Census data for the fishing peninsula. Rybachy Peninsula: travel by car. Travel to the Rybachy Peninsula in the Murmansk region: why it’s worth going there
In the evening we were already in place.
The Rybachy and Sredny peninsulas have been a military specially protected area for decades. Back then, probably no one even dreamed of traveling along them. They knew that there, in the northernmost mainland part Russia off the coast Arctic Ocean, there are peninsulas on which there are military personnel, missile troops and border guards who protect from European enemies.
The first desire that immediately arose when setting up a tent was to save these flowers and grass. Do not trample them with your feet, much less with wheels.
They already had to be born in these harsh climatic conditions.
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In the 90s, Gorbachev made concessions to the civilized worlds and withdrew the military from the peninsula. Since then, Russians have gained another huge territory for travel, recreation and fishing.
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The military left, but did not transfer the territory in status. The Rybachy and Sredniy peninsulas are suspended in the air without a definite affiliation status. Military settlements were abandoned. Valuable things were stolen by looters, and time and north winds picked up this baton.
Everywhere you look, there are remnants of military equipment, garbage from the military and from new travelers. These objects only reek of sadness and disappointment. I didn't want to take pictures.
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All along the shores of Rybachy Bay, a wave washed up logs from some kind of structure.
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When we stopped in Murmansk at a store to buy gear for sea fishing and picked up groceries along the way, I noticed that the city had not yet had time to repair the city after the German bombings.
The road from Murmansk to the turnoff to the peninsulas took a couple of hours.
From the asphalt road going to Norway after the checkpoint, after a few hundred meters, we turned right and immediately found ourselves in the USSR in 1943.
Although I was warned, I was still shocked by such hellish roads. It turns out that “German bombers targeted the roads.”
We covered 100 km to our destination in 10 hours. Although our car is a real SUV, we still hit the bottom hundreds of times.
Despite the fact that such hellish roads were not only on our way, but in all directions. Like in that fairy tale: if you go there, you’ll break the wheels, here you'll drive a car leave it.
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Only real extreme sports enthusiasts travel along these so-called roads, where there is danger on every meter.
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We crossed rivers, small surviving bridges, fords, puddles and mud alternated. Therefore, the peninsulas are held in high esteem among travelers, jeepers, fishermen, quads, and snowmobilers.
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Here and there there are broken cars on the road...
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Nature, despite its, at first glance, scarcity, did not allow us to take our eyes off itself. It’s a pity that we weren’t able to take much photographs; we stopped a couple of times. There was no time for that.
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In a couple of places on our way we came across some stencils that did not deserve respect, saying that this area was like a natural park. This means that somewhere there are offices and employees who receive salaries.
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What are they doing, maybe they built a gazebo, but that’s unlikely.
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At the next monument.
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Thousands of soldiers died on the peninsulas. Many monuments. Some of them are in good condition.
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Abandoned monuments abound in peninsulas like this one.
Upon closer inspection, you can see a dozen gravestones overgrown with grass.
But in the cities we pompously celebrate Victory Day and organize an immortal regiment.
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In fact, it is not surprising that the monuments are abandoned. If monuments near the hero’s city of Murmansk are being destroyed and there is no one to repair them, then it would not be worth expecting a better attitude towards them in the distance.
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There is no one to get permission to fish from. So, catch as much fish, crabs, and shrimp as you can, even in tons.
Perhaps we were in the status of a poacher since we fished without a license.
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There was a sea of fish in the sea..))
Various fish in the depths seemed to be waiting for the lure, only to be immediately attacked and hooked.
There were also unfamiliar ones, like this scary-looking fish.
Just in case, we let her go back to sea. Then we found out that you were selling something rare.
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We came across these weirdos from the depths of the sea
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The fish were caught so well that from the very first day the question arose: “Where should I put it?”
The most cunning fishermen from the team hurriedly went out to sea on the very first day and fished with all their hearts as many as two boxes of different fish. So on the second and third day, fishing was taboo. Don't throw it away?
Then they caught as much as they could eat. And they caught fish selectively that they didn’t eat yesterday.
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Fried flounder fish, oh so delicious!
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We cooked food on gas. By the way, there are no trees, as such, on Rybachy. Some small handicrafts, from which there is no way to make a full-fledged fire.
Semeshkin Anatoly Konstantinovich at the workplace.
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Keith liked our presence on the shore and every day he approached us a hundred meters and defiantly blew the boiling water away from him through the pipes. Apparently its hull had holes and water was leaking out.
