General's beaches are a cozy place. General's beaches - "the coast of a thousand bays" History of General's beaches

Pearl Sea of ​​Azov can safely be called General's beaches. They are in close proximity from Kerch and are popular not only among local residents, but also among tourists who come to relax on the Crimean peninsula in search of protected places. Once they have visited these places, they no longer look for something better. Very often you can hear how this resort area is called Russian Thailand or the coast of 1000 bays.

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More details about the area

The coastline of the beaches is part of the Karalar Nature Reserve. It miraculously preserves samples of fescue-feather grass steppes. They have no analogues in Europe. Tourists are attracted to these places by their pristine beauty. They are great for relaxation, which is popularly called “wild”.

Clean sea air, saturated with the aroma of steppe grasses, silence and the absence of signs of civilization - these are all the things that attract people from different parts of the planet here every year with the onset of summer. In some of the local bays you can find sources of clean water. As a rule, they dry out by July, so you need to go on vacation to these beaches with a large supply of drink and firewood for making a fire, on which you will have to cook your own food.

The steppe, which is commonly called the Pontic steppe, stretches for tens of kilometers around the General’s beaches. At first glance it seems deserted, but this is not at all the case. You can meet there not only harmless butterflies, dragonflies or lizards, but also snakes that are dangerous to humans - four-lined snakes. The steppe viper is also found there.

An unpleasant encounter can also take place with poisonous spiders - karakutas, tarantulas, salpugas and even scolopendra. Their favorite place Rock crevices and large stones provide shelter.

Interesting Facts:
The depth of the sea in the area of ​​the coastal line of the bays is shallow, the entrance to it is gentle. Shallow water allows the water to warm up well in the sun, so beach season starts here already in May and ends in October.

Features of flora and fauna

There are freshwater springs in some areas of the beach. Unfortunately, at the end of summer they dry out, but in the spring they are filled with exceptionally clean and healthy water. The sea water washing the shores warms up quite quickly, so swimming in it is possible already in April.

Don't forget about the local fauna. There are snakes in the Sea of ​​Azov, and although they are not dangerous and certainly not deadly poisonous, meeting them will not bring much joy. But snakes on land can already cause problems with well-being, just like scolopendra and tarantula. Therefore, you should exercise minimal caution and watch your step so as not to inadvertently meet representatives of the Crimean exotica.

History of the General's Beaches

Until 1972, the coastline between the legendary Cape Kazantip and the hero city of Kerch was under the control of the military. The beach area was part of the territory in which a special garrison was located in this area. At the garrison test site there was equipment that ensured the safety of aerial tests of nuclear weapons. It was impossible to enter the beaches without a special pass and the appropriate level of access.

The picturesque shores of the sandy bays were accessible only to local senior officers and generals. This is where the name “General’s” came from. Today they are considered the best wild beaches of the Crimean peninsula. Their territory was included in the Kalaralsky Nature Reserve in 1988.

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While walking around the bays, you can stumble upon the ruins of an unfinished nuclear power plant. Its construction was frozen during the Soviet era.

What are the General's beaches like today?

Convenient bays for relaxation are located 12 km from Kerch. Their length is different estimates ranges from 26 to 30 km. This distance coastline led to various parts of the beach becoming part of 3 rural settlements. They were Bagerovo, Belinskoye and Chistopolye.

Each bay that is part of the coastline of the beaches has its own name. Not only tourists, but also fishermen love to visit these places. There is a fishing artel in Shirokaya Bay. Their nets in these places catch not only sprat and Azov goby, but also sawfish. You can catch the latter using a spinning rod. The role of bait on his hook is played by a sea worm, which local residents dig up in the Rotten Brook area.

The advantage of relaxing in the bay area is the sandy shore and flat seabed. The temperature of the Azov Sea is always 2-3 degrees higher than in the Black Sea.

Video review of General's beaches

How to get to the General's beaches on the map?

The bays can only be reached along a dirt road. There are very rough sections and steep descents, so the only right choice of transport is a car with all-wheel drive and high ground clearance.

Can't get to the beaches public transport! Since there are no communications or infrastructure in the north of the peninsula, the only way to get to the treasured beaches is by car, personal or shared.

You can also test yourself and walk to the coast. This can be done in three ways: from the side of the Resort Village, from the opposite side of the coast through the Golden Village, and also through Bagerovo. In this case, you need to pass what is left of the airfield and the runway, beyond which there is a road leading to your destination.

