Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Travel / Places to Visit => Topic started by: Natalia on January 08, 2012, 02:53:39 PM
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There are many wonderful places on Earth. But my love belongs to Russian North - And more precisely to the Kola peninsula and his mountains.
Yet I read the remarkable book of scientist-minerolog and geochemist a child is Alexander Fersman about mountains Hibiny. But got in these mountains already adult, together with a husband. Since we almost every year are in those places. And although since we visited very many places and in Russia and abroad, but our hearts so remained in the north, in Hibiny tundras.
Look, what wonderful mountains is it, and what remarkable plants grow there.
Kola peninsula
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Hibiny_map
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Нere he is North
Moneses uniflora 0853
Chamaepericlymenum(Cornus) suecicum and Linnaea borealis
Saxifraga oppositifolia
Polystichum lonchitis
Dryas punctata
Papaver lapponicum
Saxifraga oppositifolia_2
Drops
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And more...
Saxifraga aizoides
Saxifraga tenuis
Hibiny_lake valley Small Vudjavr
Rain drops
Poachvumchorr ridge
Loiseleuria procumben
Loiseleuria procumbens_2
Rain drops
Betula nana
After the pass Western Petrelius
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A wonderful selection of pictures Natalia, I love the Papaver, such a delicate colour.
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And more...
After the pass Western Petrelius _2
Arctous alpina
blueberry
Cassiope tetragona Mushroom disease
Drops_2
Harrimanella hypnoides Poachvumchorr
Pass Ramsay
River Valley Petrelius
Morning Ice patterns
Salix polaris seeds.
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These are wonderful, Natalia... so exciting to be able to see this place and the plants.
(I will add the photo names to the text box for you)
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Brian, I thank, there many fine plants!
Maggi, many thanks!
And more....
Salix reticulata _seeds.
Poachvumchorr ridge _ a sight in center Hibin
Cladonia
Dryas octopetala
Lake Goltsovoye
Oxytropis sordida
Oxytropis sordida_2
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more....
Pass_Umbozersky
Pinguicula vulgaris
Waterfall on the river Lyavayok
Pinguicula vulgaris on the rock
Saxifraga aizoides_2
Saxifraga aizoides_3
Pass Loparsky
Squirrel
Silene acaulis _Poachvumchorr
Betula nana_2
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...and incredible scenery Natalia, thanks for showing us.
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more....
Pass Northern Chorrgorr
Pass Northern Chorrgorr_2
Silene acaulis _Poachvumchorr
Lake Goltsovoye
Salvelinus alpinus_young fish
Waterfall on the river Risyok
Beckwithia glacialis
Beckwithia glacialis_2
Slope on which grows Beckwithia_height 900м
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and...
Arenaria norvegica
Bright-blue campanula sp.
White campanula sp.
Lake Small Vudjavr_white Night
Pass_Northern Rischorr
Silene acaulis _peak Marchenko
Waterfall on the river Risyok
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Natalia, many thanks. Brightened my day no end. Stunning scenery with bueautiful plants. Now I'm pining for mountains and long walks :)
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Martin, thank you. :)
As I understand such melancholy...
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Absolutely stunning pics, Natalia.
I can't take my eyes off them.
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Natalia:
Amazing, when were the photos taken.
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Very nice, Natalia. And not that far away from here. Looks like a fun place for combined fishing and botanizing trip :)
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Thank you, colleagues, your words are very pleasant me... :)
Panu, it is necessary to add yet and mineralogical excursion - in the bowels of the earth of Hybiny enormous amount of the most interesting and often unique minerals.
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Natalia, some lovely plants and exciting scenery. That Pinguicula is having quite a feast ;D
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Interesting pics.. I can see the landscape and flora are much like what we have many places here in North Norway
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Graham, Pinguicula feasts:)
Magnar, yes, in and in botanical, and in geological sense these places are very similar
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Natalia,
what a wonderful place. I can understand that you like is so much. The effort of getting there must add to it's attraction. Thank you for sharing the experience. :) :)
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Hi Natalia, so it is not just Hepatica nobilis? ;)
Very nice, both plants, geology and nature! My daughter does study geology, maybe we should take an excursion across the border?
