Dungeon of witches. Witches Cave in Sochi Witches Cave - a favorite place for tourists
Not far from the Black Sea coast (several kilometers), there is a Spiral Temple, it is located not far from the village of Lazarevskoye, somewhere at an altitude of one hundred meters above sea level, on the top of a mountain.
We discovered an amazing place in the Caucasus Mountains in August 2012. It was another day of our vacation, we went to the Shapsug and Psydakh waterfalls, on the way we saw a sign “Witches Cave”, well, we, like real pagan Vedists and members of the Russian Vedic Community, could not help but visit such a cave and agreed to go there after visiting the waterfalls. We had to go to the cave across a wide dry river along a hanging bridge, which we did when we arrived from the waterfalls.
The Ashe River is full only in the spring, when it gets warmer and the snow melts. But even in the summer it does not completely disappear; a small stream of 10-15 meters remains. Having crossed to the right bank, we saw some sheds and a cafe where there were no visitors. We walked and walked, there were no signs, we didn’t know where to go, but then a kind aunt came out with a rag in her hands and waved in the direction we needed. The only irritant at the resorts of the Krasnodar Territory is the ubiquitous cash registers. It costs 100 rubles to go there, 1000 rubles to go there, and 200 rubles to stay here. Here too I had to cough up the cash. At the cave we were met by a very gloomy guy of Caucasian nationality, pre-memorized phrases bounced off his teeth and from time to time he slowly yawned, showing with all his appearance that the cave was very scary.
Cave of the Witches.
The cave turned out to be very small, two meters wide and about one and a half meters high. The strange guide told us that in the cave the constant temperature was either 8 or 12 degrees all year round. After walking about 20 meters through the cave, we got into the boat, the cave became even lower, less than a meter, we had to constantly bend over and dodge the projections of the ceiling. We didn’t swim for long, about 15-20 meters, we came up against a wall, the cave went deeper from this place. Actually, the whole cave is nothing special; we took a bottle of clean, cold water and swam back.
Spirit of the Witches Cave.
Walking back, we looked through the photographs taken in the cave, and it turned out that almost all the photographs contained strange luminous objects, the contours of the bodies were slightly shifted, as if the etheric body could not keep up with the physical one and this was recorded by the camera. Well, okay, maybe it’s just a hardware defect that manifests itself in not quite normal conditions.
Another entity from the witches' cave.
After the witches' cave, it was as if we were carried by an invisible force; after several hours of walking, we realized that it was time to look for dolmens. The cashier showed us the way with her finger, and we moved, not even knowing approximately what distance to our goal. There were no signs and the road we walked along then seemed to disappear into the grass. We stopped and began to consult about where to go next; our advice almost turned into an argument. Then Denis turned around and saw a barely noticeable path leading up. He was absolutely sure that we had to go there and we went.
The climb in the heat was not easy; before we even reached the top of the mountain, we were already running out of water collected in the witches’ cave. It was especially difficult for my wife and daughter.
Ascent to the dolmens.
But our efforts were not in vain. We found them.
The first dolmen.
Moreover, walking around the perimeter, we found many dolmens, they were different, made of slabs and monolithic. They had only one thing in common; almost all of them were destroyed to varying degrees.
Monolithic dolmen.
Then I found a menhir, for some reason it was flat with a small oblong bulge. At the menhir there were offerings from people who had been there. Well, I also donated from all of us.
It is not for nothing that the Ashe River is considered the most beautiful and unusual area in the area of the Sochi National Park. There are several main attractions here, concentrated in one place: the Shapsug waterfall, as well as Psydakh, and a cave, which still remains a mystery to many, but allows you to take a boat ride through it. It would also be useful to recall the suspension bridges that open the way to the Asha River.
The Cave of the Witches is a favorite place for tourists
The cave is located on one of the eroded banks in the area of the Ashe River. One day the river overflowed its banks and flooded the area, the village of Kalezh, and the same thing happened to the Witches’ Cave. Currently, the entrance has changed greatly and has become a rounded tunnel.
Once in the middle, the humidity is sharply felt, but this does not stop tourists and they continue to make their way deeper, reaching the mark of 74 meters. After this, it becomes difficult to breathe and this is where the adventure ends, but not for everyone. Only the most persistent go further and end up in an additional, branch hall.
