Cape Aya Crimea how to get there. Cape Aya is a beautiful lost world in Crimea. Flora of Aya

Among the interesting natural attractions that you can get acquainted with by ordering a boat trip from Balaklava, Cape Aya occupies one of the leading places. It is located between Balaklava and Batiliman, separating the southern Crimean coast from the western.

lost World

The cape can only be reached by sea, because it is a sheer stone cliff five hundred and sixty meters high, protruding thirteen kilometers into the sea. After Ayu-Dag, it is the second largest and the only vertical slope three hundred meters high on the Crimean Peninsula. The spectacle is so mesmerizing that it is difficult to take your eyes off. The most interesting place on the cape is its highest point - the peak of Kokiya-Kala, which means “blue rock”. It offers magnificent views of the rocky sea ​​coast. At the top of the cape there is a giant sinkhole, raising many questions about its origin. Inside it is covered with huge boulders of various colors and patterns: from blue, green and red to striped and speckled stones.

Cape Aya has never been called: terrible, impregnable, treacherous, cruel.

The reason is that the cape is surrounded by underwater rocks, reefs, and rock piles. In old books on navigation one can read a warning to sailing ships about the danger of approaching unnecessarily closer than ten miles, because near the rocks there is a strong rush of water and the sailing ship finds itself in the position of a person who gets strong blows from all sides. Indeed, when the sea is quiet and calm, you can watch the water level gradually rise and then fall. However, during waves or storms, huge waves hit vertical rocks, rise tens of meters up, and then break down with crushing force, knocking down stones along the way and colliding with new waves rolling in. Currently, the most recorded on the cape a large number of landslides in Crimea. Maybe this is why places on the coast of the Cape with mysterious caves and miniature land masses among huge boulders are called the “Lost World”.

There is a sense of mystery in everything here. Moreover, UFO research experts claim that this cape is often visited by aliens.

In addition to the mysterious grottoes, you can see a large number of traces of cannonballs on the stone walls. In past centuries, this place was chosen as a training ground for ships of the Russian fleet. He was a target for shooting ship guns and artillery training.

Holy Cape

“Aya” – the roots of this word are of Greek origin. It means "holy." The cape received this name for a reason. The remains of an ancient monastery and several temples were discovered here. It is known that in the fourth century there was a small medieval fortress-castle Kok-Kiya-Isar and two small settlements. It can be assumed with a high degree of probability that the fortress complex could also include a church. The cape was blocked off by a rather neat, solid fortification wall reinforced with two towers. One of them is rectangular, covering the gate in the southern area, and the other is semicircular, which was installed closer to the northern part of the fortress.

Just recently, by historical standards, one could observe well-preserved sections of the fortress wall up to four meters high.

However, in the mid-sixties of the last century, right on the territory former fortress one of the facilities was deployed air defense. Stone ancient fortress went for construction needs, so today the once powerful defensive wall looks more like a turfed rampart, not exceeding a meter in height. It is noteworthy that this monument has been known for more than one hundred and fifty years, but still remains unexplored.

Reserve

Today Cape Aya is a nature reserve, including more than one thousand three hundred hectares of land and more than two hundred hectares of sea waters. It can be visited with walking tour only along paved ecological routes. The most valuable species of plants grow here: wild orchids, of which there are sixteen species on the cape, strawberry, yellow sumac, butcher's broom, buckthorn, pistachio trees, Abraham tree, cistus, a whole grove of rare Stankevich pine with pink bark. This grove is located in the Ayazma tract, located near the cape.

The juniper, whose age reaches two thousand years, attracts attention. Just think, the Apostle Andrew himself, who visited these places at the beginning of the first century, could have seen it.

In the reserve you can meet roe deer, deer, wild boars, martens, squirrels, hares, and foxes. The rare Crimean gecko is also found here - a lizard up to thirty centimeters long, which is endemic Crimean peninsula.

