Abandoned talcous quarry "Old Lena": description and photo

The city of Yekaterinburg is famous for its rich history and extensive list of interesting objects that are worthy of any tourist's attention. If you are bored with the city life of a megalopolis, tired of the rabid rhythm of life and so want to go out into the countryside, then we recommend going to the biggest abandoned quarry "The Old Lens". This is an amazing place for energy and beauty.

It was here about 40 years ago we extracted a useful mineral - talc. Today it is a tourist area with a stunning natural scenery. The pit is a unique creation of the hands of man and the environment. Here one can observe the confrontation between nature and industrial development. So, let's get acquainted with this place.

Features

The "Old Lena" quarry is located in the picturesque village of Shabry, just 20 km from the center of Yekaterinburg. Almost every resident knows this fantastic talc trench and has visited it many times. He enjoys immense popularity among nonresident people. Constantly on the horizon you can watch a whole delegation of newly arrived and fascinated tourists. Go down to the foundation pit on a narrow wooden steps, but it does not scare away guests, and even, on the contrary, causes a sense of delight and a storm of emotions.

When did he appear?

Before its occurrence the extraction of the mineral was carried out near the city of Sysert. Work on the new site began in 1927. The depth of the excavation is 100 m, width - 250 m, and the length - more than 400 meters. Industrial production was carried out until 1974, then the monolithic talcous section was "frozen" to an indefinite time.

The reason is a change in technology for the extraction of minerals. Deposits of talc are found in the "New Lens", and now their development is carried out in other ways. And the "Old Lens" has turned into a deserted abandoned pit. Nature over the years absorbs abandoned industrial equipment and everything associated with it.

However, the excavation is under protection, which is favorable to visitors. At the bottom of the "Old Lena" quarry, the reserve of the fossil is not exhausted, so the field development will continue in the indefinite future. And so that the site does not turn into a huge bottomless lake, regular ground water is pumped out from it, flowing down steep slopes.

A fascinating place through the eyes of tourists

When tourists get here, they have a feeling that they are near the Egyptian pyramids. Everywhere there are huge overhanging rocks, covered with green plantations. At the very bottom a small lake of bluish tinge formed. And above it a house with a pump is built, in which the guard lives.

Over time, there were picturesque waterfalls, flowing down a thin trickle along the ledges of the quarry and gradually destroying them. In winter, at minus temperatures, waterfalls turn into ice. Often here you can see ice-climbers. In the foundation there is complete silence and serenity.

Indescribable natural beauty is simply mesmerizing and at the same time frightening. Tourists often find valuable minerals (talc, pink tourmaline, quartz and much more) on the bottom of the pit of the Old Lena quarry. The road map here will depend on the chosen path, but more on this later.

Detailed acquaintance with the excavation

When descending into the quarry, the first thing that they pay attention to is a huge trolley, now drowning in turbulent vegetation, and used to distil the talc masses. Moving on the shaky ladder, tourists get into the world of peace and pristine nature. A reminder of human intervention is a large excavator and a giant electric saw, from which the spirit captures.

In the middle of the bushes are scattered rusty tools and broken equipment. A little further down the clearest springs with icy water. A few years later the trees grew and the trees would completely absorb the remnants of once working equipment. Today the canyon has become the main tourist object of the city. Every weekend, regardless of the season, at the bottom of the site you can meet crowds of people having a rest with shish kebabs.

This is a favorite place for photographers and artists, because such beauty is unlikely to be found anywhere. Sheer slopes, covered with moss, white birches and sandy soil, glistening talcum, create an atmosphere of magic and mystery. Fence off from the metropolis and enjoy nature - that's why crowds of tourists come to the quarry "Old Lens". Rest with tents attracts both city dwellers and nonresident guests.

How to get there?

You can get to the point of interest from several points. Leave by car from the western part of the city and move along the Polevskoy tract to the stop "Fielding", then turn left towards Shabrovsky village. Go to the station "Sysert" and turn to the Shabras.

We leave from the eastern part of the metropolis to the quarry "Old Lens". How to get to the site? On the Chelyabinsk tract we move to the village of Sedelnikovo (according to the signs). After about 500 m we notice the fork, turn right into the field, at the next intersection there will be a road to the tank farm, turn right and go to the station "Sysert". Then go left to the village of Shabry.

You can get to the career by bus. We wait at the stop "South" public transport (No. 9), which runs to the village of Shabry. The driver will tell you where to go. Before the talc combine, you will have to walk a little by foot on the railway.