It would not be amiss to point out the unusual route that must be overcome before getting to the cave, that is, you must cross a 90-meter suspension bridge, and not everyone can do this. While on it you can take great photos, as from below you have a stunning view of the Ashe River and its valley.
Witches Cave in Sochi - what to take with you
Having crossed the bridge, we are in the area of the entrance to the cave. It should be noted that the ceiling is low and only 1.5-2 meters, so you need to bend over to enter.
When going to the cave, you should take rubber boots with you, since at the beginning of the path there is a lot of muddy and cold water under your feet. Further on, the water becomes more and more and you need to take a boat to sail further and see all the unusualness of this exotic place.
In the fields you can find sand-colored formations. In some places they have an unusual shape and look like curtains or draperies. Everything looks unusual, if nature itself had tried its best when creating its next masterpiece.
According to preliminary calculations, the total length of the cave is 74 meters, but there are still unexplored places, since the entrance goes down, which is already flooded. Despite the fact that special equipment currently exists, divers cannot fully explore all the vast places of the cave.
Cave of Witches in Sochi: terrifying legends
There is an opinion that the length of the cave is 12 kilometers and it ends near a village called Bolshoye Povushko. Among people, a legend is passed down from mouth to mouth that local residents used to hide in the labyrinths of the cave in order to hide from enemies. There is even a version that this place is called the Cave of Salvation, but now only guesswork remains, and the truth will become known only after all the water has left the cave and it can be studied far and wide.
The Witches Cave is a unique structure that is interesting with various stories and legends. For example, in the distant past, tribes with children and women passed through the cave. In another version, witches or evil women were left in this place so that they would not harm the tribe. They were caught and taken to a cave, left there, and the entrance was blocked with stones so that they would not get out.
Despite the fact that there is always water in the cave, it is considered the most favorite tourist route in Sochi. People are created in such a way that they will always be intrigued and captivated by something unusual and original, and this cave has plenty of it. It turns out that the uniqueness of the cave lies in the fact that it is a repository of numerous mysteries and secrets.
Witches Cave in Sochi how to get there
The Cave of the Witches is located near the village of Kalezh.
On the territory of the National Park of the city of Sochi there is an incredibly beautiful place - the valley of the Ashe River. This valley contains several tourist sites:
1. Cave of witches. You can see it while traveling by boat.
2. Psydakh waterfall
3. Shapsug waterfall.
The suspension bridges crossing the river will also attract attention.
We went here on a special day. I had a holiday - my birthday. All the previous week we basked by the sea in the Tuapse region and walked in the nearby mountains. My husband decided to give me a trip. There was no doubt that it would be unforgettable.
Once we found ourselves in Tuapse, we stood in a traffic jam for a long time and this darkened our mood for some time. Tuapse greets us with long traffic jams every time. That's why I associate it with long rows of stationary cars.
But after the city of Tuapse was left behind, there were fewer cars, and the road became sharply winding.
When we reached the Kalezh highway, every second I admired the passing beauty.
On the way we saw the Shapsug village. The name of this place is formed by two words: “Hajj” (the pilgrim who reached Mecca) and “koo” (the place to which this pilgrim returned).
On the way we came across a nice cafe called “Away from Wives”. Unfortunately, we had absolutely no time left, so we weren’t able to go there. And we were traveling as a couple - my husband might not have been allowed in :)
So we got to the village of Kalezh. This place is not very big, but for some reason it is translated as “old town”.
As soon as we got to the village, our entrance to the bridge was blocked by a herd of resting cows.
Mysterious Valley of Waterfalls
The unsurpassed valley of the Ashe River appeared before our eyes. Translated, the name of the valley means “weapon”. But this place can only hurt the heart with its unforgettable beauty. Bright greenery, clear water that reflects the blue sky. Due to the large amount of green color, the valley was nicknamed Emerald.
However, the valley is not as calm as it seems at first glance. When it rains, the river begins to rage, its banks diverge and the rushing stream carries away everything that comes in its way.
This happened in 1991. The river overflowed so much in August that the entire village was flooded. This caused some houses to collapse. This entailed casualties.
