Rock Cockerel Hot Key how to get there?

On July 14 we went on an excursion to Hot key
. The city is located on the northern slopes of the western part of the Main Caucasus Range on
Psekups River
45 km from Krasnodar.

Psekups is one of the largest mountain rivers of the Western Caucasus, a left tributary of the Kuban. Its length is 128 km. The 1888 guidebook says that, translated from Adyghe, Psekups means “a river abundant in water.” Currently, throughout its entire length (except for spring days and days of heavy rain) the Psekups is a shallow river. In some places it can be easily forded. But in the area of Abadzekh Mountain near the Rock of Salvation, Psekups is full of water. The width of the river in this section is about 70 meters. There is another translation option from Adyghe: Psekups is “blue water”. This is more true today: the greenish-blue color of the water is given by the presence of a large number of sulfurous springs in the river basin. According to the third hypothesis, Psekups is translated as “river of the black maple beam.”

Hot key how to get to the resort, what to see, when to go

Goryachy Klyuch is a resort area in the Krasnodar Territory. Many may mistakenly believe that holidays here are only possible in the summer, but this is far from the case. Knowledgeable tourists go here at any time of the year, aiming not only at the opportunity to have a great time, but also to improve their health. The opportunity to be alone with yourself, away from civilization, enjoying natural landscapes... This is what attracts tourists to Hot Spring. This is a year-round resort.

How can you get there and what attractions should you pay special attention to to brighten up your stay at such a wonderful resort?

When to go?

You can go to Goryachiy Klyuch at any time. Need to consider:

traditionally, most tourists relax here in the summer, when it’s high season, all the beaches are open, you can eat juicy fruits, and the weather is very warm, the air temperature reaches 30-35 degrees;

In autumn, the weather here remains comfortable until the end of November. The air temperature drops to 5 degrees Celsius; as a rule, it does not drop lower at all, even in winter. Usually, in the fall, tourists have already gone home, so at this time of year the holidays here are especially calm, and no one or nothing will disturb you;

In spring it is also warm here, the temperature reaches 20 degrees. If you are not allergic to flowering plants, then spring vacations can be very pleasant;

In winter, the temperature rarely reaches minus 15 degrees at night, and during the day the temperature is almost always above zero. There are also few tourists here at this time, however, there is an increasing tendency to relax in Goryachiy Klyuch in winter, because the snowy landscapes of the mountains and slopes only add beauty and charm to the city. Do not forget that the city is located in the foothills of the Caucasus, which means there is something to see, where to walk and what to admire all year round, especially since the year-round warm climate contributes to this.

Healing park. Salvation Rock. Dantovo Gorge in winter

Geology and origin of Dante's Gorges

There are also several versions regarding the origin of Dante's Gorge. Geologically, its walls are composed of relatively soft sandstones. These rocks make up the mountain ranges of the northwestern part of the Caucasus Mountains and are between 3 and 5 million years old.

The gorge itself is much younger. Versions about its artificial origin are not documented. According to one version, the Dante Gorge was cut through by the Cossacks in order to provide access to the hospital. It was planned to be built nearby.

Most likely, the creator of the gorge is nature itself. More precisely, the weathering processes of soft rocks. The man only corrected a few things: he widened the passages, cut down steps, and laid paths for a better approach to the local beauties.

The gorge itself is not large. Its length is about one hundred meters, and its width ranges from 4 to 8 meters. The height of the walls reaches 15 meters, but when the vaults come closer together, the illusion of a much greater height and steepness of the walls is created. There are about 50 steps in the gorge in total. With their help, the climb is not at all difficult for any person.

Due to its specific location, the gorge creates its own microclimate. It is constantly damp and cool here even on the hottest days. Mosses and lichens grow on the walls. This is probably why the gorge got its name.

It is best to come here in the early evening hours. The approaching twilight gives the walls and narrow passages a peculiar gloomy charm. Especially if you know the legends about the souls of sinners imprisoned in rocky dungeons.

