Guam Gorge monk's cave on the map. Monk's Cave
Based on materials from the book by Bormotov I.V.
In the village of Guamka in Lately Tourist rallies, competitions in rock climbing and mountaineering techniques are increasingly being held. hiking. The rank of competitions is from regional to all-Russian.
Guam Gorge attracts athletes tall and beautiful rocks, overgrown with evergreen boxwood trees.
During the All-Russian competition in hiking technology, I, as a judge with a republican category, had to participate as a judge at one of the technical stages long distance cross-hike. The location of the stage was precisely the passage of grottoes and a waterfall falling from the Monk’s Cave. I’ve been to the Guam Gorge many times, but never had a chance to climb to the Monk’s Cave. Before going to the cave and marking the route of the future cross-hike, I asked tourists about options for approaching it. Here's a quick summary.
Monk's cave, from which a stream flows, forming high waterfall are located on the right rocky side of the Guam Gorge. Tourists have laid out three routes to the Monk’s Cave.
The first option of the route goes from the village of Mezmay in the direction of the Eagle Shelf, then turns onto the Guam ridge and approaches Kolyadikhin Glade. Through the Kolyadikhin glade, you first go along the tractor drag to the lower right corner of the clearing, then to the path going down to the Monk’s Cave.
According to the second option of the route to the Monk’s Cave, you need to go from below along the narrow-gauge railway from the village of Guamka or take a motorized locomotive to the restaurant, and then cross to the right bank near it. Monk's Cave and the waterfall flowing from it are approximately located opposite the restaurant. In order to cross to the right bank, you can use the services of guides or a restaurant watchman - they pulled a cable over the river, through which the crossing takes place using a safety system and a roller. During the period of low water, Kurdzhips can also be forded, 50 meters above the cafe, where there is even a descent to the water.
After the crossing, the path to the cave lies along a barely noticeable path vertically up a steep slope overgrown with boxwood. A steep climb leads to the foot of the waterfall. The waterfall, breaking away from the rock, falls down from a fifteen-meter height. Under the waterfall, in a rocky overhang, there is a small platform where you can set up a tent and stop for the night.
The ascent to the cave begins just below the level area under the waterfall. Having gone a little lower and finding a path under the overhanging rocks, you can climb to the platforms located above the waterfall. Tourist camps equipped with tourists on rock shelves under the waterfall are very picturesque with the view of falling water. And the platforms located on the right and left above the waterfall impress with a grandiose view of the deep Guam Gorge. From them you can see the canvas at the very bottom of the gorge railway. Rocky outcrops and alpine meadows of the Lagonaki ridge. To the right of the cave, rock outcrops look like grandiose peaks.
The upper platforms are framed by rock grottoes and end with cliffs into the Guam Gorge. In one of the grottoes there is the Monk's Cave. The entrance to the cave is marked by a stream flowing from it. The stream first forms a water bowl, and then, slipping into the thickets of boxwood trees, it breaks down like a waterfall. This waterfall is also called Monakhov.
According to the existing legend, the name of the cave and the waterfall was given by a hermit monk who lived here during the period when the Kuban was settled by the Cossacks. The monk was engaged in healing and attributed healing properties to the waterfall.
Tourists do not go to Monakhov’s Cave; they limit themselves only to inspecting the grotto. It is impossible to go into the cave without a wetsuit and scuba gear, as you need to dive into cold water and dive through the siphon.
The third route option starts from the village of Guamka. Tourists first cross the suspension bridge at the Guamka tourist hotel and walk in the direction of the rocky outcrops of the western end of the Guam Gorge. The gap in the rock ridge is clearly visible. A tractor trail runs up to it from below and leads to the loggers' plot. From the site of the old plot, a clear path appears, which rises in a serpentine path to a vantage point from which amazing view to the village of Guamku and its surroundings.
Further, the path along the ridge leads to Kalyadykhina glade. They continue their path along the drag to the lower right corner of the clearing, where the path to the Monk’s Cave begins. The path is barely noticeable, but there are notches in the trees. The path goes down steeply to the Monk's Cave.