The Ashe River Valley is considered a very mysterious place, full of various legends. People have composed many different legends associated with this place.
Located here. Legend has it that in the past, exhausted and sick old people were thrown down from here. But one day one man did not want to throw his father away, but so that no one would find him, he took the old man to a cave. The son often came to his father for advice. For making the right decisions, he was nicknamed the sage in the area. And one day, my father’s advice helped save the entire village. And then the young man told about his secret. Since then, they have stopped throwing old people off the cliff.
Of course, this legend is very similar to fiction, because the Caucasus has always been distinguished by its respect for old age. Probably, the guides who dare to tell tourists such implausible legends deserve a flight from a cliff more.
And if you start browsing tourist sites, you can generally find a bunch of incorrect and outdated facts about the valley. For example, there you can find information that the path to the Witches Cave is closed because it was flooded. And in general, only the most courageous can enter it.
I think this is all speculation. We were even there with children. There are flooded areas in the cave, but this makes staying in this place even more exciting and intriguing. We did not experience any fear or horror from being in the cave.
THE ASH RIVER VALLEY PROVIDES THREE TYPES OF TRAVEL AROUND IT.
The first type is on foot. It takes a long time and is very tiring, especially when it is very hot.
The second type is SUVs(UAZs are most often used, and large groups prefer GAZs). They move along the river. It's a lot of fun to watch the splashes fly under the wheels in different directions.
However, all equipment will have to be carefully hidden and packaged in something waterproof. And you yourself risk getting completely wet.
The third type is your own car. Recently a road was built along the river bank. Travel along the road must be paid (walking, by the way, too). The road will take you almost straight to the waterfalls. Even an ordinary car can easily drive along this road, let alone an SUV.
We got to this beauty in our own car.
PSYDAKH – ONE OF THE WATERFALLS OF THE ASH VALLEY
Getting acquainted with the Ashe Valley, the very first thing you can see is the Psydakh waterfall (sometimes called Psedakh). The translation of its name means “beautiful water”
The beauty of this waterfall cannot be disputed. It is located in a very unusual place, which can only be seen by getting closer and looking into the crevice well.
You can hear another name for this waterfall – “Waterfall of Brides”. There is a sign that if a girl swims in this place, then she will get married in the near future. Therefore, at the waterfall you can see a huge number of ladies who don’t mind the cold streams. Even older women are not averse to believing the myth and trying their luck.
But the origin of the second version of the name may be connected with another fact: water falls to the ground in such a way that its shape resembles a veil. So ladies-dreamers, perhaps, are in vain sacrificing themselves by plunging into an icy stream. Well, in general, the main thing is to believe in the fulfillment of your dreams.
On the way to the waterfall you will come across a bridge of wishes. All wishes made here must certainly come true. True, I didn’t make a guess - I was mesmerized by the view of the waterfall.
The waterfall consists of three cascades - upper, middle, lower. Now even the highest cascade can be easily reached, because bridges have been built to it and even special platforms have been installed from which everything is perfectly visible.
The waterfall reaches a length of 30 m. The upper cascade looks most impressive.
The height of this cascade is 20m. He made his way through a hole in the rock. The water from it falls directly into the bowl located below. The spray from the waterfall is scattered over a long distance, forming a cloud, so it is pleasantly cool here even if it is hot everywhere.
The upper cascade is located in a canyon, which looks like a bag made of stone 6m wide and 11m long. Its slopes are steep and seem to consist of layers. Indescribable sensations arise when you step into this huge well, which was created by the power of water.
The height of the middle cascade is approximately 5m. There was also a bowl underneath it. It is larger in size than the top one.
And the last, lower cascade. It is smaller and wider than the other two. It reaches a height of only 2.5 m. The foot also has a small bowl.
The entire rise of the waterfall is dotted with signs warning people to be careful, only wear sports shoes, etc. But if you come here in slippers, no one will kick you out. However, this is very thoughtless and unsafe. You risk not only losing your slippers, but also falling and damaging yourself.
In front of the Psydakh waterfall there are various tents where you can buy local honey and wine or eat fresh pies. I don’t recommend tasting wine before climbing the waterfall - the stairs here are already very dangerous. It's better to buy wine and take it with you. It is made from local berries, so it has a truly unique taste.
