Shapsugskaya: Nature and Memorial Sites

• The Great Adegoy Waterfall is nine kilometers southwest in the Ivanovsky Yar gorge and is eleven meters high.
• The “Chertov palets” rock is two kilometers south, next to the “Solontsy” mud volcano.
• The “Rodnik zhivoy i mertvoy vody” spring is one kilometer southeast, at the edge of Romashkova Meadow.
• In Shapsugskaya, a mass grave and an obelisk commemorate different chapters in the village’s history.
• The nearby “Tropa Bessmertiya” is eleven kilometers long and connects five memorial sites honoring those killed in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945.

The Great Adegoy Waterfall is nine kilometers southwest of Shapsugskaya in the Ivanovsky Yar gorge. The waterfall itself is eleven meters high. Above it, more falls form a cascade with a total height of up to 40 meters. This means you can find both a single waterfall and a larger succession of falls, with distinctly different height figures.

Two kilometers south of the village, the standalone “Chertov palets” rock lies next to the “Solontsy” mud volcano. The rock is split into several blocks. According to local tradition, the split was caused by an explosion set off by local residents in the postwar years. This story is part of the rock’s oral history; its geological formation and the local tradition are two different aspects.

The “Rodnik zhivoy i mertvoy vody” spring lies in a different direction: one kilometer southeast, at the edge of Romashkova Meadow. There is a cross at the spring’s outlet. The distances given make it possible to compare the locations of the three nature destinations: the spring, rock, and waterfall lie in different directions and at increasing distances from the village.

In Shapsugskaya itself, there is a mass grave of Soviet soldiers who died defending and liberating the village from German troops. An obelisk commemorates settlers who moved from the Black Sea region to the Kuban in 1861. The two sites refer to different historical themes: the village’s wartime history and settlement in the Kuban.

In the surrounding area, the “Tropa Bessmertiya” tourist trail passes through the forest zone of Abinsky District. Over eleven kilometers, it connects five memorial sites honoring those killed in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945. From its starting point, the trail runs along a low watershed ridge at the foot of Mount Maslova (219.8 meters) to “Polyana Smerti” (“Glade of Death”). From there, it descends to a cross before the village entrance.

A memorial at the foot of elevation 219.8 commemorates six naval infantrymen killed by German troops in January and February 1943. Another marks the site of the last battle fought by the T-34 crew of the 126th Independent Tank Battalion of the 47th Army, commanded by Lieutenant A. E. Lobunov. Other markers commemorate the defense by Soviet troops—one is titled “Ni shagu nazad!” (“Not a Step Back!”)—and the crew members killed aboard a Soviet DB-3F bomber. There is a monument and a mass grave in the glade. The trail’s length gives you a concrete measure for planning; check current trail conditions before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Krasnaya Polyana, Kalininskaya, Leningradskaya, Kropotkin, Golubaya Bukhta, Novyy Sochi, Novoderevyankovskiy, Chekon.

Which nature destinations lie in which direction?

The spring is one kilometer southeast of Shapsugskaya, the “Chertov palets” rock is two kilometers south, and the Great Adegoy Waterfall is nine kilometers southwest.

What commemorates Shapsugskaya’s history in the village?

A mass grave commemorates Soviet soldiers who died defending and liberating the village. An obelisk honors the settlers who moved from the Black Sea region to the Kuban in 1861.

What should you plan for the “Tropa Bessmertiya”?

The trail is eleven kilometers long and leads to five memorial sites from the Great Patriotic War. Check current trail conditions before setting out.

For the main travel overview: Krasnodar Krai.