Robbers allegedly hid a rich treasure here. Now the cave is inhabited by birds (or like in a bird market).
The second is called the Lower or Large Grotto. There is a steep, but quite accessible path to it. At this time, her summer adonis (Adonis) and hybrid poppy were blooming (not the self-seeded one that makes the Crimean fields turn red in May, but its earlier and smaller brother).
Once upon a time, judging by the excavations, there was a sanctuary of the Sarmatians in the grotto. Now at the entrance to the grotto there is a huge hawthorn tree, just as it was blooming its first flowers.
Inside, unfortunately, everything is not so great. Too many "Neanderthals" visit it these days.
Near the grotto, mice were lying, dropped kestrels, several pairs of which were actively scurrying around, now flying away, now returning to the rock, where they were greeted by the sharp cries of the chicks.
We drove further along the mountain by car, admiring the bizarre outlines of rocks and grottoes (this group of grottoes is called Uch-Koba), and stopped at the foot of the Red Beam. It is named after the vorontsy (angustifolia peony), which covers it with a crimson-scarlet carpet for one or two weeks every spring:
We're a little late, so most of The peonies had faded and the beam looked rather modest:
But in the bushes at the foot of the yayla, spring adonis, also a rare protected plant, began to bloom.
On the plateau (yayla) of the White Rock
Another minute or two and we are on the yaila, from where the surrounding area has an extraordinary view beautiful view. That is why, although you can climb to the top by car, we advise you not to do this, but to walk along the cliff.
This walk will take an hour at most, but the impressions will last a lifetime.
Ak-Kaya massif, composed of Paleogene and Cretaceous limestones, part of a low but picturesque internal ridge Crimean mountains, separating the Main Ridge.
The plant community of the plateau can be safely attributed to the type of asphodeline steppes, thanks to this plant, asphodeline, reminiscent of young pine trees:
They were just beginning to bloom, delighting the bumblebees, whose long proboscis can only reach the deeply hidden nectar:
Among the insects we also met, the Red Book Crimean swallowtail butterflies and a friendly company of large caterpillars of the ringed silkworm (or some of its relatives). Apparently they have already eaten everything where they hatched and have just marched to a new place:
We brought binoculars, so we had the opportunity to admire not only the life of insects, but also birds.
The most interesting (and beautiful) were the kestrels, which completely ignored us and flew along the rocks, from time to time teaming up with their neighbors to drive crows and crows away from their nests. There were also quite a few swifts there, but it was difficult to see the black lightning, but you could clearly hear the loud “swish” of their wings.
Here is the edge of the White Rock, resting on the sharp bow of the “ship”:
Once upon a time, the heads of the Tatar clans were elected here, here, in front of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, prisoners were thrown off a cliff in order to hasten his ransom, here in 1783, representatives of the Crimean Tatar nobility took an oath of allegiance to the Russian Empire before Prince Potemkin.
Now on the right hand you can see how the fields are turning green, the pine forest is darkening in the distance:
On the left, the following lunar landscape predominates:
By the way, it’s convenient to start excursion route along the wide path running between these hills and the White Rock, climb up it, then go through the plateau, go down the Red Beam and return to the beginning of the route along the road along the rock. We drew it on the map.
We went back not along the cliff, but approximately in the center of the plateau and almost immediately began to stumble upon local orchids:
In general, there are many orchids in Crimea and all are protected by law; you cannot pick them.
About a 7-10 minute leisurely walk from the edge of the cliff there is a quarry where stone was once cut for neighboring settlements:
Since Karasubazar (now Belogorsk) for a long time was the trading capital of the Crimean Khanate, it needed a lot of stone.
Interesting fossils found nearby:
These are nummulites (because they resemble coins), shells of single-celled organisms of the order Foraminifera. Imagine, 100 million years ago, single-celled (!) organisms built houses that resembled spiral flying saucers, the size of a silver royal ruble! By the way, Egyptian pyramids built from such nummulitic limestone.
With our meager knowledge of paleontology, we, alas, were unable to determine the name of this fossil; perhaps it was part of a spirifera shell.
Finally, we admired how the rock crystal found right there shimmers in the sun:
At the edge of the plateau we got a little lost, looking at the caves covering the edge of the ravine from above, found a descent, and suddenly, from the dry and almost bare steppe we found ourselves in the “jungle” - dense thickets of trees and bushes, which are carefully entwined with ivy, along the way moving onto the rocks.
There are a lot of caves, or rather grottoes, here, they are dry, cozy, it is not surprising that ancient people settled in them. Moreover, the plateau served convenient place hunting - surrounded the animal and drove it to the cliff.
Finally, after admiring the amazingly bright peonies again, we got into the car and drove on.
Ak-Kaya settlement and Kok-Koba grotto
Soon after Krasnaya Balka the rocks move apart and the road turns right towards Vishennoye. There will be a rock on the left hand:
On it is the Scythian settlement of Ak-Kaya (3rd century BC, 3rd century AD). On the plateau itself, numerous round and square holes remind of this:
Some of the buildings have been excavated a little lower (opposite you can see the Kok-Koba grotto):
The size of this settlement was second only to Scythian Naples, excavated near Simferopol, and alternately belonged to the Scythians, Romans, and Khazars. The total area of the settlement is 10 hectares, that is, there is still digging and digging, and a lot awaits us interesting discoveries. It may be possible to prove that this medieval fortress Fulla, mentioned in the chronicles as standing at the “cave with a spring.”
Having examined the ancient settlement, we went to that very “cave with a source” - to the Kok-Koba grotto:
It is huge and extremely picturesque:
When we entered through a small side entrance, a herd of cows was resting there, then our company was joined by a herd of schoolchildren, much more playful and noisy:
The uniqueness of the grotto is that water oozes directly from the walls, drips from the ceiling in places, and in the center forms a waterfall of drops, collecting in a small bowl carved into the rock and flowing in a stream into a reservoir overgrown with reeds at the foot of the grotto.
All this is unusual and very beautiful.
The Kok-Koba Grotto was the last point of our journey. Through Vishennoye we went onto the highway, and after admiring the White Rock from it once again, we went home full of impressions.