Not far from this waterfall there is another smaller one. It's beautiful here too.
There is a chairlift running along the small waterfall. It's all rusty already, because probably no one uses it anymore.
PHOTO OF THE “PSYDAKH” WATERFALL (BRIDE’S VEIL)
SHAPSUG WATERFALL
Shapsug includes 4 cascades. It is higher than the first waterfall. Its total height reaches 50m.
The height of the lower cascade is approximately 20m. At the base of the waterfall there are a lot of huge stones. The remaining cascades reach 5, 10 and 8 m.
To get to the waterfall you have to cross a bridge. It is very narrow, approximately 30m long. When you walk along it, everything starts to wobble. It's very exciting.
Near the Wishing Stone, located next to the waterfall, you can make a wish to make it come true.
By the way, there are plenty of other places to make wishes here. And it seems to me that everyone in this place has similar desires - to return here again.
The waterfalls can be found at the following coordinates: Psydakh – N44 00.041 E039 23.454,
Shapsug – N43 59.947 E039 23.808.
Most likely, they will not be useful - there are signs everywhere.
The valley of the Ashe River is also rich in other attractions that we did not get to: the Rock of the Old Men (I wrote a legend about it) and Mukhortova Glade. But we still managed to visit one very mysterious place - an unusual cave.
PHOTO OF “SHAPSUG” WATERFALL
WITCH CAVE
The valley of the Ashe River contains another unusual miracle - the Cave of Witches or, in other words, the House of Spirits, the Cave of Salvation. It is located on the right side of the river.
To get to the cave, you need to cross a bridge that is 90 meters long.
The view of the bridge, of course, leaves much to be desired. It seems to have been made by otherworldly forces - its curvature, old age, rotten boards and lack of railings in some places make you shudder. There are nails sticking out here and there.
But from this bridge the Ashe Valley looks unforgettable.
Passing the bridge, you will find yourself in the Colchis forest. To get to the cave, you must follow the signs.
All three names of the cave have a story behind them.
It was nicknamed the Witches Cave because in the past witches were locked here. If it was discovered that one of the women was practicing magic, she was immediately sent here, the entrance was propped up with a huge stone, and death awaited the poor sorceress in the cave. This, of course, is hard to believe, because the entrance there is very large. And if you find a stone of such a size, it would be impossible for not only a poor witch to move it. And the guide whispered to us that witches did not live here. All this was invented to give this place more mystery.
The cave is actually called the House of Spirits or Jinen in Arabic. There is a legend that the spirits of the underground waters lived here.
This place has another name - the Cave of Salvation. According to legend, at one time the village of Kalezh was surrounded by enemies. The residents, not wanting to give up, hid in a cave. There were no flooded places in it at that time. Therefore, the men managed to lead the people to a nearby valley and hide them there. The warriors themselves went back and, taking the enemies by surprise, won a victory. After that, they began to live in their village calmly and happily.
Approaching the cave, we were given rubber boots and disposable foot caps (a hygienic requirement).
I had to walk about 40 meters through the water. In some places you had to bend a lot - the ceiling was either low or high.
I was afraid that I might slip, because the water was dirty and because of this it was impossible to see the bottom. The guide assured us that there could be no algae here, since light does not penetrate here. So it won't be slippery.
As we walked, we saw many bats and unusual calcite growths. It looks as if the stones are growing - something on the level of fantasy.
Finally, we reached the boat. We lit our way with lanterns. Our guide set the course. Here and there there were yellow growths on the walls.
In some places they hang over the water, forming curtains of stone.
The guide told us that nowadays many places in the cave cannot be reached. At the end of the tunnel, he showed us a depression in the water. Through it you can penetrate into the lower layer of the cave. There were scuba divers working there, who discovered a whole room below, filled with water. There are also many moves there. It is unknown where one can get out of them. No one has studied the cave in detail, so no one can say its exact size. It is believed to be approximately 12 km long.
Looking into the darkness of the passage located in the water, I got goosebumps from the fact that below there was a dungeon full of mysteries and the unknown.
