District of Vashki
Tourism
The District of Vashki is situated in the north-western part of the Vologda Oblast. It is washed by White Lake which has a round shape, its diameter is approximately 46 km, maximum depth is 33 m. Lipin Bor, an administrative centre of the district, is located on its sandy coast. The settlement is buried in verdure of pine forests.
Lipin Bor is just like any other small Russian settlement. A little bit of history, a church, a pretty view over the lake. It is well worth coming here in summer to enjoy the rich local scenery.
The name of the district came from a Finnish word "vaskala" (fish species - bleak) and this fish is depicted on the coat-of-arms of the Vashki District.
Lipin Bor often becomes home of contests for fishermen (both children and adults), for those who cook the best fish-soup and smoke fish, and ice-fishing contests.
Lipin Bor is the most spectacular part of the District of Vashki, with its fish-rich White Lake and abundant coastal scenery. The area is covered with pine trees which stretch as far as an eye can see. The scenery is simply superb. No visit to Lipin Bor is complete without exploring the beauty of a children's park that offers facilities for football, volleyball, darts and badminton on 2 hectares. There are also numerous opportunities for recreational activity. The park is inhabited by authentically-costumed fairy tale characters (Baba Yaga, the fearsome witch with iron teeth, lazy-bones Yemelya, Vasilisa the Wise and other personages of local folklore) and wooden sculptures depicting animals.
The people of Lipin Bor are an enterprising bunch, now they are setting up a museum of fish and fishing. It will include several sections devoted to fishing, snares and traps, a collection of fish-related paraphernalia, mainly stuffed toys, and pictures of rivers, lakes and ponds. Today the local residents are collecting different types of boats and fishing gear to be displayed nearby.
Experienced local guides and naturalists enrich each tour, bringing the destination to life firsthand knowledge and expertise. They unfold the culture and history of the region for you, sharing legends, stories and personal experience. They tell you about White Lake, an ancient town of Beloozero, water-portage way that operated from the 10th through 17th centuries connecting Novgorod and the White Sea. Tourists can go boating in summer time. Snowmobiles will tempt them in winters, so they can also do their body a good turn.
Highlights of a tour "Kingdom of Goldfish":
- Fishing, fish-soup cookout;
- Visit to the Church of Holy Trinity (1792), the church is being restored;
- Visit to the springs located on the territory of the district.
A museum of local lore tells the story of the development of the district, paying particular attention to tea-drinking traditions. The visitors to the museum can learn to set the samovar to boil. They are treated to tea and pies.
Another point of interest is a local centre of traditional crafts where tourists can watch the skillful hands of the craftsmen creating works of art and take a course providing another tourist draw for visitors.