Taking with me marking tapes, hiking and mountaineering equipment, choosing the third option of the route, I went to the Monk’s Cave. Having climbed the rocky ridge of Guam from a bird's eye view, I saw a delightful panorama of the valley of the Pshekha and Kurdzhips rivers. Chains of wooded ridges stretched towards the foggy horizon into a captivating blue haze. There, behind the mountain range, the gentle Black Sea splashed.
Directly below, scattered matchboxes, lies the mountain village of Guamka. The rocky ridge with sheer faults seemed to block the path to the Lagonaki Highlands and stretched from the Matuzka River to the Razrytaya and Matazyk mountains.
Arriving at the Kolyadikhin clearing, we began to look for a descent to panoramic platforms and Monakhov Falls. We found the trail right away. Apparently tourists visit this place quite often. After admiring the view of Lagonaki ridge, walked a little to the left and began to descend to the foot of the waterfall. The descent is very steep, so we had to stick to the bushes and trees.
When we saw the waterfall falling from the upper ledge and forming a curtain of falling water, we froze in admiration. There was a black grotto under the waterfall, and a small group of tourists could be accommodated under it. But it turned out to be quite difficult to approach. We hang rope railings along the rolling pins between the trees for insurance and use them to traverse under the waterfall.
The path we were going down went down, and then turned right and went around the waterfall on the left side. Along it, tourists climb to the shelves located above the waterfall and to the Monakhova Cave.
Having positioned ourselves under the waterfall, we begin to arrange the “corridor” for the competition stage. Sports groups must walk along it, hang rope railings, overcome a natural obstacle without violating safety rules, and proceed further along the route outlined on the map.
My task is to judge at this wonderful stage. So that the athletes use technical techniques and insurance, do not fall into the abyss of the canyon, but proceed safely further.
Having set up the tent on a rocky shelf, we began to observe with interest the behavior of our campfire smoke and waterfall. The smoke, like a gray snake, first stretched upward along the grotto, and then, wrapping around the waterfall, flowed to its source. Two flows opposite to each other. One up, and the other down, pushing each other away, steadily striving towards their goal.
The most breathtaking sight was observed at the waterfall, when the sliding rays of the sun touched the waterfall and lit up a rainbow shining with all colors. We quickly go down into the forest to pick up old, half-decayed leaves under the trees, bring them to a shelf and put them in the fire. The fire, having received a portion of raw leaves, gives us a dense column of acrid smoke and tends to outshine the rainbow glow of the waterfall. But instead, he arranges a real holiday for us. We watch with admiration the play of smoke, rainbows and falling water.
Sports groups began to approach, and we had no time to even look at the living flowing curtain of crystal water. By evening the weather worsened. Somewhere in the distance the rolling voice of thunder could be heard. In the morning we were awakened by the buzzing and detonating roar of the waterfall. The passing heavy rain collected rainwater into one stream and threw it off the edge of the rocky shelf of the canyon into a deep abyss. It was dry under the rocky peak, but swirling water dust could be heard. This ionization of the air was not very pleasant. The water, flying down with a roar, covered a wonderful view of the Guam Gorge with a wide dirty curtain.
Here in the skies of the Guam Gorge we lived for two days and two nights. And they saw the life of a waterfall quietly soaring over the rocky walls of the gorge and a formidable waterfall, falling down with a roar. These minutes are unforgettable. We realized a long time ago simple truth that the mountains, regardless of the weather, always bring us cheerfulness, good mood and peace.
Gennady Zavada
Here you and I are at the very source
The stream that flows out of the cave...
And with his murmur he measures
Our whole life from term to term.
Here, in the spray from the seething stream,
The fog swirls, melts like a rainbow...
And nearby the grotto hints at rest,
Like a hut - it doesn't have enough windows.
In the hot heat it is coolness and joy,
He will save us from rain and hail.
….
The fire is shaking. He doesn't need light...
There is firewood, the kettle is steaming.