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Hi, Maren
Thanks for kind words, this really fine place, but all north it is fine and various. A bit later I will try to show it - I will hang out a photo of other places of Kola peninsula.
Hi, Hoy
Hibini - a geological wildlife preserve. There are places where appatite and titan obtain, but I am afraid send samples I can not - it is too difficult to get permission on a dispatch foreign country.
The most northern plants Hepatica grow on 1000 kilometers to the south, and I live on 2000 km to the south of these places:)
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Natalia a wonderful set of pictures. I had not realised there was such a diversity of plant life up there.
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Natalia - must add my thanks to others - wonderful scenery and all those fascinating arctic alpines. I've never seen lichen growing as in your photo, even though I've read of it. Russia is a remarkable country about which I know so little. Lovely now to know a little more.
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Natalia - the ice patterns are fantastic. The plants are not bad either. Many thanks.
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Natali
Great photos thank you for sharing your trip 8) 8). Loved the Cassiope relative Harrimanella hynoides as well.
I hear that the Kola peninsula is one of the best salmon fishing areas in the world - perhaps one day
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Natalia some lovely scenery. Your pictures are so lovely. Nice to see some pictures of a place that I probably will never get to.
Thanks of taking the time posting the images.
Angie :)
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Hi, Maren
Thanks for kind words, this really fine place, but all north it is fine and various. A bit later I will try to show it - I will hang out a photo of other places of Kola peninsula.
Hi, Hoy
Hibini - a geological wildlife preserve. There are places where appatite and titan obtain, but I am afraid send samples I can not - it is too difficult to get permission on a dispatch foreign country.
The most northern plants Hepatica grow on 1000 kilometers to the south, and I live on 2000 km to the south of these places:)
Natalia, don't think of sending minerals. I didn't mean that! But I know my daughter would love to take a look for herself there if she gets the chance ;)
I visited Москва́ , Минера́льные Во́ды and Чегет when I was in Russia some years ago, but I have never been to Ко́льский полуо́стров. Seems to be very beautiful there too!
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Natalia,
A wonderful place, fabulous plants and beautiful photographs.
Many thanks for such enjoyment.
Paddy
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Russia is really one of the places I want to visit just because of the rich culture and history evident in it even at this present day and age.
All the more has it been intriguing with the recent open visit pass they granted our company to be able to try out the on site company working in Moscow. Though I have heard of a lot of stories about the place, I would still want to give it a try.
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Thank you so much Natalia for this new idea you have given me about the Russian north and the wonderful flora and fauna to be found there. I see on the map the name Murmansk and I have only ever associated this place with warships and frightening events in the world's history. Now it has quite a different meaning for me. I can understand how you and your family love to revisit the area frequently. I would like to go there too. I have no interest in lying on a hot, sandy beach; it would be so boring. When I tell my friends I would like to go to Siberia, they think I am mad!
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What an incredibly nice surprise Natalia !
An area I had hardly ever heard of ! So wild - so vast - so beautiful !
The scenery is great - the Beckwithia is my favourite plant in the ones you showed !
It somewhat scares me to read that there are so many minerals in these mountains... :-\ I hope they will remain unspoilt !
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What an incredibly nice surprise Natalia !
An area I had hardly ever heard of ! So wild - so vast - so beautiful !
The scenery is great - the Beckwithia is my favourite plant in the ones you showed !
It somewhat scares me to read that there are so many minerals in these mountains... :-\ I hope they will remain unspoilt !
Some of the minerals are already exploited with consequences for the surrounding areas. Although Kola is part of Russia (Murmansk oblast) it has been a part of Norwegian history since about 800AD. The old name was "Ter" and "Bjarmeland".
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Colleagues, thank you! I am very pleasant, that I was able to show to you even little part of beauty of the Russian north.
In Kirovsk also there is a north botanical garden - Arctic-alpine botanical garden-institute. They have magnificent collection of plants - from the Himalaya plants to the North-American plants.