Recreation opportunities

In general, there is a lot to see and do on the cape: breathtaking views of the coastal cliffs, picturesque mountains, wonderful seascapes, a medieval fortress, the remains of a military unit, extreme rock climbing, diving, beach holiday. Those who are interested in heritage cold war, you can see here caponiers, the ruins of a Soviet military unit, and a rocket carrier abandoned on the slopes. Moving by sea towards Laspi Bay, you can observe the unusual natural phenomenon- the so-called sea siphon, when a fountain of spray and foam bursts out directly from a vertical wall almost at sea level under high pressure. The spectacle is amazing. There are other freshwater fountains near the cape, gushing directly from under the water.

Surprisingly, you can safely drink this water while hanging over the side of the boat.

Fresh water comes from the Ai-Petri karst formations and appears here from cracks and grottoes from depths of two to thirty meters. It is known that Balaklava sailors from ancient times did not take with them to sea fresh water, because they knew that they could always quench their thirst from these sources.

Diving

It must be said that the underwater landscape at Cape Aya is no less picturesque. Underwater rock ridges resembling Coral reefs, rock piles overgrown with algae, countless grottoes, crabs, fish - all this invariably attracts divers to the cape. Moreover, visibility under water here in calm weather reaches twenty meters.

At the same time, experienced divers warn that many underwater grottoes are filled with fresh water, falling into them from mountain springs, so exploring them may be unsafe for scuba divers.

The reason is a possible loss of buoyancy due to the difference in density between salt and fresh water. There are even tragic cases known. But this fact does not stop adventure lovers at all. Many people come to the cape not only for the seascapes and unique ichthyofauna, but also to see the remains of sunken ships. In short, the diving opportunities here are almost endless.

Beaches of Cape Aya

In summer, the beaches of the cape are favored by camping enthusiasts, nudists and simply vacationers who want to be alone with nature, enjoy swimming in the clear sea and admire the sea views. The so-called Silver and Golden beaches are especially popular. The surface is pebbles, the entrance to the water is often rocky, but gentle. You can get to them by boat running from Balaklava. Further, to the east from the Golden Beach towards Cape Aya, the coast stretches with a large number of small bays and wild beaches, where everyone can find a secluded corner to relax. These beaches also have their own names: Cable, Wandering, Komandirsky, Fig, Bely, Lost and others. Getting to them is difficult: you have to spend hours climbing mountains, rocks, through the forest, but the reward for overcoming all difficulties is complete unity with nature. And many vacationers simply drop the anchor of a hired skiff without reaching the shore and swim in the open sea.

A trip to Cape Aya is always a lot of pleasure and unforgettable impressions.

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Cape Aya is one of the attractions of the Crimean peninsula created by nature, famous for its rare beauty of seaside landscapes and picturesque corners. It is here that the most famous beaches and bays of Crimea are located, and due to the amazing microclimate, similar to the Mediterranean, plants and animals listed in the Red Book have been preserved in this place.

Translated, the name of the cape “Aya” means “holy”, because in ancient times they believed in mystical powers this thirteen-meter protrusion of the shore. But, be that as it may, the landscapes in this place are unforgettable, and everyone should see them, especially since the climate on Cape Aya is always mild and warm, and the sea is clean and transparent.

What to see

First of all, it should be noted that at the base of the cape there are picturesque grottoes with crystal azure water, and on top of it there is a unique funnel gigantic size, which is covered from the inside with boulders of different shades and colors, which creates a very strong impression.

There are practically no man-made monuments preserved at Cape Aya, and they can only be of scientific archaeological or historical interest, while ordinary tourists will certainly not refuse to look at the Ayazma tract - the ruins of the places where our ancestors lived. The site of a primitive man of the Neolithic era, as well as the most beautiful bay in Crimea, can be seen in Laspi Bay.

The “Fig” rock, shaped like this fruit, is also of interest. Fans of antiquity and beautiful nature will be glad to visit Mount Ilyas-Kala, where the ruins of the monastery stand.

Of course, your status landscape reserve Cape Aya received not only due to the historical ruins located there. Rare representatives of flora and fauna live and grow here, including relict Stankevich pine, 16 species of orchids, fragrant juniper, as well as cistus, butcher's broom, buckthorn, Abraham tree and even blunt-leaved pistachio.

