Stone Mushrooms

Sometimes nature presents truths to people with surprising surprises. The stone fungi in the valley of the Soter River, which flows in the eastern Crimea, to that serve as a clear confirmation. Sotera - from the Greek "savior". Once upon a time there was a temple surrounded by a medieval settlement. And it is in this place you can see a natural monument , amazing http://life-crimea.com/more/articles/concrete-71/, the maximum height of which reaches seven meters in height, and the diameter of the "hats" of the mushrooms is about two meters.

Stone sculptures have gone through a centuries-old process of water erosion and weathering. Here there were plates of the Upper Jurassic conglomerate located on the surface and, which were not touched by rain and melt water, later became the heads of stone mushrooms. And the earthy-stone mass in the form of red-brown clay, more loose material, was constantly destroyed by water, which drained from the slopes, blurred it, forming columns that became the "legs" of stone mushrooms. "Hats", like umbrellas, hide the legs from the rains, washing the loose ground around them. Mushrooms, what size is not here. Both large and small, about a meter in diameter. But do not try to disrupt them, as it is simply impossible to grab stone mushrooms.

This unique mycelium lives its own life. Erosion, destroying some mushrooms, gives "life" to other fungi. Geologists associate the appearance of new fungi with the Quaternary glaciers of the Crimean mountains. This place is also interesting because Professor Golovkinsky discovered a mammoth skeleton near his dacha in the "Professor's Corner" at the end of 1893.

This miracle of nature must be seen with your own eyes. Interested in? If so, follow the following route. From Alushta to cars or by public transport, we go along the Sudak highway towards Rybachiy. The road reminds me of a serpentine winding like a serpent. So do not yawn, because this is one of the difficult sections of the track on the entire southern coast. After 16 kilometers there will be a turn, do not miss it. This is near the overpass, which is aimed at the prevention of vehicle accidents. Also nearby is a roadside cafe. Further you will go a few kilometers along a dirt road along the Soter coast towards Alushta.

In the river Sotera you can find trout and crabs. Further on foot, as the car can not drive along a narrow path, towards the cottage settlement. The village in the people is called the "Stone Mushroom", as it is often visited by "mushroom pickers" -tourists who are looking for marvelous stone mushrooms. Your view will appear a view of the gorge, where stone miracles are located. Do not be surprised by the question: "How to get to the mushrooms?", You can hear it often, since few people independently managed to find stone sculptures. The main thing is to find a path with markings throughout the road to the mushrooms. Here you need the "eye of the mushroom", as the stone mushrooms are safely hidden from the human eye. Walking along the marked trail is difficult to get lost, but you can look at the beauty of the surrounding forest and skip the main index, which should not be done. From there we go a couple of hundred meters and turn right. Then our course of movement rises sharply. And here you are, finally, in a glade where "stone mushrooms" "grow". Want to see these mushroom stone giants? Then you go to the Crimea. We are waiting for your visit!