Hoy, if your daughter will visit Hibiny, becoming acquainted with minerals is possible. Both in mountains and in a museum - there remarkable museum in city Kirovsk and Appatity.
Yes, Norway abuts upon the district of the river Cola, more south - already Finland:)
Now a little more the Russian North...
Blueberry
Bog on a slope
Bog on a slope_2
Cladinas
Cladonia
Cryptogramma crispa
Cryptogramma crispa_2
Cryptogramma crispa_3
Diapensia lapponica and other
Dwarf form Calluna vulgaris
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and more...
Geranium sylvaticum
Harrimanella hypnoides
Harrimanella hypnoides_fur of rock
Juniperus_form
Lake Goltsovoye _pink clouds
Lake in gorge
Lycopodium selago
Pass Kukisvumchorr
Pass Northern Chorrgorr_from valley
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and more...
Picea x fennica
River-bed of the river Partomporr
Saxifraga aizoides in brook
Two saxifrages
Valley Risjok
Viola sp
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Natalia, the photos get better and better!
The Harrimanella is quite magical.
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Maggi, Harrimanella in those places so wonderful, that no photo it will not pass!
North is other planet!
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Natalia,
Another collection of wonderful photographs, beautiful scenery and magical flowers and the Harrimanella is truly magical; I love the photograph of it dripping over the rock.
Love the first photograph - blueberries, I could eat that one.
Paddy
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Great series of images Natalia, many thanks for posting them.
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Natalia, it is very interesting to see your pictures! Both the landscape and the flora! I hadn't actually considered Kola peninsula as a place to visit before you showed how beautiful it is!
Natalia,
Another collection of wonderful photographs, beautiful scenery and magical flowers and the Harrimanella is truly magical; I love the photograph of it dripping over the rock.
Love the first photograph - blueberries, I could eat that one.
Paddy
Paddy, don't you call those berries bilberry? (Vaccinium uliginosum)?
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:o :o :o :o
Utterly amazing !
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Another stunning set of photos. Such wonderful scenery and plants.
The bog is very attractive. The Cladonia and Harrimanella are my favourites.
Thanks Natalia :D
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I was wondering which species the first blueberry was, so it is Vaccinium ulignosum? And I like too the very low and compact Calluna. Another grreat show for us all. Thank you Natalia. :)
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Natalia, it is very interesting to see your pictures! Both the landscape and the flora! I hadn't actually considered Kola peninsula as a place to visit before you showed how beautiful it is!
Natalia,
Another collection of wonderful photographs, beautiful scenery and magical flowers and the Harrimanella is truly magical; I love the photograph of it dripping over the rock.
Love the first photograph - blueberries, I could eat that one.
Paddy
Paddy, don't you call those berries bilberry? (Vaccinium uliginosum)?
Trond, you are perfectly correct and, actually, the area of town where I live is called "Bilberry". However, I always called them "fraochán" which is the Irish term - an Irish word which continued in use in areas where the Irish language was no longer spoken even.
Paddy
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Interesting, Paddy. What does "fraochán" mean? And do you have a similar words for blueberry and cowberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea)?
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"Fraochán" is simply the Irish word for bilberry. I recall now that we also used call them "hurts" though I don't know the origins of this word.
Blueberry don't grow here and I don't think cowberry do either and, certainly, I don't have any Irish words for them.
Just checked a site which lists Irish plants and neither blueberry nor cowberry are listed.
Paddy
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This entry in Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilberry, gives "ground hurts" as a name for bilberry, V. uliginosum.
Paddy
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Does Vaccinium hirsutum have edible fruits?
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Colleagues, on photo Vaccínium uliginósum - bushes small, hardly above lichen level...
Vaccínium myrtíllus - other plant - unfortunately, I am not strong in English language... And traditional titles I can confuse. I am sorry:)
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Natalia, that Picea x fennica (ssp. abies x ssp. obovata) has some anomaly. In Northern Finland ssp. obovata is dominant, but the intermediates are quite easily found too.