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We wanted to catch a whale for dinner. We conferred and consulted and decided not to.
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Shish kebab from some large fish and Armenian vodka went well together.
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A group of fishermen from Arkhangelsk, with two cars and trailers, specialized in crabs. They had conditions for storing fish. Therefore, they boldly caught both fish and crabs.
Moreover, they knew where and how to place nets and traps.
I even helped them for a minute to release the crab from the net. But he ate as much as he could. Before that, I only knew the taste of crab from those sticks that are sold in stores. Incredibly delicious.
It turns out that there are too many crabs in these parts. They were once brought from Kamchatka to breed, and there were so many of them that either through the bay or across the isthmus they crossed into the waters of Norway.
The paradox is that Norwegians commercially catch crabs and sell them wholesale, including to Russia.
And in Russia, mafioso responsible officials do not even allow amateur fishing. Although unofficially, but quite legally, crabs are sold in Murmansk on every corner wholesale and retail and in any form.
Our team did not know how and did not catch crabs. But we ate when the Arkhangelsk men treated us, and they always treated us.
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The crab that I lowered to the ground turned out to be warlike and attacked me and wanted to eat me. But I managed to get out...
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It turns out that to keep crabs longer, you need to boil them in sea water.
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When, on the way back at the airport, I saw what crabs were being sold for and counted how many rubles I ate for those 10 days, I felt sick. You could have bought a used foreign car for that money.
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Although the Arkhangelsk people showed us a way to fish for crabs, for us Urals it was not a feasible dream. Bring such things with you, etc..
By the way, sometimes, but very rarely and only when they come to Rybachy good people, then it becomes warm on the peninsula, so much so that you can sunbathe and dive into the sea. That's what we did.
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It was so hot that we only cooled down with watermelons. Like this watermelon eater.
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We swam in the northernmost mainland of Russia near the shore of the Arctic Ocean. Since there were no women within a radius of one hundred kilometers, they swam without swimsuits.
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The sea water was very clear! All the fish in it off the coast were visible despite the fact that fish and crabs relieve themselves here, not counting the whale.
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On Rybachy the weather is extremely changeable. Either, as it should be in the northern part of Russia, it is windy, cold, rain and snow, then it is sunny with heavy winds and rain.
This is what we experienced ourselves. A strong wind instantly tore down the fishermen's tent, although I don't remember where they came to the peninsula from to drink vodka.
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It turned out that the sea here ebbs and flows back every day at the same time, no matter what the weather is like outside.
A wave from the sea instantly flooded the rubber boats. Then a lot of people couldn’t drag them to the shore.
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In the photo is the caretaker of the Izhevsk group. The cruelest man. He always looked into the distance and commanded: “Bring a ton of fish here, take a ton of crabs there!..”
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For the slightest disobedience, he almost tore my friend to pieces.
Just kidding, staged shots. The kindest man
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Some Izhevsk guys collected cloudberries and made jam in the camp. What can you say, well done, they were thoughtful enough to bring sugar and utensils with them.
And the cloudberries were very tasty and sweet with sourness.
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I’m amazed how all this junk in the photo fit in one car, as well as four healthy men and another nasty dog. Otherwise, it is expensive for everyone to travel such a distance in their own car. And ruin your car on these roads.
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The only houses on the peninsula built over the last 20 years for tourists. The toilet is outside. Wash in the sea.. Conditions are a little better than in a tent.
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But in your tent, although it’s a constant mess all the time, it’s cozy and warm...
Because it’s yours!!!
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During the war with the Germans, the peninsulas were important for defense for the USSR. Then the defense of Rybachy and Sredny was built in such a way as to repel attacks from the sea. From the shores, our troops controlled the movements of the German fleet in the Barents Sea and did not allow them to approach Murmansk.
And now various kinds of structures were visible on every meter, if you looked closely.
Unexploded anti-submarine ships bombed on the shores of the Barents Sea.
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Classic technical solution.
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It is not clear the purpose of this nail, 4-5 cm thick, driven into the stone. Probably from the time of the Vikings.
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It is for this reason that the peninsulas truly became a historical museum area.
On the road to Zubovka, in the most continental northern region of Russia, on the side of the roads our “guide” showed rock paintings from the Stone Age.
It is not clear who painted in these harsh lands in those centuries, Finns, Russians or Norwegians.
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The peninsulas were previously inhabited by Vikings (Norwegians), and they left their cultural mark in the form of ruins of trading posts and mounds of graves.