There are rumors that there is another exit in the cave. It is located near the village of Bolshoye Pseushko, located just twelve kilometers from here. Therefore, the belief about the capture of the village is quite plausible and, perhaps, it is based on real events. After all, if the cave was not flooded, then there was every chance of getting out of it.
Currently, the water in the cave reaches a depth of 1m 20cm (because of this, you can only walk on foot at the beginning of the tunnel, and then only by boat). Cave water flows into the Ashe River. This water is incredibly cold. My feet were cold in my boots and warm socks, although the weather outside was warm. Our guide explained that the water temperature here remains constant throughout the year and is approximately 10 degrees.
Also, the cave is infested with mosquitoes. We were all bitten by them. So, keep this in mind and wear something with long sleeves and apply some mosquito repellent. You can also find spiders here. The guide warned us about this. But we didn't see them. The cave we visited reaches a length of 74 meters, a width of about 2.5 meters, and a height of 1.6 - 2 meters.
Photo
PRICES FOR VISITING THE WITCH CAVE
Now I’ll tell you how much this exciting excursion will cost. A walk through the cave costs 100 rubles for an adult and 40 rubles for a child under 10 years old. But remember that you won’t be able to walk through the entire cave – it is flooded. So you will only see half of all the beauty. So I advise you to pay for the boat excursion right away.
The price will not be much different from a walking tour: adults 150 rubles, children – 60. But the emotions will be much stronger and brighter.
If you are afraid to go inside, you can take a walk near the entrance to the cave and capture original footage. Entrance to such a walk will cost 30 rubles for children under 10 years old, 50 rubles for others.
But I think you need to overcome all your fears, go inside and make sure that there is nothing scary there. But there is a lot of interesting and fascinating things. Of course, there was some discomfort in the form of very cold knee-deep water and a cloud of mosquitoes. But this did not overshadow the excursion at all. Positive emotions drowned out all the bad. Besides all this, caves are my passion. And I was delighted that I could sail through such a place on a boat.
RESULT
After the tour ended, we climbed out of the cave. The valley seemed even more picturesque to us, its colors sparkled with bright colors.
Our clothes became dry very quickly in the sun, and we warmed up. We also saw some mushrooms near the cave.
I don’t know much about them, but it seems to me that they were fly agarics. Probably the witches brewed their terrible potions from them.
The Witches Cave can be found at the coordinates: N 44.015621, E 39.365446. The chances of you using them are very low because there are signs and trails everywhere.
Have you ever been to the Ashe River valley? Which natural pictures delighted you more - the view of waterfalls, the Witches Cave, or man-made bridges?
Located on the left tributary of the Bekishey River. The height of the Psydakh waterfall is about 30 meters. It half falls and half flows down a stone chute into a small lake. Consists of three stages. Psydakh waterfall is surrounded by steep cliffs and it is impossible to climb them. Therefore, you can only look at it at the foot of the stone bag.
“Psydah” is translated as beautiful water. It’s no coincidence that the Shapsugs called it that – it’s a truly beautiful sight.
By the way, Psydakh also has a second name – Brides’ Waterfall. According to another local belief, if a girl swims in the waters of this waterfall, then very soon she will meet her betrothed. Judging by the number of swimmers, ladies of all ages are looking for their betrothed.
There is another version why Psydakh is also called “Waterfall of Brides” - its lower cascade resembles a veil.
Shapsug Waterfall
Shapsug is located 600 meters further than its neighbor. The waterfall consists of two cascades, with the lower cascade being noticeably larger than the upper. The upper part of the waterfall consists of several jets that fall onto a rocky ledge. After this stage, Shapsug further breaks down in a single powerful stream. The height of the waterfall is about 20 meters.
Not far from Shapsug there are 3 more waterfalls, 10, 8 and 5 meters high.
Also near the waterfall is the Stone of Wishes, which, according to the beliefs of guides, makes wishes come true.
Witches Cave
The inside of the cave is not the most pleasant. There is complete darkness, low ceilings, high humidity - and in some places there is knee-deep water. In addition, a whole colony of bats lives here. The cave is equipped very poorly - it is very far from the Vorontsov or Akhshtyrsk cave. In general, it’s not the most pleasant place for ordinary tourists, but for adventurers it’s the best place.
