Cretaceous quarries near Volkovysk: Belarusian replacement for the Maldives

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

Finally, the long-awaited time of holidays and rest has come. Even those who, by chance, do not manage to capture a few weeks for complete relaxation, tend to spend short weekends communing with nature. Some are packing their bags, anticipating the warm sand and the hot sun of the tropics. Others are looking for the best options for relaxing for a day.

In order to enjoy the unique nature and untouched beauty of landscapes, it is not necessary to travel far. Maybe in the area next to you is just what you are looking for. Take at least Belarus. On the territory of this small country there are many lakes and rivers, where both the local population and visiting tourists rest with great pleasure. The Braslav Lakes, Naroch, the Minsk Sea, the Pripyat, Neman and Western Dvina rivers are especially popular with them. However, there are not so famous, but no less picturesque places in Belarus. These include chalk quarries near Volkovysk. Photos of these amazing beauties can be found quite often. Many are surprised to learn that these landscapes are of Belarusian origin, and by no meansnot some Maldives or Seychelles.

Swim in azure water

Cretaceous quarries near Volkovysk (near the urban village of Krasnoselsky) fall in love at first sight. Such a beautiful landscape is rarely seen in temperate latitudes. Water in artificial reservoirs has a bright color: from azure to green-blue. At the same time, it is very clean, although slightly cloudy. However, this property is caused by a high concentration of chalk in it. Swimming in such water is not only possible, but also necessary. It is very beneficial for the skin. The absence of the benefits of civilization, natural beauties, amazing in their properties of water - all this attracts tourists who come to at least look at the chalk quarries of Belarus near Volkovysk.

Absence of benefits

It would seem that such a place should become a Mecca for tourists. However, no steps are being taken to improve this area. In addition, at the entrance to the chalk quarries near Volkovysk, signs “Danger Zone” and “No Swimming” are quite common. The thing is that the rocks here are very unstable and can fail. The local population claims that often during the extraction of chalk they find deep caves and pits formed in the Neolithic era. MAZ rests at the bottom of one of the quarries. He fell through the thickness of the chalk during the work process. However, even these horrors do not frighten the public, and every year, as soon as the sun begins to bake, the chalk quarries along Volkovysk become a magnet fortourists.

Where is the chalk from?

Historians believe that during the ice age, a huge thickness of chalk was raised from the bottom of the ocean. Under the pressure of the frozen masses, the rock broke up into large blocks. One of them now rests near the village of Krasnoselsky. The glacier is gone, but the Cretaceous rocks remain. On the surface of the earth, fragments of the block extend for several kilometers in length. Their thickness and height are also surprising. Sometimes it is difficult to understand that the embankment spread underfoot consists of chalk. Only a thin layer of sand and vegetation hides from the eyes of the true master of the slopes. The absence of any animal and plant organisms is also a distinctive feature that characterizes the Cretaceous quarries near Volkovysk. Rest in this area is a real adventure. Smear yourself with a useful substance, swim in the azure water, sunbathe on the slopes of the hills and enjoy the amazing beauty of the scenery - what could be better on a hot summer day!

Hundreds of them

Cretaceous quarries near Volkovysk are located on a fairly large area. Their number is also quite impressive. Intensive mining allows you to enjoy the beauty of not a dozen, but several hundred quarries. The path to the wild takes quite a long time.

The public is most interested in new, only recently abandoned quarries. It is there that the water has a bright, saturated hue. As a rule, over time, the reservoir loses its colors and becomes likefamiliar to us lakes and ponds. Therefore, it is not surprising that most of the tourists come to admire the azure surface of the new quarries.

The appearance of artificial lakes

Any process associated with the extraction of such minerals as chalk, clay and sand, is accompanied by the appearance of water. When production in one place ends, the equipment is distilled to another place, and the water remains. Its bright, eye-catching color is the result of chemical reactions occurring between alkali metals located in the thickness of the chalk. The liquid itself is a bit like soap: the same dense and greasy. At the same time, the water is quite clear.

How to get there

Starting from the capital of Belarus - Minsk, be prepared for a long (almost four-hour) journey. However, the long journey is worth it. After the agreed time has passed, a magnificent panorama will open before the eyes of the traveler - chalk quarries near Volkovysk. The map will show that the path should be kept to Volkovysk, and then head from it to the village of Krasnoselsk.

At the moment, government agencies are discussing what to do with this land. Ennoble the territory of quarries or protect it from the attention of tourists? Today it is officially impossible to swim here, but the lack of security makes this ban unfounded.