Among the representatives of the animal world, you can find roe deer, wild boar, Crimean red deer, leopard snake, etc. And in the part of the sea that is covered by Cape Aya, there are three species of Black Sea dolphins, sea ​​ruffe, rapana, crabs, mullet, scorpionfish, Black Sea mussels and a very cute blenny. Admire all the beauties of the underwater world and transparency sea ​​water Anyone can do it, you just need to first equip yourself with a swimming mask.

Camping with tents

Since the sights of Cape Aya deserve detailed consideration, visiting it usually involves spending the night in the local tent camp “Speleologist” - by staying in this place you can walk around, swim and see enough. This tent camp is located directly on the seashore, at an altitude of 75 m from its level, with tents designed to accommodate three people.

Inside each tent there are mattresses, pillows and blankets, and outside there is a field kitchen, barbecue area, tables and benches under awnings. At a distance of 25 minutes walk from the tent camp there is a field store that allows you to freely replenish your food supplies. And pebble beaches are generally within walking distance, and the large boulders on them are suitable for spreading a towel on them and using them as natural sun loungers. The descent into the water itself is not steep, but the depth is sufficient and there is no need to look for places.

The tent city “Speleologist” annually accommodates up to thirty people at a time on its territory, but if desired, by agreeing with the management, it is possible to provide rest for fifty people at the same time. Friendly gatherings with a large group are especially pleasant due to the specially designated area for lighting fires and barbecues.

You can get to Cape Aya and, accordingly, the Speleologist tent camp along the Yalta-Sevastopol highway, after which you will need to leave your car in the camp site parking lot and walk a short distance down. There is also a service to the reserve public transport, so everyone can visit it - for example, tourists can take a bus from Balaklava or Sevastopol to Yalta and then ask the driver to stop at the turn to Cape Aya, which is 20 km from Sevastopol and 8 km from Balaklava. Another option is to use private skiffs sailing from Balaklava Bay to Ayia. It can also be reached on foot from Balaclava in 2 hours.

Thus, we can conclude that Cape Aya is an excellent choice for both wild tourism and planned excursions to the beautiful protected places. Everyone will definitely find something to their liking here and enjoy a wonderful holiday, at least this is what the reviews of tourists who have already been there testify to.

Cape Aya is located on the southern coast of Crimea, 8 km from Balaklava, and 20 km from Sevastopol. The cape got its name from Greek word“Agios”, which translated means “holy”.

Cape Aya is a sheer ledge of the main ridge of the Crimean Mountains, which stretches to the base of Mount Kush-Kaya (Bird Mountain). The highest point of the cape is Mount Kokiya-Kiya (height 558 m). To the east of the cape there is Laspinskaya Bay, Cape Laspi, as well as the Batiliman tract. To the west, at the foot of the Krepostnaya and Asceti mountains, there is a small bay, and then Cape George.

Cape Aya is formed from rocks composed of Upper Jurassic marble-like limestones. At the foot of the cape there are several grottoes, some of which were used in ancient times by sailors of the Black Sea Fleet for setting up and shooting ship guns.

Relict plants grow on the mountain slopes of Cape Aya Mediterranean woodlands. In general, the flora of the cape has about 500 plant species, many of them are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine. The forests of the endemic Stankevich pine add amazing charm to this wild corner of nature. They are covered with dark green long needles and huge single cones. On the territory of the Crimean Peninsula, in the form of natural woodlands, Stankevich pine can only be found at Cape Aya and in the New World Nature Reserve. Another significant representative of the green world of the Cape is the relict tall juniper. The age of these large, strong trees with dense, twisted trunks can reach up to 4 thousand years.

Cape Aya is a reserve of rarities. This is where endangered and rare species animals. At the top of the cape there is a giant funnel with a picturesque covering of huge stones of various colors and shades: green, blue, red, dark speckled and light striped.

Cape Aya is a fabulous corner created by nature itself. Since 1982 it has been a state landscape reserve.

