Yew and boxwood grove in Khost
Yew-Samshit Grove is a picturesque area of the Colchis forest, which is located on the southeastern slopes of Mount Akhun in the Khostinsky district of the Greater Sochi resort. The natural monument occupies an area of 301 hectares and is part of the Caucasus Biosphere Reserve. Thousand-year-old yews, Caucasian endemic plants, as well as relict species preserved on Earth since pre-glacial times grow here. Most of the year the yew and boxwood grove is filled with birdsong. More than 50 rare species of flora and fauna are protected in the reserved forest. The territory of the grove is unique and is included by UNESCO in the list of natural World Heritage Sites.
Video: Yew and boxwood grove
Contents- Highlights
- The Little Ring Route
Route on the Great Ring - Useful information for visitors
- How to get there
Highlights
In our country, the yew and boxwood grove was given a protected status back in 1930. Six years later, the first organized path was laid along it, along which tourists could walk to the White Cliffs. From this place there was a wonderful view of the mountain spurs and the valley of the Khosta River, which originates on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Range. From the White Rocks the trail led to a thousand-year-old yew tree growing at the entrance to the protected grove. This is how the first circular route, later called the Samshit Ring, was formed.
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Route along the Small Ring
The length of the tour along the Samshit or Little Ring is 2 kilometers. The route follows a concreted path and begins in an ash tree alley. From here the trail comes to the gully of Opolznevaya, the slopes of which are formed by shale rocks. Tourists can cross this ravine on a high bridge. Behind the gully begins a section of relict yews, which are several centuries old. The fig tree (or Korean fig) is clearly visible behind these old-timers.
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After the gully, hikers follow a path along the rock slabs and soon reach a high cliff above the Khosta valley. There are observation platforms on it, from which the vastness of the yew and boxwood grove opens up in all its glory. Above the crowns of trees you can see layers of white limestone, and above everything rises the Iegosh peak, which limits the protection zone of the Caucasus Biosphere Reserve from the south. The bottom of the gully is overgrown with laurel, needle and boxwood.
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From here the trail leads to an old lime tree with two trunks, and then – to a giant yew tree, which is over a thousand years old. Such trees are very rare. But in the depths of the yew and boxwood grove there are specimens of yew twice as old. Another 100 meters of the way, and the path of the Small Ring ends at the beginning of the route, at the bridge over the Opolznevaya Gully.
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If you move at a leisurely pace, the journey along the Small Ring takes 30-40 minutes. This is the route along which all scheduled excursions in the yew and boxwood grove take place.
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The route along the Great Ring
Traveling along the Great Ring of the yew-samshit grove is longer and more difficult. Walking along it, hikers cover 5 kilometers. There are sections of forest path and gravel on the route. There are fewer people in this part of the protected grove than on the Samshitovy Ring, and you can meet a lot of interesting things along the way.
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At the beginning, the trail starts climbing up to the pass, looping among thickets of Colchis boxwood. This is a relict plant that survived the Ice Age. It rises up 2-12 meters, grows very slowly and reaches its maximum size by the age of 500 years.
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Those who are interested can turn right near the sign and admire the beautiful karst cave. It was formed when an underground stream flowed through a layer of limestone. The water then receded and the results of the erosion now appear as a washed out cavity. In the furthest corner, you can see how the water has managed to turn the solid rock into a volcanic lava-like substance. However, going inside the small cave is not recommended for tourists, so as not to disturb the resident bat – the big horseshoe bat.
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From the cave the trail along the Khosta valley returns to the beginning of the Big Ring.
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Useful information for visitors
Since the yew and boxwood grove is part of the reserve, visiting it is paid and has a number of restrictions. On the territory of the relic grove it is not allowed to build fires, set up tents, organize bivouacs, hunt and fish. Tourists are asked not to make noise, not to litter, not to go off the excursion trails, not to tear flowering plants on the way and not to harm trees and shrubs.
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How to get there
The natural monument is located in the Khostinsky district of Greater Sochi. The entrance to the grove is on Samshitovaya Street of Khosta, 2.5 km from the seashore and 2 km from the railway station “Khosta.”
Tour to the yew and boxwood grove can be purchased in any of the excursion agencies of the Black Sea coast. In this case, tourists are picked up from the hotel, taken to the grove and brought back after a tour of it.
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Those who like to travel independently, can use public transport. On buses and shuttle buses running along the resorts of Greater Sochi, you need to get to Khosta and get off at the stop “Golubaya Gorka”. A noticeable landmark is the bridge over the river Khosta. From the stop to the entrance to the yew-samshit grove you will have to walk a little more than a kilometer and a half up Samshitovaya Street. It is impossible to get lost on this section of the path, as there are several signs along the tiled sidewalk.
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In addition, from any resort village or from the city of Sochi itself, it is easy to get to the protected forest by cab.
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