Polyudov Kamen

Polyud is a mountain with a cone-shaped top, covered in coniferous forest; at 527 metres it rises above the Polyudov Ridge, a protected landscape of regional significance. It stands seven kilometres from Krasnovishersk and is visible even from Cherdyn — on the Kolva its silhouette long served travellers as a landmark. Local legend names the hill after the bogatyr Polyud who guarded these lands; legend it may be, but the climb is the chief summer and winter ritual of Krasnovishersk. The slopes are steep, especially on the north, and the summit opens a circular view: the Vishera, the Kolva, the town, and in the distance the stone walls of Vetlan and the ridges of the protected north. From the top of Polyud you can see how two ancient lands stand facing each other — Cherdyn and Pokcha, founded on the high bank of the Kolva. The climb takes a couple of hours on forest trails, and the reward is the finest panorama of the north of Perm Krai.