Where to go for a walk: eco-paths in the Leningrad Oblast

(Eco Path in Komarovo Komarovo, Morskaya st.)

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Perhaps the most famous eco-route is located in the Kurortny District, in the village of Komarovo. Ecological trails with a length of 3 kilometers pass by the old spruces, the remains of the landscape park from the last century, giant anthills, the sandy coast of the bay. Well-groomed walkways are equipped with wooden flooring, stands with information about natural sights, benches, pavilions and signs. You can even walk with strollers, that is why the Komarovsky Bereg ecological trail is a great option for family vacations both in summer and in winter.

(Photo: vk.com/komarovo.true)

(Eco Path in Gatchina Gatchina, the source of the Teplaya river)

The Gatchina eco-trail originates from the source of the Teplaya River (not far from the Poultry Farm) and passes by reed thickets, a forest, a swamp and a river valley, eventually leading to the ruins of the Stackenschneider mill on the Izhora River. The creation of the eco-path in 2016 and its maintenance is carried out only by the efforts of local residents, without external funding. Therefore, it is not like in Komarovo: instead of causeways and wooden flooring - logs and log paths. However, information boards telling about the flora and fauna of these places are located throughout the trail. And along the way you can find a hotel for insects and bird houses! The route is a little more than 2 kilometers long.

(Photo: gatchina.org/eco)

(The Western part of Kotlin Fort Rif)

In the Western Kotlin wildlife sanctuary near Kronshtadt, there is another eco-friendly route that will be interesting for lovers of scenic wildlife. About 93 species of birds and 360 species of vascular plants live here, many of them are rare. The rush banks and reed fields in the shallow waters of the bay are of great importance as nesting and migratory sites of birds.

(Photo: Wikipedia)

(Eco Path on the Buslovka River Usadische Village)

In 2013, the first ecological trail along the Buslovka River was opened near Vyborg in the Leningrad Oblast. The trail runs between two settlements: Luzhaika and Usadische - former Finnish villages. Experts and students from Finland were engaged in arranging the ecological path along Buslovka as part of the international project of Finland and Russia with the goal of creating comfortable conditions for restoring populations of valuable salmon species in the Buslovka River. The ecological trail is 2.5 kilometers long - from the dam in the village of Usadische to the former Finnish power station. At the end point, a recreation area and an observation deck are available.

(Photo: vk.com/molod_lo)

(Duderhof Heights Mozhayskaya railway station)

Another eco-path location is the highest point of the city - the Duderh of Heights. The path runs along Voronya and Orekhovaya mountains. On the route you can get acquainted with the history of Duderh of Park and with local residents. The route is about 2.5 km long and is equipped with information stands and benches; for the comfort of ascent and descent, stairs are installed on steep parts of the slopes.

(Photo: oopt.spb.ru)

(Eco Path at Kalishchenskoye Lake Sosnovy Bor, Kalishchenskoye Lake)

In September 2018, another eco-path appeared in the Leningrad Oblast, this time in the west part of the region near the town of Sosnovy Bor near Kalishchenskoye Lake. Here you can not only walk along the equipped route with information stands and recreation areas, but also listen to the audio tour. If you follow the route through 10 information points, you can find out about the forest inhabitants and plants that live in the forest and in Kalishchenskoye Lake itself. There is a playground for children at the end of the route.

(Photo: merelana.livejournal.com)

Another ecological trail for tourists will be created in the Leningrad Oblast in the near future on the territory of the Koltushsky Heights natural monument. The length of the eco-paths will be one kilometer. Tourists will be able to admire the stone hills and inter-hollow basins. Stairs will lead to difficult ascents, and in the most picturesque places there will be special pavilions for leisure.

(Photo: ooptlo.ru)

Sestroretsk Swamp sanctuary

A new equipped tourist route appeared near Beloostrov - an eco-path in the Sestroretsk swamp nature reserve. Now anyone can walk safely through the swamp without any risk. By taking this trail you can admire the marsh vegetation, open spaces, pine forests.

(Photo: oopt.spb.ru)

Where else you can walk along well-groomed paths and alleys, feed hand-held squirrels and ducks, ride bicycles and admire the clean lakes – we will tell in our article about the ecological routes of St. Petersburg.