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"Fraochán" is simply the Irish word for bilberry. I recall now that we also used call them "hurts" though I don't know the origins of this word.
Blueberry don't grow here and I don't think cowberry do either and, certainly, I don't have any Irish words for them.
Just checked a site which lists Irish plants and neither blueberry nor cowberry are listed.
Paddy
Does that mean that those berries don't grow in Ireland? Strange . . .
Does Vaccinium hirsutum have edible fruits?
Lesley, it is an American plant but as far as I know the berries are edible. So far I know all Vacciniums have edible berries.
Colleagues, on photo Vaccínium uliginósum - bushes small, hardly above lichen level...
Vaccínium myrtíllus - other plant - unfortunately, I am not strong in English language... And traditional titles I can confuse. I am sorry:)
Natalia, don't worry about that! You are much better in English than I am in Russian ;)
What are the Russian names of those berries?
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Panu, I understand - it's called in Russian - "witches broom" - as it is called in English, I do not know.:)
In the place Hibiny dominates Picea x fennica.
Hoy, in Russian, these plants are called Vaccínium myrtíllus - chernika, and Vaccínium uliginósum - golubika. In the first type is almost black berries, and the second with a matte blue plaque - the name comes from the color of berries.
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Hoy, we have only bilberry/fraochán/hurts. Paddy
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Hoy, we have only bilberry/fraochán/hurts. Paddy
Unbelievable :o
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I have shown part Hibiny, but not only it is Russian North... On 100 kilometers to the south - the White sea - and it too the Russian North:)
Kandalaksha bay
Kandalaksha bay_3
Relic pine forest
Evening on Kandalaksha bay
Evening on Kandalaksha bay_2
Aster sp
Aster sp in an inflow zone
Aster in an inflow zone
Sea outflow
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and more...
Varzuga
Amethystine coas
Campanula sp at the strong wind
Chamaepericlymenum suecicum in Amethystine coast
Mertensia maritim
Mertensia maritim_2
Mertensia maritim_4
Lathyrus maritimus_ Lathyrus japonicus ssp maritimu
Honckenya peploides
Honckenya peploides_2
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and more...
The most northern desert
The most northern desert_0
The most northern desert_2
Barkhan with filling from Empetrum nigrum
Vaccinium uliginosum in desert
Armeria maritima ssp_ arctica
Caps Juniperus
River Salnitsa mouth
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In Kirovsk also there is a north botanical garden - Arctic-alpine botanical garden-institute. They have magnificent collection of plants - from the Himalaya plants to the North-American plants.
Hoy, if your daughter will visit Hibiny, becoming acquainted with minerals is possible. Both in mountains and in a museum - there remarkable museum in city Kirovsk and Appatity.
Thank you, Natalia! I'll discuss it with her next time she is home :D I would be interested in visiting the botanical garden too!
Hoy, in Russian, these plants are called Vaccínium myrtíllus - chernika, and Vaccínium uliginósum - golubika. In the first type is almost black berries, and the second with a matte blue plaque - the name comes from the color of berries.
Do you pick them and make jam or juice?
I have seen some pictures from the White Sea area before, but never like yours, Natalia! The landscape is very different from what I thought it was too! Nice plants and some special habitats.
The Aster, isn't it Aster tripolium? Or do you have another species at the coast there?
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Some wonderful images, Natalia of an area that I know very little about. I particularly like the landscape pictures, very atmospheric. The lichens are superb :) :) Thank you for sharing these with us.
You mentioned early on in this thread about the interesting geology of the region. One thing I do remember is that the Kola penninsula is where the deepest borehole has been drilled. Originally conceived as an attempt to drill down to the 'Moho' (the boundary between the Earth's crust and its Mantle), they finally abandoned drilling at a depth of a little over 12 km. Quite a feat of drilling technology.
Here is a link to an article on this:
http://www.damninteresting.com/the-deepest-hole/
Great stuff!!
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Hoy, yes, we do jam, jams, and Vaccínium myrtíllus - we dry, we bake pies with it in the winter - it is very tasty - as with a fresh berry.
