Penovsky District Between Lakes and History

• The Volga and Western Dvina rivers flow through the district.
• The largest of the more than 130 lakes include Vselug, Okhvat, Sterzh, Peno, Vitbino and Soblago.
• The Church of St. John the Baptist at Shirkovsky Pogost is a wooden architectural monument dating from 1694.
• The “Tam les i dol zagadok polny…” ecological trail is 2.5 kilometers long.

The Western Dvina rises in the small lake Dvinets in the western part of Penovsky District. The lake is six kilometers from Soblago railway station. The Volga flows through the northeastern part of the district. These two rivers therefore provide different points of reference within the region: the Western Dvina rises in the west, while the Volga flows through the northeast.

The lakes also differ in how they were formed: most of the more than 130 lakes in the district are of glacial-moraine origin. The term refers to their formation in connection with glaciers and moraines. Vselug is one of the largest lakes. It contains the islands of Novo-Solovetsky and Malosolovetsky; Novo-Solovetsky is one of the district’s natural monuments. At this lake, you can take in both the waterscape and a designated natural monument.

Settlements and a pagan shrine have existed since ancient times at Shirkov Pogost on Lake Vselug. By the late 19th century, the pogost had become one of the region’s important religious centers. The Church of St. John the Baptist there is a wooden structure dating from 1694. Together, these details reflect different layers in the site’s history: early settlements and a shrine, its later religious significance, and a specific architectural monument.

Other churches add to the picture, with different construction dates. The Church of the Holy Trinity in the village of Otolovo dates from the 18th century. At Vetozhetka Pogost stands the Church of the Sign of the Most Holy Theotokos, dating from the early 19th century. The Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God in the village of Vseluki dates from 1835. Those interested in architectural and religious history will find several named examples from different centuries.

The Voroshilovsky Local History Museum offers a picture of life in a village in Tver Oblast in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its extensive collection includes objects from peasant daily life, as well as examples of pottery, shoemaking and carpentry. The museum is therefore a good choice for travelers who want to learn about everyday life and craft traditions alongside the churches and landscape.

The tours cover three topics: the Voroshilovo area from prehistoric times onward, the region’s folk crafts and trades, and life and culture in a peasant home. Visits are possible by prior arrangement. Take this requirement into account when planning and arrange your visit in advance.

The 2.5-kilometer “Tam les i dol zagadok polny…” ecological trail is described as a purpose-built walking route with an excursion component. The length refers to the route, not the duration of the outing. Before your visit, check locally whether any information about the trail has changed. The trail offers another way to explore the district on foot, while the museum and churches provide different points of interest.

For another overview of the area, you can also visit Kositskoye.

Discover more destinations: Bologoye, Sonkovsky District, Kalininsky District, Maksatikhinskiy District, Rzhevskiy District and Vyshnevolotskiy District.

How long is the ecological trail?

The “Tam les i dol zagadok polny…” walking trail is 2.5 kilometers long. Before your visit, check locally whether any information about the trail has changed.

What can you learn at the Voroshilovsky Local History Museum?

The museum displays objects from peasant daily life and from the pottery, shoemaking and carpentry trades. It also offers a picture of life in a village in Tver Oblast in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Do you need to arrange a museum visit in advance?

Yes. Visits to the Voroshilovsky Local History Museum are possible by prior arrangement.

For the broader travel overview: Tver Oblast.