The Sablinsky nature reserve is located 40 km from St. Petersburg, in the Tosnensky district of the Leningrad region, near the village of Ulyanovka. This is a great place for outdoor enthusiasts. Connoisseurs of the beauty of our land will not remain indifferent either.
The Sablinsky Nature Reserve is a unique natural phenomenon for the flat terrain of the Leningrad Region; it occupies an area of about 220 hectares. Many millions of years ago the ocean raged here. The age of the soil layers is over 500 million years.
On its territory there are:
- two waterfalls - Tosnensky and Sablinsky
- artificial caves
- canyons of the Tosnai Sablinka rivers
- hills considered to be mounds
Due to its shape, Tosno Falls is compared to Niagara Falls. Its height is about 2 meters, in some places it reaches 2.5 m.
The height of the Sablinsky waterfall is about 3 meters. The waterfalls are good at any time of the year.
Also on the territory of the reserve there are several places of historical importance:
- the parking place of A. Nevsky before the battle with the Swedes
- the former estate of A. K. Tolstoy (farm "Pustynka")
Note to lovers of speleology - there are 4 large caves in the Sablinsky Reserve:
- "Levoberezhnaya",
- "Pearl",
- "Trousers",
- "Rope"
There are also several smaller caves, only seven of them. - local names of some of them. All of these caves are of artificial origin, from the 18th to the 20th century, white quartz sandstone was mined there for the production of glass.
The "Left Bank" cave is open for tourists all year round, but only accompanied by an experienced instructor. It's always + 8 ° C underground and it's dark, so I'll give you advice: a sweater is necessary, and it's much more comfortable with your own flashlight.
In this cave, you can see three underground lakes, the grave of a white speleologist, the dwelling of a caveman, and even the hall of the mountain king.
The chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is located in one of the underground halls of the cave (the Hall of the Oath).
The chapel was opened in memory of the lost travelers - geologists, speleologists, geographers, polar explorers, climbers. Divine services are held here, you can perform wedding and baptism rites. The chapel also hosts concerts of Russian sacred music.