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Our military left a fresh and boldly uncultured trace in the form of destroyed structures.
The Norwegians, even further north than the peninsulas, have created paradise living conditions. We became one of the lucky ones in the world.
In the meantime, there are only frightening ruins around on the peninsulas.
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But off the coast there are submarines here and there...
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I left Rybachy with complete disappointment, but with the intention of returning here again someday.
I would like to return, but not in a jeep with a trailer. Stay in a cozy hotel, catch fish without fear of being a poacher, eat crabs, travel around the peninsula, go to your room in the evening, look out the window at the cold winds, wrap yourself in a blanket and sleep until dawn.
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Should the Vikings or Finns rent out the peninsulas? Should we, in exchange for offset, come for a couple of weeks for a free rest as a human being?
There will probably be some inaccuracies in the story, so please correct me.
It is important that if you liked the post, support me with a like and comment.
Rybachy Peninsula, leaving from Kola Peninsula in the Barents Sea of the Arctic Ocean - the northernmost land of the European part of Russia. Written references from the mid-16th century say that here, in Kekurskaya Bay, there was one of the three centers of international trade between Russia and Europe.
The peninsula is washed by the Barents Sea and Motovsky Bay. There is sea off the coast of the peninsula thanks to the warm North Cape Current all year round doesn't freeze.
For many centuries in the far north, far beyond the Arctic Circle, Russian Pomors, together with Norwegians, Finns and Sami Lapps, caught and sold fish.
In the 20th century, the Sredny and Rybachy peninsulas connected by the isthmus acquired strategic military significance: holding Rybachy made it possible to control the northern sea route. Here, during the entire Great Patriotic War, Soviet sailors and soldiers did not cede a single meter of land to the enemy, and the Musta-Tunturi ridge, separating the peninsulas from the mainland, is soaked in the blood of heroes.
In our time, after the collapse of the USSR, in the euphoria of trust in former conditional opponents, troops were withdrawn from the peninsulas and military camps were destroyed. There are almost no people on Rybachy now, only a few border guards and employees of two lighthouses and a weather station on Cape Nemetsky remain.
Surprisingly, in recent years there has been a revival of interest in the history of Rybachy. Young people of the new generation are restoring and erecting monuments to Soviet soldiers.
For me, Rybachy is also a place of strict northern beauty and powerful energy of nature. Seeing the peninsula for the first time in 2015, having endured the cold, winds and rains, I apparently became forever attached to this land, the harsh sea, ancient rocks and gray mosses.
Here you can feel Eternity and only here can anyone feel the full power of nature. Tundra vegetation, a unique landscape, green and white lichens, moss, moss, an abundance of berries and mushrooms, combined with rocks and the sea, create unique landscapes.
Map is clickable
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2. Guba Bolshaya Volokovaya. 
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4. This road leads to Cape Nemetsky, where the northernmost lighthouse of continental European Russia is located 
5. The last remaining bridges. 
6. Empty barrels along the road, unique beacons for car travelers. 
7. A firing point preserved from WWII. 
8. At low tide, the sea recedes and a “highway” road opens to these places. If you don’t know the specifics and try to drive at the beginning of the tide, there is a high probability of “burying yourself in the sand right under the frame.” The tide raises the water level to one meter. According to the lighthouse keepers, several cars are carried out to sea at this site every year. 
9. Before reaching the lighthouse there is an unclassified military facility. 
10. The northernmost lighthouse of the continental European part of Russia. There is also a weather station here. 
11. "The edge of the earth." Beyond that there is only the Arctic Ocean and the North Pole. 
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15. End of the earth. This is the Russian North! 
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Last year, a Pomeranian stone well was discovered here, the age of which is estimated to be more than 300 years. Still in the well drinking water good quality. 
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Further the route runs to Cape Kekursky, where the area popularly called “Armageddon” is located. (Due to strong storms in the autumn, when the wave height reaches the top of the hills on the coastal strip) 
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Cape Kekursky.
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Coastal strip of Cape Kekursky (Armageddon) 
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So strong winds and storms sharpen and cut granite stones. 
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This is how storms break rocks into splinters. 
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The coastal strip of Cape Kekursky is the end of the landmass of the European part of Russia. 
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And flowers grow on the rocks. 
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Departure from Cape Nemetsky and Kekursky to the Ozerki base. 
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Lip Bolshaya Volokovaya. 