Please note that the journey to the sights of the Ashe Valley is quite long, tiring, but very exciting. Therefore, stock up on food, water and comfortable clothes
Names and legends about the cave
There are several versions of the name of the cave and they are all associated with different stories/legends.
- The standard legend connects this cave with the place of harsh execution of witches. Allegedly, if the mountaineers caught a lady using black magic, they would take her to this cave and close the entrance with a huge stone. This version is more like the fantasies of tour guides than the truth. If only because the entrance to the cave is quite large and it would be very difficult to find and move a stone that would close it.
- The cave was originally called Jinen Cave, which the Russians heard as “witches’ cave.” By the way, this name could be translated as “cave of spirits.” By the way, for the same reason another name appeared - the House of Spirits.
- There is another name - the Cave of Salvation. According to one version, enemies attacked the local village. The men gathered their women, children and their belongings and went into the cave with them. Having left them in safety, the highlanders returned home and took part in the battle, in which they won a glorious victory. Also, according to one version of this legend, the cave had a second exit and it was used as a tunnel, and women and children were left in a beautiful valley.
The Legend of Old Men's Rock
In the valley of the Ashe River there is a place called Old Men's Rock. According to legends, local residents once lived according to Spartan laws. Only they threw off the cliff not frail children, but decrepit old people. One young man loved his father very much and did not dare to kill. He hid it in a cave. He brought him food and often consulted. Thanks to his father's advice, he became known as a sage. One of the old man's advice saved the village. The young man then admitted to his fellow villagers that all the advice was given by his old father. Since then, the old people in the village began to be revered.
How to get there
Ashe River Valley on the map
First, let's decide on the location. The Ashe River is located on the road from Lazarevskoye to Tuapse. To get to waterfalls, caves and other places, you need to go upstream
By your car
The road towards Tuapse will go along the sea. The first river we will meet is Kuapse. By the way, the Berendeevo Kingdom park and the beautiful Mamedovo Gorge are also located here. But today we skip them and move on. The second river from Lazarevsky is Ashe. First we cross it, and then turn right and go to the mountains, to the village of Kalezh. From here there is a road along the river, along which you can get almost to the waterfall itself.
By public transport
There is only one bus to Aul Kalezh - 159, from Lazarevsky station. The main problem is that it runs on average once every 2 hours, which is not very convenient
Taxi
There is such a way, but if you go from Lazarevskoye, it will be a little expensive. But a taxi is convenient for some tricky options.
Another bus + taxi
You can take a bus to the “Pansionat Vodny” stop and from there get to Kalezh by taxi. Suitable if you are uncomfortable adjusting to the schedule of bus 159, or if you are coming from the other direction (for example, from Sovet-Kwaje on 160 or 161)
Train + taxi
You can get to the water boarding house station and continue by taxi. This is convenient if you are far from Lazarevskoye and the 159 schedule does not coordinate well with the time of your arrival in Lazarevskoye. Allows you to get here faster and without unnecessary expectations.
As part of the excursion
Considering the not-so-convenient location of the village, an excursion is quite a good option to get here. Excursions often include a show program from local highlanders with dancing, songs, national clothing and, if you're lucky, tasting.
This unique place with a mysterious name is located near the village of Kalezh, located near Lazarevsky. The witches' cave is very elongated in length, not exceeding 2 meters in width and 1.5 meters in height. A river flows through the lower part of the cave, the depth of which allows you to sail along it by boat. After 75 meters, the path is blocked by a large boulder, which does not allow you to go further. But behind it there is definitely a continuation of the tunnel. Thus, the witches' cave has not been fully studied to this day and is an interesting place to study by scientists in the field of speleology.This landmark of Lazarevsky owes its name to Russian settlers, and in the language of the local indigenous people its name sounds like “Jinen”, which means “house of ghosts”. It also has an alternative name - “Cave of Salvation”. They say that the ancient inhabitants of these places used this natural tunnel to escape from conquerors and hide women and children. There are several versions of where the exit from this mysterious cave is located. One of them says that it can be found twelve kilometers from the entrance, in the area of the village of Bolshoye Pseushkho.
Lazarevsky's excursion to this amazing place will certainly make your vacation in Lazarevsky 2019 even more interesting. You can get here on your own by bus number 148 to the village of Kalezh.
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