They hum something quietly to the guitar
Your friends from university.
The earth is warmed by unexpected fire.
She spins in a waltz. From the frenzy
From new songs and from old songs
Distant planets sway.
Why do you look so carelessly,
Explosive, trembling, anxious?..
The dawn flows slowly from the east,
We remember something, but we forgot the main thing.
A moth's wings burn in a fire...
Oh, how cruel the truth can be!
The Dry Beam Canyon and Monakhov Stream are the left and right tributaries of the frisky and rapids Kurdzhips River ( Pear water - from the Adygs.), originating from the plateau of the Lagonaki Highlands. Both tributaries flow into the Kurdzhips channel in Guam Gorge, about 1 km. from each other. This expands the scope of ideas about the gorge as an object whose attractions are located exclusively in a linear plane along the river, and increases its overall attractiveness. The only difference is that along the main thread along the narrow railway, people walk and drive in herds, and, thank God, only a few wander into the above-mentioned tributaries.
After the construction of an asphalt highway to the village at the end of the 20th century. Guamka, now thanks to walking distance luxurious Guam Gorge literally turned into a passage yard for independent groups and organized excursions, delivered here by whole buses. Alas, increasing anthropogenic factors do not add joy. The narrow-gauge railway itself is a foreign body against the backdrop of a wonderful natural landscape. But this element has long been familiar and is already taken for granted and inalienable, as a kind of decor, a monument of the past, introduced in the early Soviet period to satisfy the economic needs of the country. But when they decided to breathe a second life into the gorge and began to “beautify” it: they built a yellow (?!) fence near the river cliff, hung wires along the rocks, they launched a new exotic idiotic train ( markholina), from the windows of which you can’t really see anything, then personally this caused indignation inside me. The argument in favor of the need for markholina under the pretext of observing safety regulations is an absurd and unconvincingly camouflaged excuse to extract money from the people. Markholina only reaches half of the gorge due to the unsatisfactory technical condition of the narrow-gauge railway along the rest of its length, and then people walk. Before 9.00 and after 17.00, as well as on Monday and Tuesday, there is no markholina at all, and people are allowed to walk as and where they want for free. Well, where is the logic here, where is the compliance with safety regulations?
But the real problem today is the moth, brought from abroad with imported boxwood for landscaping at Olympic venues! Having remarkably acclimatized and multiplied here, she now eats up her sweet soul everywhere like relict boxwoods in wildlife, and gardening in parks and squares of cities and regions. Half of the boxwoods in the gorge, for which it was famous, have already been gnawed. Oil painting! Thinking about such things used to seriously affect my mood and prevent me from sleeping soundly at night. But then, convinced that the Great Kaput of this sinful and obscene world was just around the corner, I began to take a calmer and more philosophical approach to this. Well, for now, as Captain Skvortsov said, we will still live!
The eldest trodden the paths in September Kardyvachi, but we modestly and like a family came here on Monday. Therefore, we walked the entire way along the gorge to the mouth of the gully and free of charge in both directions. On a fine autumn day, the water in Kurdzhips is not so stormy, but clean.
S u h a i b a l k a.The route starts at a high wooden bridge, installed on a reinforced metal structure. In the relatively recent past, a regular Markholina ran from Guamka to Mezmay through the gorge as long as the quality of the narrow-gauge railway allowed it. During the war, the bridge became famous because it was blown up twice by partisans, setting up an ambush for the Nazis. And even earlier, the Circassians used the local favorable conditions to destroy a large detachment of Janissaries who were attempting to forcefully exterminate the local population. The tactics used were simple: as soon as the last Turk entered the gorge, it was blocked on both sides by artificial rockfall and formed a trap. Well, then single, but very numerous stones flew from above. The chaotically scattered corpses of Turkish warriors in the process of smoldering for a long time emitted a stench that spread throughout the entire valley. From here from Adyghe Guam- A bad, rotten smell, and not the Gorge of a defeated enemy, as some fabulists interpret it. In general, the history of this wonderful place is quite bloody.