During the day, many tourists and townspeople come to the gorge. We were there on a hot day. There were a lot of people because there is always something to do at the Healing Park on weekends.

The only thing that spoils the impression is the numerous inscriptions like “Vasya was here,” which are carved into soft sandstone rocks by those who like to perpetuate their name publicly. This is clearly visible in some of the photographs that I provide in the text.

Attractions

There are many natural monuments in Goryachiy Klyuch. The main attractions include:

Drinking gallery

where you can taste healing water from three different sources. You are also allowed to take water with you for free. However, you need to be careful when trying water number 21. It contains a high percentage of hydrogen sulfide, which is why you should not drink it without a doctor’s prescription. And to put it mildly, it has such a specific smell of very “rotten eggs” that you can’t drink a lot of it, but other options taste quite worthy;

Dante's Gorge

about 100 meters long. The gorge reminds especially impressionable tourists of the entrance to the underworld. It is quite cool and damp inside, which tourists really like in the summer and invigorates them quite well in the winter;

rock "Cockerel"

This cliff has such a name for a reason, because if you look closely, the top of the rock really resembles the comb of a rooster. This is especially noticeable from the bank of the Psekups River;

Bridge of Hope

running over the Psekups River. The bridge fits organically into the natural landscape. From here you can see the local healing park, the Cockerel rock and just take a walk enjoying the fresh air.

A good and healthy holiday in Goryachiy Klyuch is guaranteed.

What's interesting near Dante's Gorge?

On the approach to Dante's Gorge there is a Key Spring. It contains the famous Hot Klyuchevskaya mineral water. Every day many people come to drink from the spring. Of course, the city authorities built a gallery with drinking pump rooms especially for holidaymakers. However, drinking from a natural spring is much more romantic.

Not far from the Key Spring, a small chapel was carved right into the rock. Believing visitors can say prayers for healing, light candles, or purchase religious souvenirs.

Hot springs in this area come out in several places. Sometimes, even while swimming in the Psekups River, you can accidentally discover a warm stream of a natural spring at the bottom.

In 1914, a monument to mineral water was erected on the lawn in front of the entrance to Dante's Gorge. It is a white pointed stele. There are flower beds and flower beds around. There are benches where you can sit down and relax and admire the surroundings.

Hot Spring: underground kingdoms and mineral waters

Goryachy Klyuch has enjoyed constant popularity for over 145 years. Tourists are attracted not only by the most beautiful vacation spots, such as Mount Cockerel or Dantovo Gorge, but also by mineral springs, which are known for their healing properties. Today, the city’s health resorts use 6 types of mineral water from 17 wells for internal and external use.

Entering the city you immediately feel an atmosphere of calm and tranquility. Tourists will especially like the main street of the city - there are no cars here, and tall pines and trees provide shade and coolness in the summer. From here you can walk to the drinking gallery, the capacity of which reaches 2.5 thousand people per hour.

Affordable Resort

Goryachy Klyuch is a balneological resort, one of the oldest in the Caucasus. The city is located 65 km from Krasnodar, in a valley on the banks of the Psekups River, in a forest, 60 km from the Black Sea coast. Beautiful parks, squares, landscaped streets, new hotels and sanatoriums welcome vacationers all year round.

There are about 200 natural, architectural and cultural monuments in the area. This is the chapel of the Iverskaya Mother of God, Mount Abadzekhskaya, Bogatyrsky caves and other attractions that are definitely worth visiting while on vacation in Goryachy Klyuch.

“Hot Key is a great place for walking. “Where else can you breathe fresh mountain air so close to the city,” says tourist from Krasnodar Andrey Berezin. “The most popular places, perhaps, are Dantovo Gorge, Zvonkaya Cave, Fanagoriyskaya Cave, Mount Petushok. You can come here for a day, and you don’t have to have a lot of money with you.”

