Smolinskaya Cave

The Smolinskaya Cave hides in the side of a dry ravine on the right bank of the Iset river, two kilometres below the village of Beklenishcheva near Kamensk-Uralsky. The explored passages run almost 890 metres with a depth of over 30 metres — the largest cave of the oblast. It developed in the limestones of the Sukholozhsko-Kamensky karst district and has a single entrance. The cave was known in the 19th century: the first description and survey were made by V. G. Olesov, published in 1895 in the Proceedings of the Ural Society of Natural Science Lovers. In the 1890s monks installed steps and supports here, and the chambers carry expressive names — the 'Great Cell' measuring 25 by 7 metres, 'Favor', 'Altar', and the legendary passage 'Road to Hell'. The temperature inside stays at 4–5.5 °C all year. Until the mid-20th century one of Europe's largest colonies of the pond bat wintered here — careless tourism reduced it to just 15 individuals by 1974. Since 2001 the cave and its surroundings have been protected as a geomorphological and zoological nature monument of 71 hectares. Unlike most Ural caves, the Smolinskaya is accessible without special training: visitors descend with a lamp and helmet, and only the bottom of the 'Road to Hell' needs a rope. In 2004 a worship cross was placed at the entrance.