The Balka stream flows out of a deep rocky crevice and, running under the bridge, flows into Kurdzhips. And if you decide to turn onto the tributary, then this is where the imposing part of the walk along the flat Guam Gorge, where you can afford to walk in slippers with a can of beer and popcorn, ends, and the extreme sports begin. Until the moment when ropes and wire railings were pulled in difficult areas, there was, perhaps, a real extreme. About 20 years ago, the situation looked somewhat simpler: the bridge design included a stationary metal staircase, which made it possible to conveniently descend to the riverbed. But when one drunken excursionist had the imprudence to rattle off it, the stairs were cut off, eliminating this accessible temptation. However, the loss of the stairs and the temporary lack of an alternative most likely led to even greater negative consequences.
A wonderful and appropriate sign for scaring away dummies and idle idlers.
Thus, a tricky section of descent to the stream awaits the traveler immediately upon exiting the bridge onto the path. Further, in the beam itself, it is technically simpler, but not at all safer. Dry- this is a phraseological mockery, semantic quotation marks, ironically implying a situation exactly the opposite. In fact, it is necessary to move, overcoming countless fords. But the most insidious thing is the slippery stones and logs, which require constant attention and internal mobilization. But what a miracle it is, and only 150 km away. from Krasnodar! Definitely worth the effort. There are not as many people in the ravine as in the gorge itself, and the nature is wild and untouched by anyone or anything. Moreover, here you come into direct contact with her. The purest water, on which you squish with your feet and drink it, baths and fonts from pale greenish to deep green. Rocks, huge boulders and lush thickets of poliozoa. It seems that some dinosaur will jump out of the bushes, or a flock of pterodactyls will fly up into the air...
For some time the path zigzags from above at the level of the bridge, then dropping slightly, then gaining height, until finally
falls into the floodplain of the stream.
Here you drop to the bottom of the gorge and, without preamble, plunge into a rather long ford.
Remember, auntie, your golden childhood
However, it is possible to avoid the deepest part of this ford if you have a harness with a carbine, since from the beginning of the descent from the pins into the water, a thick wire is stretched obliquely onto the opposite wall of the rock. A rope is lowered from the end of the wire to the shallow water in a similar way (visible in the previous photo against the background of the rock). To be honest, the meaning of the add-on is not entirely clear. sophistication in a situation where a whole bunch of similar fords are still waiting for you ahead. Having passed the first ford , we found ourselves in the grip of an even larger, powerful and narrow gorge, visually very reminiscent of one of the gorges of the Tsitse Canyon, or the Glubokaya Balka in the Lago-Naki highlands.
Wow, cheeks...!
This gloomy and slightly oppressive gorge quite quickly turns into the expansion of the Sukhaya Balka canyon. A sun-drenched rocky valley with a lot of greenery appears. On the sides, on both sides, more welcoming rock bastions, illuminated by daylight, located at a somewhat distant distance. Notable place!
Upon exiting the narrows, a deep and spacious grotto immediately appeared on the right with a tranquil backwater in the form of a flowing lake at its threshold. The twilight of the grotto and the pool shining in the sun create an amazing contrast of light and mood.
If the water in Kurdzhips is simply clean, then here it is crystal clear
Inside the grotto
The large grotto turns into an amphitheater with small and similar miniature grottoes, as if someone had hollowed them out at the bottom of a vertical wall and separated by partitions. Just a dorm for gnomes.
A clearing of grottoes and stone jungle. How many flat places for a tent...
However, we got carried away. It's time to wander on, otherwise your pants are already starting to dry out
On the orographically right tributary of the Yavorov waterfall. The total height of the discharge and water slides is about 80 meters. But right now there’s not enough water.
"Walking" terrain leading to the middle part of the waterfall
A local canyon leading to the foot of another serious gully waterfall.
It takes a lot of effort here
But this time the outermost dam of the canyon, before the exit to the waterfall, turned out to be chest deep. No one wanted to dive yet, so we didn’t approach the waterfall directly from below, but went back and approached from above in a detour.