General's beaches on the map of Crimea

GPS Coordinates: N 45 28.283 E 36 12.767 Latitude/Longitude

Good afternoon friends! And again we visited Crimea this summer. And again in different places and towns. BUT the review will be about wild beaches Crimea, the so-called "general's beaches or the coast of 1000 bays". It was this stunning place that left an indelible impression in the memory and soul, and the beauty of nature enchanted me. The beaches are still little visited, which is good because they are quite clean and deserted. Located north of the city of Kerch on the Sea of ​​Azov. First we move through the Karalar steppe along a broken asphalt road, then a more difficult path begins along the seashore. Between the villages of Kurortnoye and Zolotoye there are heavenly beaches - choose whatever your heart desires, you just need to drive carefully - there are stones and potholes everywhere. There are beaches that cannot be reached by car, only on foot. They resemble cozy coves. It’s good to sit alone in such places and think about the eternal :-)
An interesting place that I would like to mention - next to the sea there is pink lake Chokrak. It is separated from the sea by a thin strip of land. If you climb the hills, a wonderful view of the blue expanse of the Azov Sea and the pink lake opens up from above.
The beaches themselves are beautiful at any time of the day, both at sunset and during the day. These are the untouched natural pearls of Crimea. I really want it to stay this way. The shore is covered with snow-white shells and fine, flour-like sand. The places are magical. We stopped so that behind our camp there was a small rock that protected us from the wind and the steppe itself. The sea stretched ahead. We were lucky - all days it was calm, the bottom was visible right through, although the Azov sea is not a very transparent sea. As a result, the photographs turned out very colorful.
Seagulls were constantly watching us, and we were watching them. Crabs were constantly crawling on the rolling pins and stones of the beach. All day long we just swam, cooked, sunbathed, and dreamed. Of course, there is no firewood there, so we had a gas stove. A canopy provided protection from the sun. There is an incredible abundance of living creatures in these places. One day, a green grasshopper came to visit and, without hesitation, chewed drying so loudly that the grinding sound could be heard))) And then he climbed into a mug with the remains of tea and refreshed himself with it. And at the top, when we were walking along the steppe, everything around us was buzzing, as well as many huge spiders in the rocks. We also saw a viper peacefully curled up in the stones. But everyone went about their business, nothing terrible happened. We were careful. Conclusion: if you don't bother anyone, you won't be touched. In such places you feel complete harmony with nature, being part of it. Everything happens by itself. This is why you want to come back here again - for the stars at night, for the light breeze in the morning, for the chirping of birds, for the chirping of insects... For the sea and incredible sunsets. For the feeling of freedom. You just need to be grateful to such beauty, take care of it and appreciate it.
Thank you for your attention.

Hello, friends. If there are fans among you quiet rest away from the city noise and resort crowd, then I invite you to visit the General’s beaches. Leaving the village after a tour of the city, we asked local residents where to find a quiet place on the seashore to relax “outside civilization.” We were told that if we are not afraid of off-road conditions, then in the north of the Kerch Peninsula a strip of deserted beaches of the Karalar Regional Landscape Park awaits us. So, friends, let's hit the road. On the map, General's beaches are found 20-25 km from Kerch along the coast of the Sea of ​​Azov between the villages of Zolotoye and Kurortnoye. But the roads outside the city, alas, leave much to be desired.

General's beaches represent thirty kilometers of the coast of the Azov Sea. Picturesque cozy bays with very poetic names (Joy Bay, Soldier Beach, Ivanova Bay, Lilac Bay, Cow Bay, Shelkovitsa Bay, Badger Bay, Wanderer Bay, etc.) with arched vaults, sandy shore, clear sea water, stone piles and grottoes - all this will not leave anyone indifferent.

The reserve was created in 1988 with the aim of protecting the Karalar steppes, on the territory of which grow plants that have no analogues in Europe. The Karalar steppe consists of hills and hills, and closer to the seashore there are rocky heaps.

Scythians lived on the coast of the Kerch Peninsula, and therefore archaeologists annually carry out excavations on the lands of the reserve, restoring ancient settlements and burial grounds.

Why are these beaches called General’s? Firstly, no one created them on purpose; they are a real creation of nature. And secondly, in Soviet times, a military airfield and a weapons testing site were located on the territory of the Karalar Nature Reserve. The beaches were closed areas, but nature itself screamed about the possibility of a luxurious holiday during the season, therefore only high ranks of the Soviet troops had the right to relax here.

By the way, there is another very attractive name for this strip of land with a huge accumulation of lagoons and grottoes - “Coast of a Thousand Bays”.

And we gradually go up the mountain along a dirt serpentine road, then sharply go down. Leaden clouds rolled in several times, but just as quickly went somewhere to the side. Fearing that it would rain heavily and we would get stuck somewhere, we decided not to go down by car to the very shore, but found a convenient descent to the sea between the rocks. How not to plunge into the gentle Azov Sea!

It should be noted that despite the “treacherous” road in places, there are quite a lot of people who want to relax in the midst of pristine nature. Personally, it seems to me that the enterprising Russian people will come here with the “benefits” of civilization...

And while I was admiring the surroundings, our young companion was already splashing around in the sea. And I continued to look at the stone blocks. What kind of “characters” did I imagine in the works of the great architect - nature? The sun, wind and water created entire stone paintings!

Over there, for example, an old woman and a frog with bulging eyes are sitting on a cape. Did you see? And closer?

But a person exposes his face to the sun, sunbathes or looks at the stars at night?

But here is a fish asking the old man to let it go to sea...

We had lunch, rested, and swam. Hurray, we made it before the rain. Huge drops rained down from where it was not even clear. It seems like the clouds are far away. Many got ready to head back. A wet dirt road, and even sharply uphill - this is somehow not very reassuring))) We stayed a little late, believing that the rain would soon stop. And so it happened.

So for some time we were opening more and more new places for photo sessions.

Once again we take a look at the surroundings. Beauty, space! And why don't people fly like birds?

And we gradually go down, and a panorama of Cape Zyuk, Marine Corps Bay and Chokrak Lake opened before us

What is this white, sometimes pink, and sometimes very black Chokrak lake, which is separated from the sea by a narrow isthmus, famous for? The lake is fed by very unusual hydrogen sulfide water from underground springs (“Chokrak” means “spring” in Tatar), it smells unpleasant, but the healing properties of the water and silt have been known for a very long time.

The color of the lake is white and pink from the huge accumulation of salts on the surface, but where the mud is, the color is black. And here hundreds of vacationers are in a hurry to improve their health, having plunged into the “resin”, they quickly run to wash off healing mud in the sea. I was embarrassed to take pictures of people, and I didn’t dare to get into this swamp myself, so the photo was taken from the Internet.

Photo from the Internet