Sokol Mountain rises from the north side above the resort village of Novy Svet. Its height is only 473 meters. However, due to the rocky southern slope of the pyramidal shape, the mountain looks very massive. The Turks called this mountain Kush-Kaya (Bird’s Rock), the Byzantines called it Senator.
All the mountains that surround Novy Svet are reefs of the ancient Tethys Ocean. Its waters splashed on the site of the Crimea in the Mesozoic era, about 200 million years ago. Subsequently, tectonic shifts occurred. The bottom of the Tethys Ocean rose and the Crimean Mountains formed.
Mountain Sokol consists of skeletons of ancient fossil organisms that have been compressed into porous, but rather hard reefs. Cape Kapchik and Mount Kush-Kaya, where the Golitsyn Trail is laid, are also reefs. Their slopes are immersed in seawater, forming a very beautiful coastline of Novy Svet.
You can climb to the top of Sokol Mountain, but this hike requires good physical shape. On the southern rocky slope of Sokol Mountain, which faces the village of Novy Svet, there are many mountaineering routes. Training and competitions are constantly held here. There are routes of all difficulty categories, from 1st to 6th.
People without special equipment, but in good physical shape, can also climb to the top of Sokol Mountain on the northern slope. It is flatter, there are paths for climbing. At the bottom of the mountain slope is covered with deciduous forest, and junipers and Stankevich pines grow on it closer to the top. There are two trails leading to the top of Sokol Mountain.
The most popular among tourists is the trail that starts on the road that runs along the seashore. At the foot of Sokol Mountain there is a steep bend in the road, Where the Devil`s Finger rock rises. There is no parking space here, so you need to come here by taxi (a distance of 3 km from Novy Svet). The distance from the road to the top of Mountain Sokol is only 1.3 km, with a climb of 380 m. The climb up is quite steep, the trail goes along a rocky ridge. There are very beautiful views of Novy Svet and Sudak.
The second trail starts near the Flight Hotel. The distance from it to the top of Mountain Sokol is 2.2 kilometers. The climb is the same 390 m, but since the trail is longer, the climb is more gentle. To see all the most beautiful views, it is best to climb a steep path, and go down a gentle one that goes directly to the village of Novy Svet. If you have time on the way back, then at the foot of the mountain you can turn right and see the source of St. Anastasia with a font, as well as the Golitsyn Bridge.
