The city of Yekaterinburg is famous for its rich history and an extensive list of interesting objects that are worthy of the attention of any tourist. If you are bored with the city life of the metropolis, the frantic pace of life tires you and you really want to go out into nature, then we recommend going to the largest abandoned quarry "Old Lens". This place is amazing in terms of energy and beauty.
It was here that a useful mineral, talc, was mined about 40 years ago. Today it is a tourist area with stunning natural scenery. The foundation pit is a unique creation of human hands and the environment. Here you can observe the confrontation between nature and industrial development. So let's take a closer look at this place.
Features
The Staraya Lens quarry is located in the picturesque village of Shabry, just 20 km from the center of Yekaterinburg. Almost every resident knows this fantastic talc pit very well and has been here many times. ColossalHe is popular with outsiders. Constantly on the horizon you can observe a whole delegation of newly arrived and spellbound tourists. You will have to descend into the pit along narrow wooden steps, but this does not scare away the guests, but, on the contrary, causes a feeling of delight and a storm of emotions.
When did it appear?
Before its occurrence, the mining of the mineral was carried out near the town of Sysert. Work on the new section began in 1927. The excavation is 100 meters deep, 250 meters wide and over 400 meters long. Industrial development was carried out until 1974, then the monolithic talc section was "frozen" until an indefinite time.
The reason is the change in mining technology. Talc deposits have been found in Novaya Lens and are now being mined in other ways. And the "Old Lens" turned into an empty abandoned pit. Nature over the years absorbs the abandoned industrial machinery and everything connected with it.
However, the foundation pit is under guard, which favorably treats visitors. At the bottom of the Staraya Lens quarry, the mineral reserve has not been exhausted, so development of the deposit will continue in the indefinite future. And so that the site does not finally turn into a huge bottomless lake, groundwater is regularly pumped out of it, flowing down steep slopes.
Charming placethrough the eyes of tourists
When tourists get here, they get the feeling that they are near the Egyptian pyramids. Huge overhanging rocks covered with green spaces are everywhere. At the very bottom, a small lake of a bluish tint formed. And above it is a house with a pump, in which the guard lives.
Over time, picturesque waterfalls arose, flowing in a thin stream along the ledges of the quarry and gradually destroying them. In winter, at sub-zero temperatures, the waterfalls turn into ice. You can often see ice climbers here. There is complete silence and serenity in the pit.
Indescribable natural beauty is simply mesmerizing and frightening at the same time. Tourists repeatedly find valuable minerals (talc, pink tourmaline, quartz and much more) at the bottom of the Staraya Lens quarry pit. The route here will depend on the chosen path, but more on that later.
Detailed acquaintance with the pit
When descending into the quarry, the first thing they notice is a huge trolley, now buried in rough vegetation, but once used to distill talc masses. Moving along the shaky ladders, tourists find themselves in a world of tranquility and pristine nature. A reminder of human intervention is a large excavator and a giant power saw that takes your breath away.
Rusty tools andbroken technology. A little further flow down the purest springs with ice water. In a few more years, overgrowth and trees will completely absorb the remnants of the once working equipment. Already today the canyon has become the main tourist attraction of the city. Every weekend, regardless of the time of year, at the bottom of the site you can meet crowds of people having a rest with barbecue.
This is a favorite place for photographers and artists, because such beauty is unlikely to be found anywhere. Sheer slopes covered with moss, white birch trees and sandy soil gleaming with talc create an atmosphere of magic and mystery. To isolate oneself from the metropolis and enjoy nature - that's why crowds of tourists come to the Staraya Lens quarry. Rest with tents attracts both residents of the city and nonresident guests.
How to get there?
You can get to the point of interest from several points. Drive your own car out of the western part of the city and move along the Polevskoy tract to the stop "Polevodstvo", then turn left towards the village of Shabrovsky. Get to the station "Sysert" and turn to Shabry.
Leaving the eastern part of the metropolis to the Staraya Lens quarry. How to get to the site? We move along the Chelyabinsk highway to the village of Sedelnikovo (follow the signs). After about 500 m, we notice a fork, turn right into the field, at the next intersection there will be a road to the oil depot, turn right and go to the Sysert station. Next, move left to the village of Shabry.
You can also get to the quarry by bus. We are waiting at the Yuzhnaya stop for public transport (No. 9), which runs to the village of Shabry. The driver will tell you where to get off. The talc plant is a short walk by rail.