Places for tourists

The Cockerel Rock can safely be called one of the symbols of the city. The height of the “Petushiny” ridge reaches 27 m. It is clearly visible from the Krasnodar-Dzhubga highway. From here you can see that the unusual curves made by nature from stone really look like a cockscomb. From the top ledge of the rock there is a beautiful panorama of the Psekups River.

You can get to the rock through Dante's Gorge, the length of which is about 100 m, and the height of the overhanging rocks reaches 10-15 m. This is one of the most visited natural excursion sites in the city. It's cool here even in summer. The gorge had many names: Cold, Cool, Hot, Dante's staircase. Now it is named after the Italian poet Dante. On the left before the entrance there is a specially equipped Zhelezisty mineral spring, the water of which contains iron oxides. On the right, in the rock, a chapel was built in honor of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God.

Rock Cockerel, Goryachy Klyuch

There are a huge number of interesting places in the Caucasus that are especially popular among travelers. Among such natural objects, the Cockerel rock, formerly known as the Salvation Rock, stands out. For many years, the swift Psekups carried its waters, skirting the Abadzekh Mountain. Over time, under this constant pressure, the southern slope of the mountain disappeared, and a sheer cliff 28 meters high formed in the western part of the mountain slope. Seven large protrusions clearly visible on the top made it look like the crest of a rooster. About a hundred years ago, one of them collapsed, but the name given by the local residents remained. The Cockerel Rock is still one of the most visited places in the famous resort, and its prominent ridge is clearly visible to everyone passing along the Don highway. The inside of the rock is also of interest to tourists. Here are the Sounding Cave and the Cave of Salvation, as well as the Staircase of Life cut into the stone, leading down. Tourists who climb to the very top have a magnificent view of the surroundings of Goryachiy Klyuch. Far below stretches the picturesque valley of the Psekups River and the Pshaf ridge is clearly visible. There was a gazebo at the top of the rock. Built in 1864, on the eve of Prince Mikhail Nikolaevich’s visit to the area, it began to be called “Tsarskaya”. Due to a rock collapse, the gazebo could not be saved, but the site where it was located is now called “Tsarskaya”. Some tourists come here to see historical heritage sites, others simply to enjoy the beauty of the surrounding nature.

Like many sights of the Caucasus, the Cockerel rock has its own beautiful legend. Local residents say that a long time ago the top of the Abadzekh (Key) Mountain was decorated with a palace. It was surrounded by the greenery of a beautiful garden and the bright colors of flowers, and amazed with its wealth and luxury. But the prince’s real treasure was not the palace, but his beautiful daughter, whom her father loved and protected very much. Time passed, and the young princess became an adult. A handsome and wealthy, but cruel and heartless man began to seek her hand. The girl did not like the groom with an evil character, and she refused his proposal.

To take revenge on the princess, the rejected young man asked the sorcerer for help, and the sorcerer made him a black bird. While waiting for the girl on the shore of Psekups, the cruel nobleman made the water and everything around poisonous. The princess, who loved to swim in this place, first admired the nature and the swan swimming near the shore. But as soon as she touched his wing with her hand, her whole body was covered with terrible pimples and ulcers. The father, who saw his beautiful daughter in a new guise, was horrified. He was in such despair that day and night he cried out for the help of the gods. The old prince prayed that they would send healing to his unfortunate daughter and punish the heartless groom. The gods saw the old man’s grief and took pity on him, and the vengeful nobleman ended up behind bars. Finding himself in a dungeon, he began to cry out of hopelessness, and soon the flow of tears became so large that they began to break through to the surface of the earth. Now small springs began to gush around the palace. One fine day, a girl who chose a deserted place for a walk decided to wash herself with clean water from a spring. The moment the moisture fell on the hands and face, the skin again became clean and soft, and the young princess returned to her beauty and charm.

Now all tourists and travelers who come to this area try to wash themselves with water from the springs. And then, rested and rejuvenated, they go home.