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Base "Ozerki". This the only place on the Rybachy and Sredny peninsulas, where you can dry off and spend the night. Coordinates that may be useful to travelers: 
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Coastal strip of the Ozerki base 
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The Sredny Peninsula and the “Two Brothers” rocks, the “Red Stones” valley on the Malaya Volokovskaya Bay, General Panachetov’s battery - in the following material.
Middle Peninsula. To the rocks “Two Brothers” and “Red Stones”. Ponochevny's battery
The original was taken from
Who missed the previous material: “The end of the earth. Cape German and Cape Kekursky. Rybachy Peninsula", you can read link .
Today - the northernmost point of the Sredny Peninsula, Cape Zemlyanoy, where the “Two Brothers” rocks and the shore of red stones are located. The peninsula is washed by the Barents Sea, connecting the mainland and the Rybachy Peninsula. Along the coast of the peninsula, thanks to the warm North Cape Current, the sea does not freeze all year round. Within sight of the Two Brothers rocks are the Ainovsky Islands, part of the Kandalaksha Nature Reserve.
I don’t even want to write about this place, I just have to look at the photos. Insanely beautiful and amazing nature, almost complete absence of tourists. For travelers who find themselves here - untouched, extraterrestrial landscapes and landscape.
It should be noted that Natural Park“The Rybachy and Sredniy Peninsula” is a specially protected natural area and is regulated by the law “On Specially Protected Natural Territories.”
Tourists, travelers, as well as tour organizers need to know that the creation tourist routes in specially protected natural areas requires mandatory approval from the Ministry natural resources and ecology Murmansk region. Lack of approvals leads to a violation of environmental legislation and entails liability established by law. 
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The road to the “Two Brothers” rocks runs along a picturesque canyon, on the other side of the road is the coast of Bolshaya Volokovaya Bay. 
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On the canyon there are constructions of firing points and defenses from the Second World War. 
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Bolshaya Volokovaya Bay and the road to Cape Zemlyanoy.
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At the end of the canyon you can see the “Two Brothers”, which are two outcrops, a product of geological weathering. 
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Coordinates: 69°49"26"N 31°46"1"E 
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From a scientific point of view, “Two Brothers” were formed thanks to wind and rain, frost and sun, which destroyed rocks, and the stones took on special shapes, sometimes similar to humans or animals. Which, by the way, is true and does not in any way contradict the Sami culture. In the report on the expedition “Mystical North”, one way or another connected with the seids and the Sami, the Sami are children of nature. These people do not seek to invade other people's possessions, do not seek to destroy what nature has created, or, on the contrary, erect monuments on their own for the purpose of further worship. No, for them what is given from above is much more valuable. Something that was created either by nature or by forces, in their opinion, more developed than them. Therefore, what the Sami worship at first glance ordinary stone, there is nothing surprising. It is much more interesting why this particular stone, and also more interesting than the legend explaining such worship.
So, the “Two Brothers” are considered sacred stones among the Sami. They were deified and worshiped. To appease the spirits, deer carcasses and fish were brought to them, and shamanic rituals were performed here. 
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Literally about one kilometer from the “Two Brothers” rocks, there is a place called “Coast of Red Stones”.
These are bizarre rocks, huge boulders, eaten away by winds and erosion. Those who have been to the eastern outskirts of the Alushta amphitheater “Demerdzhi” in Crimea, where the famous Valley of Ghosts is located, have the opportunity to imagine what miracles nature works. These fantastic figures, their shapes reminiscent of mysterious figures of people, animals, mysterious creatures and objects, change their shape depending on the time of day and lighting. The very unusually shaped stones simply amaze the imagination.
These photographs require no further comment. They give rise to your imagination. 
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The very edge of European Russia, the Rybachy Peninsula, is a controversial and surprising place. It will not leave you indifferent: it will captivate someone with the rare beauty of its many waterfalls, lakes, littoral zones and sand dunes, some will be surprised by the unique combination of dynamics and statics - the majestic peace of the rocks and the continuous movement of the sea, while for others this region will seem harsh and inhospitable.
Several years ago, after almost half a century of being “closed” from the rest of the world, Rybachy again became accessible to travelers.
Just 100 kilometers from Murmansk - and the magnificent and mysterious northern region begins.
Coast of the Rybachy Peninsula.
Civilization has long since left these places and now everything here breathes history: mysterious stones, standing since the time of Lapp fishing, seids, mysterious stone guards, numerous batteries, fortified firing points and trenches - the echo of war, which can be heard especially clearly on Rybachy. Traveling to this legendary region allows you not only to touch the secrets of the past, but also to test the strength of technology and yourself. It will give you the incomparable pleasure of discovery.
