Mixed yew and box-trees grove
Only in 2.5 km from the shore of the sea there is an unique object of the nature – Khostinskay mixed yew and box-trees grove. It is situated on the south-east slope of mountain Bolshoi Akhun. Khostinskaya grove was proclaimed reserved in 1930 and now it is an isolated part of the Caucasian State biosphere reserve.
At this grove are grown 70 kinds of arboreal and bush species. At their number are a lot of endemic, which peculiar only the West Caucasus. It is a natural distinctive «nature lab», where many scientists learn rare and disappearing, significant kinds as yew and box trees.
Most favourable climatic conditions – abundance of warmth, light and high air moisture – favoured preservation and resumption of box and the whole number of other relic plants.
Armenian box-tree (Buxus Colchica)
Armenian box-tree (Buxus Colchica) is an evergreen tree with little leather-like leafs. In height box-tree reaches 18 m. It grows very slowly therefore its diameter growth doesn’t exceed 1 mm per year. Age limit is 400-500 years. There are no box-tree woods in the planet any more. In this the Khostinskaya box-tree grove is unique. It is always twilight in the thick brushwood. Light green moss covers trunks and trails from branches by long quaint locks. Knotted roots of trees interlace on the surface of soil. And in the middle of the wood the mountain river Khosta murmurs.
Common yew
It is a real wood giant. Lifetime is 3 thousand years. Its height is about 30 m, and diameter of trunk is 2 m. Be careful!!! Leafs and branches of common yew are toxic. For comfortable overlook of the grove are laid two routes: “Samschitovoe kolco ¹1” (“Mixed yew and box-trees ring ¹1”) and “Samschitovoe kolco ¹2” (“Mixed yew and box-trees ring ¹2”).
Let’s begin with the first one. Extension of the route is 1,600 m. Right at the entry there is a reserve museum where one can see representatives of the fauna, birds, snakes, rare insect and also rare plants, entered into the Red Book.
We pass over gully Opolznevaya. Its bed is formed by soft formations and easily destroyed under the influence of storm and flood waters, hence its name “Opolznevaya” (“Landslide”).
Then we go to the “labyrinth”. A break of unusual form in the in the earth’s crust formed millions years ago here. Natural corridors, clefts, sinkhole formed in the mass of limestone as the result of the destructive effect of water and tectonic efforts, which had been lasting for centuries. Heavy streams, forming holes and beautiful waterfalls, appear in the Labyrinth gully in the period of rains or thawing of snow on the top of Mountain Bolshoi Akhun.
After passing the grove and Labyrinth we enter a sunny ground. Here it is always cool and quiet. You can listen to bird’s songs. The box-tree grove became a home for song-thrushes, redbreasts, tits, jays and numerous other feathered friends.
Be careful: bears, roes, jackals can cam in the preserve from the neighbouring woods. Hares, wild cat, badger, weasel, marten and Altai squirrel dwell here. In the river is dwelled otter. The wood the air is full of aroma of flowers and honey. Even stones here bloom like bright and delicate spring flowers.
Route “Samschitovoe kolco ¹2” begins in the area of White rocks. After leaving the asphalted way we find ourselves in the real jungles. Mountain Iegosh (1790 m) is well seen from the precipice in the north-east direction. A path is laid on the large height above a steep precipice. A wonderful view of Khostinskoe gorge opens from here. In this dangerous place the path is equipped with banisters and stairs. Then there is a slope to gully Glubokaya (Deep). In this wood growing yews are about 2,000 years old and circle of trunk of the ancient lime-long-liver is about 9 m. Imagine yourself that up to 10 teenagers can be easily placed in its hollow.
After little resting we come up to the real medieval fortress. The fortress towers on the inaccessible cliff, being washed with a river from three sides. All this construction is placed on the continental rock, fastened together by strong solution and is very steady against erosion power. A fortress ground is encircled with remains of walls, height of which makes up 7-8 m, and half-destroyed corner towers having form of wells, deepened into the wall.
After visiting of the historical monument, let’s return on the path which abruptly runs to the river. Water here is dark-green and quite cold even in hot summer day. Having turned to the right we come up to a small cove. A powerful underground stream raged here formerly, far back in the past. If we illuminate the right far corner we can see polished up limestone, which shaped in form of a stream like a clinker.
A great number of bats dwelled here not so long ago. An though few people come here bats preferred to settle in a more uninhabited place. We can understand them: nobody will like if someone hinders it to sleep and moreover tries to take a photograph of your dissatisfied cutey as a memento. But we continue our walk. The paths leads us down the river and then fluently runs up the slope of the mixed yew and box-trees grove and at last connects again with a concrete path of route “Samschitovoe kolco ¹1”.
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