We return to the "main trail"
Here he is. There is always plenty of water in it, since the waterfall is located on the main riverbed. Good! Still, we had to dive!
So you still claim that this Beam is dry?!
Isn't it similar?
Kamenyuki, Kamenyuki, and I’m so little. Now I'm scared, now I'm sad, now I'm losing peace...
Having finally had enough of the spectacle, the people demanded bread. We wander, looking in all this relief unbridledness cozy place for rest and snack.
This did not take long to happen. We lubricated ourselves at this creek with a small waterfall. And here there were only 50-70 meters left to the end of the sanely passable part of the canyon.
At the end of the route, like the final coda to a symphony, there is a magnificent vast backwater with the deepest plunge pool, as if inviting you to finally surrender to the procedure of swimming and relaxation.
Overhanging the font are pegs and a large mossy log, as if by order, a bridge was thrown from one bank to the other. It is convenient to dive both from the rocks and from the log itself. The depth of the font is 5 meters
However, as a contractor...!
It's time to go back. Time goes fast
Let's get to know each other!
Monk's waterfall with the cave.The decision to run to Sukhaya Balka in one short day of light and then climb to Monakhov Falls smacked of an adventure. We left the beam a little late, at 16.30. At 17.00 we went to Monk. And at 19.00 it is already completely dark. It is clear that we will find the upper grottoes already at dusk, and we will have to drive home in the dark. As an adult, it would be worth giving up this idea. But what can you do with these tired and stubborn ones? I'm like that myself. Greed took over again.
Crossing Kurdzhips through shallow water to the opposite shore, near the cosmonauts' house and the final stop of Markholina.
There is currently little water in Monk's Creek. And in winter its mouth with Kurdzhips looks like this:
We go around the waterfall on the left and hurry up to a beautiful and cozy beech meadow. Along the way, we capture rocky teeth sticking out of the forest above the cliff, from which an insignificant view of the Guam Gorge opens from top to bottom.
Can you tell me, uncle, did a flock of greenlings fly past you here?
No, dear baby, just two passing crocodiles. One is green, the other is to Africa...
Below you can see the narrow railway along Kurdzhips
The clearing with the overhanging grottoes, as expected, was discovered at dusk. Therefore, I present pictures from this wonderful place six years ago, October 2010. God, how time flies...!
Beech glade
Okay, a little bit of good stuff. It's time to lose honor. And then they completely lost their impudence...
When leaving the gorge it immediately became dark. The highway strip from Apshernosk to the station. Saratovskaya - these are continuous sections of the roadway broken up by heavy trucks, in which instead of asphalt there is an unpleasant presence of gravel. Therefore, it is advisable to cover the specified distance in daylight, in order to slow down before these schools in advance and in time. Otherwise there will be additional stress.
Overall, a successful and very timely trip on one of the last fine days before the coming cyclone. Thanks to all participants for the company!
Grottoes near Monk's Cave
All the delights of the object.
Monakhov Falls and Monakhova Cave are one of the most beautiful and least visited places in the vicinity of the village of Mezmay and Guamka. For the most part, this is due to their distance from settlements. They are located on the southern slope of the Guam ridge, orographically, on the right side of the Guam Gorge. Monk's Cave is located in one of the many grottoes, which are nestled in the rock formation of the ridge. Their scale is, of course, impressive.
A good landmark for finding the cave is the stream that flows from its entrance. Under one of the grottoes, streams of water from the cave form a small backwater with crystal clean water and further along a narrow gutter the water rushes to Monakhov Falls.
Between the cave and the waterfall there is a fairly large, almost perfectly flat horizontal platform, which is limited on one side by high rock formations, and on the other by a steep cliff into the Guam Gorge. A kind of natural balcony on which you can accommodate more than a dozen tourist groups.
Monakhov waterfall Monk's Falls also deserves special attention. Its height is approximately 15 m and it is formed precisely from the stream that flows from the cave.
