The visit center of the Berezichi Forestry is located 12 kilometers south of the city of Kozelsk. Two trails begin near it: "Berezichi – Old River" and "Lake Lenivoe – Obolensky Estate". Both trails are located on the territory of the Ugra National Park. This is a protected area on the banks of the Zhizdra River, although there are many villages around.
If you want to see the beautiful nature of the Russian central strip, then visiting the trails of the Ugra National Park near Kozelsk is of great interest. You can also combine this trip with a visit to the Optina Desert Monastery, which is located on the eastern outskirts of the city of Kozelsk. Next to the trails, you can see the ruins of the Obolensky Estate. A boarding school is now located near them, but the estate park has been preserved and is open to the public. The Obolenskys built a glass factory in Berezichi, which is still operating.
To start walking along trails, you need to come to the visit center of the Berezichi Forestry. Here you can park and visit the Kozelskie Zaseki Museum. It is dedicated to the history of the Zasechnaya Line, created by the Russian principalities to combat the raids of nomadic tribes in the 15th and 16th centuries. You need to arrange a visit to the museum in advance. There is also a small Botanical garden.
The circular route of the trail "Lake Lenovoe – Obolensky Estate" goes towards the Obolensky Estate and turns back near the children`s boarding school. On the way you will see giant pine trees growing on a gentle slope that descends from the visitor center of the forestry to the shore of Lake Lenovoe. In the Neolithic era, there was a settlement of ancient people on the shore of the lake, excavations were carried out there. The length of Lake Lenivoe is 550 meters, the width is 30 meters, and the average depth is only 2.5 meters. A muskrat lives here. The length of the route Lake Lenivoe – Obolensky Estate is 1.2 kilometers.
The ring route "Berezichi – Old River" also starts near the visit center of the Berezichesky Forestry. Its length is much longer – 7 kilometers. At the beginning of the trail, you can see a small aviary where bison are quarantined. These rare animals were brought to the Ugra Park from the Orel Polesie National Park. Now there are more than 30 bison living here, but the main aviary is located elsewhere.
The initial part of the route "Berezichi – Old River" goes in the forest. At first it is a mixed forest, and then the pine forest begins. The ground in it is covered with moss. Then the trail opens onto a meadow and you need to go along it to the Old River lake. This is the former riverbed of the Zhizdra River, which first turned into an old riverbed, and then into a lake. If you do not want to go the whole route, then when you see the old riverbed, turn back.