On the roads of Rybachy you meet a variety of people: a jeeper from Krasnodar, a motorcyclist from Munich and a caravaner from Belarus. And this is not surprising, because Rybachy is not just a place on the map, it is another life. Maybe that's why he so easily wins the hearts of those who crave adventure.
Rybachy Peninsula - geographical information
Rybachy Peninsula, the most Northern part Russia, located on the Lapland coast of the Arctic Ocean. Geographically, it belongs to the Murmansk region.
Not everyone knows that Rybachy actually consists of two peninsulas: Rybachy proper and Sredny. They are connected by a small isthmus about a kilometer long. And very often, unless special clarification is required, the peninsulas are called by one name - Rybachy.
Fragment physical card Kola Peninsula.
The Sredny Peninsula is separated from the mainland by another isthmus, on the continental part of which the Musta-Tunturi ridge is located. The middle one is a plateau that drops steeply into the Barents Sea. It is composed of limestones, sandstones and shales. Maximum height on the peninsula - 334 meters.
The length of Rybachy from Cape Nemetsky to Cape Gorodetsky is about 60 km. The width of the largest southeastern part of the peninsula is 25 km.
The local shores are made of slate black rocks, above which in the inner part of Rybachy there are hills and mountains covered with tundra vegetation. The highest of them is called Eina, its height is 299 m.
Thanks to the North Cape Current, the waters of the Barents Sea washing the peninsulas do not freeze all year round. There is a lot of fish in the coastal waters: capelin, cod, herring.
The northernmost part of the Rybachy Peninsula is Cape German.
The climate of the Rybachy Peninsula is special, which is due to its location almost in the middle of the Barents Sea. The weather on the peninsulas can be seriously different even from the villages of Pechenga or Zaozersk located near the sea. This is due both to the nature of the Barents Sea and to the fact that the peninsulas are separated from the mainland by the relatively high Musta-Tunturi ridge. The mountains may not let in bad weather, but they may, on the contrary, block the path of rain clouds that will hang over Rybachy for months.
In summer, the sun hangs above the horizon all day long, which is why local times the years do not closely coincide with generally accepted seasons. It's cold here all year round, even in summer average monthly temperatures do not rise to 20C, and at the same time the weather changes very sharply.
On the Rybachy Peninsula in early summer. View of the Middle. On the horizon is the Musta-Tunturi ridge.
The best time for a car rally is the second half of summer, when the peninsula is still warm by local standards. In June-July, mosquitoes and midges are found on Rybachy, but in August they are gone.
Local roads are also special. It is not worth driving on them in an unprepared car, especially without installed crankcase protection. It must be taken into account that they were built a very long time ago, during the period when the peninsula was a closed zone, and were operated mainly by the military, who had their own requirements for cross-country ability. Recent years twenty, after most of the garrisons closed, no one worked on the roads here. The conclusion from all this is clear.
On the other hand, with an experienced driver extreme points Ordinary passenger cars also reached Rybachy.
Brief historical sketch
The first people came to these lands during the Mesolithic period, that is, about 10-12 thousand years ago. Their sites have been preserved, characterized by small area and a thin cultural layer. Scientists claim that this indicates that the first settlers to Rybachy were small in number and led an active lifestyle. They were engaged in gathering and hunting reindeer.
Archaeologists noticed an interesting detail: the settlement of the peninsula came from two directions - southern and northwestern. They proved that Rybachy has long been inhabited by people from the Volga-Oka interfluve and from the territories of modern Finland, Norway and Karelia.
Later, the Sami or Lapps, a Finnish-Ugric people who were engaged in reindeer breeding and fishing, lived on Rybachy. The Pomors, descendants of the Novgorodians who once came to these lands rich in fish and fur, got along well with them. The Pomors were exclusively engaged in trade and maritime affairs.
Vaida-lip today.
Since the beginning of the 16th century, active fishing has been carried out in these parts; there are 16 fishing camps, numbering 109 fishing huts. These camps, which included Tsyp-Navolok, Vaida-guba, Zubovo and others, periodically either fell into disrepair or flourished.
In 1865, the Russian emperor invited Norwegian and Finnish colonists who came here from Finnmarken and Varanger Fiord to these lands. They, unlike most Pomors and Sami, who by that time appeared on Rybachy only in the summer, began to settle in the harsh region.
After Finland gained independence, the western part of the peninsula was given to it. The border passed along the isthmuses and cut the Middle River almost in half.