Monakhov waterfall To see the waterfall in full, you need to go down a little along the path leading from the cave to the Guam Gorge. It is worth noting that the section of the trail in this place is very steep and therefore you need to be extremely careful and not forget about safety precautions when moving.
numerous fonts on Monakhov Stream Get to know the beauty of these amazing places fully possible in our event
Route No. 22/2013: Guamka - Monk’s Cave + Waterfall - Eagle Shelf - Mezmay - Guam Gorge - Guamka (28 km.)The track can be downloaded here: http://caucasia. ru
Initially, the route was planned as follows: Guamka - Guam Gorge ("by steam locomotive") - Monakhov Falls + Cave (radially) - Dry Beam (Yavorov Falls) - return to Guamka "by steam locomotive". Mikhail Lakhin, a respected person in Guamka and an experienced guide and climber, was supposed to accompany us at the initial stage. The most convenient approach to Monakhov Falls and the cave, according to Mikhail, is from below, from the Guam Gorge. Therefore, like it or not , we had to go by train. Ticket price per person is 200 rubles. The ticket is valid there and back. You can go to the gorge on the first flight and walk there all day. The last flight to Guamka is at 17:30. If your ticket is lost, returning by train to Guamka will cost 100 rubles. For residents of Guamka and Mezmay (registration required) travel on the train is free.
After 18:00 (actually after 17:30) all gates open and walking along the gorge is free along its entire length.
The train travels through the gorge only 1.5 km. to the cafe at the mouth of Monakhov Stream. You can't see anything from the carriage, so 200 rubles. for such a dubious pleasure - not justifiably expensive. Alternative (on foot) movement through the gorge is officially prohibited, under the pretext of a security threat.
To get to the waterfall and the Monk's cave you need to move to the opposite, right bank of Kurdzhips. Directly from the cafe, a cable with a roller is stretched to the opposite bank - you can cross in your own harness. Rope owner Arthur doesn't mind using the line with his equipment. But you can ford across Kurdzhips just above the cafe (50m). Even after heavy rains, the ford was not difficult (knee-deep). All you need is an alpenstock (stick) - the current in this place is not strong, the bottom is without pitfalls.
After crossing Monakhov Creek above the mouth of the waterfall, the trail rises steeply along the orographically right (on the left as you go) slope in the boxwood thickets. The waterfall is located on the right tributary of the Monakhova stream, the climb from Kurdzhips is 200 meters. Going down a little, around the waterfall on the left (along the way) there is a path to the Monakha (Monakhova) cave. There are several grottoes near the cave. A stream flows out of the cave, emitting a very low sound (infrasound).
From the cave (to the right as you go) up to the Kolyadikhin clearing there is a path with blue markings - slippery after the rain. From the clearing on the maps to the right there is a path (road) towards the Berezovaya clearing, but it was overgrown and we did not find it. Therefore, we followed the well-worn road, actually along the ridge of the Guam Ridge - this turned out to be a big detour. There was a fork to the left - the path to Guamka to the Walnut Grove?
After some wandering (a lot of roads, portages and trails) we went “along the azimuth” to the upper observation deck above the Eagle shelf. There is no descent from here to the shelf itself, so we followed the path along the upper edge of the cliff towards Mezmay. There's a lot along the way observation platforms, including towards Mezmay. After 1.5 km. The trail descended to the main “autobahn” from Mezmay to the Eagle Regiment. We decided to go radially to the shelf, again walking along the same rocks, but now from below.
The Eagle Shelf is a popular excursion site from Mezmay with an excellent panorama of the village itself and the surrounding mountains.
Having gone down to the outskirts of the village, without going into it, we came to railway bridge across the Kurdzhips River and returned to Guamka along the sleepers, having walked the entire Guam Gorge on foot. We missed the last train, but we weren’t too upset. You need to walk along the gorge, slowly. By the way, many people do this. After 18:00 we met about 100 people walking along the Guam Gorge.
Of course, we didn’t go to the waterfall in Sukhaya Balka - it was already late. We decided that Sukhaya Balka is a separate route and it is better to visit it in August-September .
