In the north of the Chelyabinsk region of Russia, not far from the city of Verkhny Ufaley and the village of Vishnevogorsk, Lake Arakul is located. The reservoir has a tectonic origin, located in the north of the Ural Mountains, in a mountain yaila. The lake is big enough. Along the length, Arakul spilled over 3 km, in width - almost 2 km. The reservoir is quite solid in depth: the average is about 5 meters, but in the eastern and southern parts of the lake there are indicators of more than 10 meters. The maximum mark of Arakul is 12 meters. The catchment area is 21.6 sq. km. According to the chemical composition, the water in the lake belongs to the mineral, mineralization is 240 mg/l.
The forests that are located next to the lake are inhabited by squirrels, hedgehogs, hares, foxes, elks, bears and lynxes. The last of these are rare and do not fit the reservoir itself.
Legends of origin
The following translation of the name stands out from the Bashkir language: “ara” means “between”, and “kul” means “water between the mountains”. The origin of such a reservoir as Lake Arakul is shrouded in legends. One of them is about love.young boy and girl. The evil spirit decided to separate the lovers and take the girl with him. But, when he failed, he turned the guy into a stone boulder. The girl cried a lot at the stone, and a clear crystal lake formed from her tears. And when the evil spirit wanted to take the girl away, a block fell off the boulder and crushed the evil spirit. Then he turned the girl to stone. The young man's father avenged the death of young people. He tied the evil spirit and threw him into the lake Arakul. The fact that he rests at the bottom is reminiscent of the ripples that often appear in the middle of the reservoir, even if it is quiet and calm.
Springs and flowing rivers
Arakul is a passing lake. Two small rivers flow into it - Olkhovka and Kaganka. Arakulka also receives its source from the lake. It is this river that connects the Arakul with the water system of the Chelyabinsk region. The local name of the lakes in this area is Kasli or Kasli. From the Tatar "kasli" - "blue hollow". Lake Arakul is buried in the greenery of forests and is a favorite vacation spot for residents of the Chelyabinsk region. At the bottom of Arakul there are many small springs, because of this, the water is constantly cold, it warms up very slowly. Even in summer it keeps its cool.
Coastline
Arakul is a lake, the bottom of which has a silty character, only a little near the coast acquires a rocky-sandy relief. Water has a "glass effect": on clear days, transparency reaches a depth of 5-6 meters. There is one small island on Arakul. Its dimensions are 125x17 meters, the local population calls itisland of love. The shores of the lake are mostly flat and flat. Left - suitable for recreation. The right one is a little rocky, sometimes the hills become sheer. Because of this, patency is complicated.
Landscapes near the lake
The surrounding landscapes add uniqueness and special beauty to the place. Among the forests there is an interesting rocky massif - Shikhany (Arakulsky Shikhan). The locals call it the Chinese Wall. He really is something like a miracle of the world. The fact is that on the top of the cliff it stretches 2 kilometers long with bizarre shapes in the form of stone ridges. The height of the rises is 60 m, and the width of the ridges reaches 40 m. From afar, Shihan resembles an impregnable fortress. The only difference is that it was created by nature. This is a fairly popular place among climbers. Trainings and competitions are often held here. However, there are still traces of human activity in this place. At the foot of the cliff, archaeologists have found several ancient sites. They date back to the Bronze Age (35-11 centuries BC) and Early Iron Age (13-4 centuries BC). And in the stones at the top of Shikhan you can see dozens of depressions about 2 meters in size. Scientists suggest that they were used as a place for sacrifices or for other ritual ceremonies.
Tourists
Lake Arakul (Chelyabinsk region) and its surroundings are very popular among tourists. Every year more and more people go to these parts for recreation. Slowly but surely infrastructure is developing here, routes are being organized- Weekend tours. There is a camping site. This is now the most common form of recreation. Also on the left bank of the lake was built "Arakul village" - a guest complex. You can rent houses, catamarans, boats, barbecues, sports grounds. In winter, sleds, skis, snowmobiles and skates are available for rent.
Fishing
Arakul is a lake, reviews of which are only positive. It is a favorite place for fishermen. In the waters there are such fish as perch, pike, bream, roach, burbot and other species. One of the first fish breeding stations was opened on the territory of the lake at the beginning of the 20th century. To this day, they continue to work, breeding fish. And in the vicinity there are moose, squirrels, hedgehogs, hares. Sometimes you can see lynxes and even bears. However, they do not live near the coastline.