Immediately after the Soviet-Finnish war in 1940, the separated territories were returned to the USSR. New border between the countries was carried out by water west of the Sredny Peninsula.
Mass grave of Rybachy defenders.
During the Patriotic War, fierce battles took place on Rybachy and in its coastal waters. The peninsula became a key defense site on the way to Murmansk. Throughout the war, the Nazis failed to advance an inch in this direction, for which the indomitable Rybachy was called the Granite Battleship. For almost four years the Nazis could not take the peninsula and break through to Murmansk.
After the end of hostilities, the peninsula is rapidly being developed. The military plays a special role here, which is explained by the close proximity to the border of Norway, a NATO member. Several secret military installations are located on the peninsula, so its territory was closed to any visits.
Despite this, work is being carried out on Rybachy to restore and increase the reindeer herd that was destroyed during the war years. Geologists also work here. In the 70s of the last century, the geological base of the Academy of Sciences was opened in Sredny. Its employees are engaged in unique research earth's crust using magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generators.
Unfortunately, since the mid-90s, life on the peninsulas has come to a standstill. Most of military garrisons are disbanded or withdrawn, geologists and geophysicists are also curtailing their activities. Buildings and property remain abandoned. Since that time, the peninsula has been open to visits by Russian citizens.
The history of the Rybachy Peninsula is associated with many interesting facts, which can encourage the traveler to study the history of the region more deeply and move away from the well-trodden routes.
Not far from Tsyp Navolok there is Mount Anikievka, on the slope of which is the grave of Anika the warrior. This rather unpleasant character distinguished himself by robbing fishermen who sailed to Tsyp-Navolok of part of their catch. He said that he would stop extortion only when there was a person who would defeat him in a fair fight. This turned out to be Ambrose, a monk of the Pechenga monastery. They fought for a long time in a stone circle, in which they later buried Anika the warrior, who was killed in a duel.
The famous poem “The Artilleryman’s Son” was also born on Rybachy. In the fall of 1941, Konstantin Simonov arrived on the peninsula. Among the stories about the battles for Musta-Tunturi, the story about how the regiment commander sent his friend’s son to adjust the artillery fire especially stuck in his soul. The spotters found themselves behind enemy lines and drew fire on themselves. Simonov worked all night on the work; in the morning it was ready and over time it became one of the best poems about the war.
Nikolai Bukin, the author of the words of the famous song “Farewell, Rocky Mountains" A participant in the first battles for Rybachy, an artilleryman and a correspondent for a front-line newspaper, he managed to find words that touched everyone’s soul, which is why many consider this song a folk song.
Another relic of those years is carefully preserved on Rybachy - a border sign that remained on Musta-Tunturi, in territory not captured by the enemy. Despite the fact that this was a section of the old border, the significance of this fact was enormous.
The history of the first Russian research vessel Perseus is also connected with the peninsula.
The ship, rebuilt from a whaler, went on its first voyage in 1922. Perseus took part in 99 expeditions, conducted scientific, commercial and hydrological research, his contribution to domestic science was truly fundamental.
In July 1941, the legendary ship was sunk by Nazi bombers in the Eina Bay of Motka Bay. At the same time, the skeleton of Perseus was covered with stones and turned into a pier. Thanks to this, fragments of the ship’s hull can still be found on the shore.
Historical landmarks
There are many seids on the peninsula. This is the name given to boulders of various shapes and sizes that stand alone in an unstable position. Most often they are round, from 0.5 to 10 m long. Locals believe that the Sami sorcerers - noidas - turn into such stones when they die, which is why they consider them sacred. Scientists have proven that seids transmit energy, transferring it from stone to stone, and change the level of radiation above them.
It is worth noting that in our time almost any free-standing stone is taken for seid. But most of them are products of the destruction of rocks, or even simply brought by the glacier. But it is better to look for real Sami seids with an experienced specialist.
Map of attractions and memorable places Rybachy and Middle. From the book by M. G. Oresheta “Orphaned Shores”.
The northernmost center of rock art in our country was found in Zubovskaya Bay. Local petroglyphs have one peculiarity: an image drawn with ocher on a rock was later duplicated with some sharp tool and scratched onto a hard surface.
Several sites of ancient people from the Paleolithic and Mesolithic times have also been discovered on Rybachy. They are located in Zubovskaya Bay, on the Pyiva and Mayka rivers. There are “shamanic circles” here, as the burials of Stone Age people are called, and sacred stones of the Sami in the Middle, to which the ancients made sacrifices.