Cape Aya has state status; its nature is unique even for Crimea. The reserve contains many species of Red Book plants and animals, including rare endemics. The inaccessible area is practically untouched by man; recreation here is possible only in “wild” conditions, which is more than compensated by the beauty and grandeur of the mountain forest landscape.

The territory of Cape Aya, whose name is translated from Greek as “holy,” extends 13 kilometers southeast of it. If you climb the Fortress Mountain and look to the left from the towers, then in full view you can see most of the cape - the shore of the Ayazma tract, the other side of the cape - Batiliman - is hidden behind the rocks.

These places have long been famous for their inaccessibility and wild untouched nature, those who cannot imagine a holiday without a tent, a fire and the clearest sea strive to get here.

Cape Aya is a protected area of ​​republican significance, and therefore the entry of vehicles is prohibited here, and you will have to buy firewood for the fire from foresters - you cannot even collect dry branches.

Such measures are fully justified, because the state landscape reserve "Cape Aya" is a unique ecosystem filled with rare plants and animals. Of the approximately 500 plants in the reserve, 28 are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine. Of particular importance is the relict Stankevich pine, discovered only in 1905.

In addition to individual trees, there are only 10 thousand specimens in two small groves. Throughout the world, this tree is found only in Crimea: on Aya and below, in the region. Amazing plant It is so drought-resistant that it even lives on bare rocks, clinging to the slightest cracks with its roots.

Also growing in the coastal strip of the cape are tall juniper - some of its specimens are over 2 thousand years old, and small-fruited strawberry - nicknamed shameless for its smooth red trunk, as if devoid of bark. The forests of the Cape are home to 16 species of orchids, pistachio obtufolia, Abraham tree, butcher's broom, yellow sumac and many others. rare representatives green kingdom.

Diverse and animal world Aya, the reserve is home to Crimean red deer, roe deer, wild boar, Crimean mountain fox, greater and lesser horseshoe bats - a protected species bats, not to mention squirrels, hares and other small four-legged animals.

Among the birds, in addition to the common jays, thrushes, tits and buntings, you can see soaring eagles and peregrine falcons in the heights.

All species of Black Sea dolphins live off the coast of the cape: white-sided dolphins, bottlenose dolphins and Azov dolphins. The games of entire flocks of these friendly mammals are a common occurrence in the waters of Ayia.

These places are cut off from the rest of the world by a steep spur of the Main Range of the Crimean Mountains. Highest point Cape Aya - 558-meter rock Kokia-Kiya - “blue rock”. In many places, the stone wall rises out of the sea for hundreds of meters at once, and it also plummets down into the water to a depth of 80 meters.

It is noteworthy that the rocks of the cape were used by the Imperial Russian Black Sea Fleet for shooting guns - traces of the cannonballs have been preserved to this day.

There are grottoes near the rocks, some of which a boat can swim into, but approaching them was recently prohibited due to the danger of rockfalls. The measure was introduced after an accident with a large pleasure boat - an avalanche of rocks almost sent it to the bottom. There is also danger at the walls and great excitement. When the sea is calm, there is no surf here - the sea rises and falls smoothly. But during a storm, waves crashing against rocks fly up tens of meters, falling, they are reflected and meet the next waves with crushing force, creating destructive chaos.

Ancient navigators warned against sailing in bad weather near Cape Aya. But in addition to dangers, nature has also prepared a gift for fishermen, also known since ancient times - underwater sources of fresh water. Since ancient times, Balaklava fishermen, when going to sea, preferred not to take water with them. Instead, they dived in certain places with a jug with their finger plugged in and, once in a very cold layer, they collected fresh water directly from the sea.

The beaches of Ayia are few and difficult to access, but, nevertheless, they are very popular among vacationers. They are loved for their clean, transparent sea, delightful landscape and colorful undersea world. A passenger boat runs from Balaklava to the two closest and largest beaches, Golden and Silver, in the summer. The rest need to be reached on foot for several hours through the mountains and through the forest, or you can hire a skiff - a local sea taxi. And the legendary beach of the Lost World tract is completely unattainable from land.