The ecological trail "The Chivyrkuisky Isthmus".

Since 1986 (the year of the foundation of the Zabaikalsky National Park) the route "The Barmashovoye lakes - the tableland of the Svyatoy Nos" has become very popular among visitors. At present it's considered to be the most popular route in the territory of the park (and one of the most interesting sport-and-cognitive routes on the eastern coast of Baikal). Long ago the ground parents of our contemporaries used to fish and hunt there, in Podlemorje. Of late years some parts of the route have turned to conventional resting-places. Since 1995 educational ecological programmes for schoolchildren have been carried out there.

The passport of the ecological route.
General information.
Name: "The Chivyrkuisky Isthmus".
The route provides the following opportunities:

• to get acquainted with the nature of the Chivyrkuisky Bay;
• to realize ecological education of the local population and visitors by team-work of the specialists of the park, the Center of children's ecological education "Podlemorje", public environmental organizations and schools;
• to carry out ecological programmes for different categories of visitors on the following lines: ornithology, geomorphology, botany, hydrology and forest studies;

• to put in practice actions aimed at nature protection.
  

Location: Buryatia, the Barguzinsky region, the territory of the Zabaikalsky National Park.
Landowner: the Administration of the Barguzinsky region.
The route points (and their succession on the route):
The Barmashovoye Lakes - the place "Kedra" - the river Burtuy - the tableland of the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula - the place "Glinka".
The spread of the route: 25 km.
The route time - 4-5 days.
You may get to the first stop (the Barmashovoye Laeks) by car from the ferry at the village Ust-Barguzin (5 km).
From the final stop ("Glinka") up to the ferry at Ust-Barguzin you may go by hitch (30 km).
The quality of the trail: from the Barmashovoye Lakes and along the coast of the Chivyrkuisky Isthmus there are 10 campings for visitors.
The run of the trail "The place Glinka - the tableland of the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula" is considered to be the most difficult one; the trail is marked by pointing plates, fixed on trees at a height of 1.5 m.
Specific conditions (difficult parts of the route and obstacles): most dangerous are screes and easily moving stones, which occur on the slope of the tableland of the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula. In May and June there is a danger to be bitten by a tick (bring tick and mosquite repellent).
The sights of the route points:
Point 1. The Barmashovoye Lakes. Medicative muds of the Barmashovoye Lake.
Point 2. The place "Kedra". Birch-sedge-and-moss marches. Rich and diverse ornithological fauna.
Point 3. The river Burtuy. Vegetation of the false. Subaltitudinal greenery complex.
Point 4. The Svyatoy Nos Peninsula tableland, a survey platform, outliers.
Point 5. The place "Glinka". Until the 17th century there used to be an evenks' settlement and tombs. Later on it was a russian settlement, existing until the middle of the 20th century.
The route functions from July until August. For watch of birds' migration touring in May-June and September is recommended.
The route has been worked out by the Public ecological organization "Together with Baikal" under assistance of the Center of children's ecological education "Podlemorje".

Notes from the diaries.

The first day: The control post (RPP) of the Zabaikalsky National Park - the Barmashovoye Lakes. Having passed the control Post of the National Park we walked along the narrow pathway twisting a good deal among pine-trees. Early in the mourning when the Alpine-rose is in bloom, there is a wonderful rich smell in the forest. An hour later we faced an expance of the Lakes Barmashovoye (there are four lakes). In spite of Baikal's neighbourship the water in these lakes is much warmer. The water is salt and soapy by feer, because its composition includes natrium and fluorine. Local people come here for rest and treatment.

The second day. The Barmashovoye Lakes - the place "Kedra". We woke up early because of annoying peeping of mosquitoes. The sun was slowly rising from over the branch of the Barguzin Range. The magnificent mountains of the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula carried us to start. We walked along the dirt road, mounded among the marshes until the dinner time. While walking we watched the succession of forest spots (they are called "turnips") and swamps. This view is very characteristic of the Chivyrkuisky Isthmus. On the right of the road we watched big nests of the while-tail eagle. There are 3-4 couples of these birds in the territory of the Chivyrkuisky Isthmus.

The third day. The place "Kedra" - the river Burtuy. Rain or shine, Baikal looks beautiful in the morning. The water was warm - it's not often warm in the Barguzinsky Bay. So we swam and swam.
We had breakfast, packed tents and backpacks and went on. That day we walked along the coast of the Barguzinsky Bay. On the right of the path way we watched swampy vasts of the Chivyrkuisky Isthmus. Striking is the vegetation of the isthmus with its extraordinary grounding forms of the cedar, birch, rowan-tree, birdcherry and shrubs. This natural complex has n\been formed under stable effect of the wind, cold and hungry soils. We had dinner at a fishermen's quarters . They fish by trammel. We roached the river Burtuy when it was late and had to pitch our camp in the dark.

The fourth day. Camping at the river Burtuy. At sunrise we could appreciate the place that we had chosen for our camping . The Svyatoy Nos was hover, we could see its reflection in the mirror of the river Burtuy backwater. That day we worked with kids of the ecological camp "Chivyrkuy", who have been engaged in research works on the program "The complex study of the Chivyrkuisky Isthmus" together with the specialists of the National Park.
In the afternoon we walked along the beach picking up litter. The beach appeared to be quite clean.
In the evening we enjoyed singing at a camp-fire.