On Anikiev Island (located opposite Tsyp-Navolok) you can see a unique stone chronicle. The slab is covered with carefully carved names of skippers who went to Murman for fish in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. There are names of Dutch, German and Danish sailors here. Russian merchants were also noted on the slab. The famous Rybachi local historian Mikhail Oreshet managed to find the earliest autograph of V. Malashov, who visited these parts back in 1630.
One of the bunkers guarding the coast of Rybachy.
Most of Rybachy’s monuments date back to the period of the Great Patriotic War. They are scattered across the peninsula: preserved pillboxes, fortifications, memorial signs and mass graves. There are a lot of them near Musta-Tunturi, where the bloodiest battles took place.
If you climb the ridge, you can see German fortifications carved into the rocks; there are memorial signs and many burials there. At the foot of Musta-Tunturi there is a museum dedicated to the memory of the defenders of Rybachy. It was created and preserved by Yuri Aleksandrovich Kobyakov, a former geophysicist who worked here. This museum also houses the unconquered border sign taken from Musta-Tunturi.
An abandoned position of an anti-aircraft missile battalion with the call sign "Lockout".
There are many other “monuments” on Rybachy. These are abandoned military towns that once housed military units. Skorbeevka, Ozerko, Chetverka, Lockout, Zubovka... The list goes on. These villages were born with difficulty, they lived joyfully and brightly, but they died absurdly and hard. Today it is a kind of museum of the frozen Soviet era, ghost villages lost in the tundra, which are occasionally visited by travelers.
Abandoned 152 mm artillery battery.
Natural attractions of the peninsulas
The nature of the Rybachy Peninsula is unique and extremely beautiful. The views are breathtaking. If you get out of the car and walk along the tundra, you will get a lot of pleasure: you can see everything for kilometers ahead and at every step you will encounter something interesting. Either an exotic animal or bird, or a handsome reindeer, or a rusty “echo of war.” And how many berries and mushrooms! Blueberries, cloudberries, ground berries, whites and even northern ginseng.
The Rybachy Peninsula is located in the very north of the Murmansk region. He greets tourists with the depressing sight of the abandoned village of Bolshie Ozerki. Abandoned, destroyed houses immediately make you want to move on. There are only two residential settlements on the peninsula, and less than 150 people live there permanently.
Rybachy Peninsula. Coast.
The peninsula itself is a low plateau, indented by small rivers, streams and lakes. The most high point- 334 m.
During the Second World War, fierce battles were fought for the peninsula, and the remains of guns and military fortifications can still be seen throughout its territory. In the post-war years there were military bases, a large port, a collective farm, several settlements, but gradually all this was abandoned and fell into disrepair. All that remained throughout the peninsula were dilapidated houses, Soviet and German pillboxes, and abandoned and rusting equipment. Until 2009, the peninsula was a border zone, and to visit it you had to get a pass; now you can travel here freely.
There is only one active one left here military base, in the village of Vaida-Guba, near the bay of the same name. Not far from the village there is a lighthouse and a monument to soldiers who died in the battles of the Great Patriotic War. One of the first weather stations in Russia is located here; it was built here more than a century ago.
The most popular route goes to the most northern point Rybachy Peninsula- Cape German.
Formally, the peninsula is washed by the Barents Sea, but when you look at the huge turquoise waves, you get the feeling that you are standing on the shore of the harsh and boundless northern ocean. By the way, you can almost always admire these waves here, regardless of the season. Even in summer, the wind blows very often on the coast, and in winter the sea does not freeze. Although going here in winter just to admire the views is not the best good idea. In summer, temperatures rarely rise above 20 degrees. Summer is very short, it is relatively warm here only in July-August, and night frosts begin already in September.
Rybachy Peninsula - how to get there?
Abandoned village on the peninsula You can only get to the Rybachy Peninsula by car. The border zone has been abolished; a Russian passport is enough to travel. Since the peninsula is a natural park, formally you need to fill out an electronic approval for visiting it, but in fact, there is no one on the peninsula who could check whether the visit has been approved or not.
The easiest option is to book an excursion with some tour company that deals with this. I can recommend the company Nordextream, they deliver to the Rybachy and Sredniy peninsulas and do it well. Here is a detailed report with photos about the trip with them.
But if you decide to risk your car, know that you need a well-prepared SUV, and preferably more than one. The second SUV will be very useful in order to pull out the first one.
From Murmansk you need to take the A-138 highway, about 100 km away. there will be the Titovka River. We cross it and turn right. We drive about 50 km to the village of Bolshoye Ozerko, located on the peninsula.
This is where the road ends; it’s very difficult to call what comes next as a road. But along the rivers and rocks you can try to get to the northernmost part of the European territory of Russia - the German Peninsula.
Video of a trip to the Rybachy Peninsula
we, of course, could not refuse the offer to trample along the northernmost geographical point mainland European territory. and they promised us all kinds of beauties... money in our teeth, a camera around our neck, jump into the car - we're going to the Rybachy Peninsula.
Strategic map of the area with important notes:) blue dotted line - our approximate route 
The weather in the Arctic is all so sudden. and if the never-setting sun accompanied us all the way to Teriberka, this time almost the entire path passed in foggy milk. I almost missed the checkpoint and the barrier :)) - access to the peninsula itself has been open since not very long ago, but the stern guys in uniform are interested in the purpose of the visit) 
after the barrier the civilized road ends. the cars are crowded together, the guys are getting their tires off - getting ready for the delights of off-road life :) and then the beauty begins.
the Titovka River and the Melnichny waterfall cascade. 
I would have loved to spend more time on the waterfalls, but it was evening, and it was still a long drive to get to our overnight stay.. we limited ourselves to a couple of glances 
five minutes of rest before the mountain pass. 
the fog is thickening. Musta Tunturi - mountain range, separating the middle and Rybachy peninsulas from the mainland. 
Driving along the pass in the fog is still a pleasure. visibility tends to zero - I’m going somewhere, I don’t know where. 
mountain roads can be dangerous, even if they are not high mountains. 
rescue operation to retrieve a stuck tractor. they say he has been resting here since the beginning of spring) the operation ended successfully, 2 days later on the way back, we arrived at the very moment when they managed to pull him onto the road. 
the fog has cleared, the pass has been passed - we are on the Sredny Peninsula. 
in general, Sredny and Rybachy are often called in one word - Rybachy. but in fact there are two peninsulas - one passing through the isthmus into the other. Average in Rybachy. 
It was midnight, so we decided to stop here. 
After dinner (or whatever the meal after midnight is called?:), we explore the surrounding area. a suspended hotel-recreation center project (according to the plan, it should already be completed). very nice project, I hope someday it will work. We walked to the houses and looked - if they finish everything, it will turn out great. there are not very many on the shores of the Arctic cozy places recreation.. 
The next day came - there was a big excursion along Sredny, but by evening we should actually get to Rybachy. the path is expected to be difficult) 
We're driving along the coast. if you look very carefully you can see Norway :) 
somewhere around here :) so the SMS comes “welcome to Norway”. Very nice, but the connection on the phones was turned off just in case :) 
A lonely sail whitens in the blue fog of the sea... 
subtle natural tint. Once again we were lucky with the weather, there doesn’t seem to be much sun, but it’s not cloudy anymore. 
let's go there! I love places where there are not many people, to put it mildly) 
our little gang) 
They promised to show us “two brothers.” what is it, what does it look like?.. we are driving in the first car: “Guys, at least tell me where to look? What if we miss it?” ...No, they say, don't miss it! you'll see, you'll understand right away!)
and really.. we didn’t miss it and understood :)) 
“Two Brothers” are multi-meter stone outcrops located on the coast of the Sredny Peninsula. In ancient times, they served as landmarks for fishermen, and the Sami considered the bizarre stone sculptures sacred and performed sacrifices and pagan rituals here. 
brother alone. 
and another brother. 
There is a beautiful Sami legend about noids. it says that these are not brothers, but the groom and his betrothed. Well, it doesn’t matter.. the spectacle is impressive in any case) 
view from the observation stone away from the brothers) 
encyclopedic reference: the peninsula is a plateau that falls steeply to the sea. The plateau is composed of clayey shales, sandstones and limestones. 
a few kilometers from the "Brothers" there is another interesting place - the Coast of Red Stones. or Beach of White Stones (apparently due to the weather this moment, depends:)) 
stones of amazing alien shapes, sharpened by the sea-ocean. 
Yes, indeed, stones are red in the sun. 
and without it - white. 
taking a selfie is sacred :) 
I also watched the surf a little. the most difficult thing is to simultaneously catch the wave and the ray of the sun, which was very timidly peeking out from behind the clouds)) 
The panorama in a compressed form looks so-so... I recommend watching it live :))) 
ideal place for lunch. 
I also didn’t know that there were eagles on the Kola) 
to be continued...