Aster tripolium - yes, it it - thanks for the help:)
Dave, I am glad that my photos were pleasant:)
Yes, Kola peninsula - is very various in geology. Even hills, nearby - Hibiny and Lovozero Tundra - formations very different in time and minerals. Yes, the superdeep slit is there was probably the most interesting project on earth crust research. Unfortunately, it has been ended - the state has stopped to finance researches. :'(
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Hi Natalia,
I have just noticed this thread and enjoyed your beautiful pictures!
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more....
Salvelinus alpinus_young fish
Natalia,
wonderful images and plants from an unknown region to me. Like Peppa I noticed this thread recently.
Just allow me one additional comment: the 'Salvelinus alpinus_young fish' both fish look more a three spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus).
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more....
Salvelinus alpinus_young fish
Natalia,
wonderful images and plants from an unknown region to me. Like Peppa I noticed this thread recently.
Just allow me one additional comment: the 'Salvelinus alpinus_young fish' both fish look more a three spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus).
picture 5, reply9 page one of this thread
http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=8328.msg225162#msg225162
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Natalija respected!
Left me without words at viewing of your pictures.
Large thank you for wonderful photographs.
Best regards! Zvone
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Colleagues, thanks, I am glad that was possible to show this fine corner of our country at a forum. :)
Armin, I showed a photo to friends in Kirovsk(town in Hibiny) and they have told that it is young fish Salvelinus alpinus — fish of family salmon. But also they could be mistaken:)
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Natalia,
don't worry! One fantastic feature of this forum is: there is always somebody be clued up on something! ;D
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Armin, I don't worry - if what not so - colleagues will correct ;D
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Plants, Kola peninsula, Hibiny
Arctous alpina_0009
Beckwithia glacialis_seeds _0014
Beckwithia glacialis_Viola biflora_0019
Campanula rotundifolia
Cladonia sp_9268
Cladonia sp_9271
Gymnadenia conopsea _4987
Linnaea borealis_9238
Oxyria digyna _0028.
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Plants and...
Papaver lapponicum _0011
Papaver lapponicum _5025
Phyllodoce caerulea_5015
Salix reticulata_0023
Solar hares_5060
Viola biflora _0022
Viola biflora_0013
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again impressive images 8)
Love the pale papaver and the yellow viola 8)
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Very nice, Natalia ;)
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Natalia, I only found your incredible pictures of the Russian north and the wonderful flora today.
I was not so often on the Forum as I would have liked, so probably missed a lot, but I am very happy to see these beautiful series of an area where I am not likely to see plants and places with my own eyes !
The Harrimanella hypnoides pictures are soooo beautiful and the Loiseleuria procumbens pictured in this way is seldom seen .
Thanks for showing !!
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Natalia,
It is truly wonderful to see these photographs. Part of the world I will never visit brought into my home for me to see. How wonderful.
Many thanks,
Paddy
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From all the interest shown by your fellow forum members in these magnificent landscapes and plants Natalia, I suspect you need to start a tour company as quickly as possible ... could we book two places on the first holiday please?
Wonderful photographs of a remarkable destination ... no wonder you return so often!!!
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I hope you may be able to show pictures of the Arctous alpina in the autumn. Please. :)
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Colleagues, thanks, I am glad that was possible to show this fine corner of our country at a forum. :)
Armin, I showed a photo to friends in Kirovsk(town in Hibiny) and they have told that it is young fish Salvelinus alpinus — fish of family salmon. But also they could be mistaken:)
Thanks again for more interesting pics of plants and landscaspes.
As for the fish I am pretty sure that Armin is right though. We have both Salvelinus alpinus and three spined stickleback in the lake by out mountain cabin. The sticklebacks often stands still like that in shallow water and are easy to take pisc of, while a char (S. alpinus) would be gone in a second, and not wait to be photographed. The fish also has the typical shape of a stickleback.
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Magnar,
thanks for your support. I agree your observation that a young char or trout would have resorted as soon as a shadow or a moving object appears in their range of vision.
When I was a teenager I've caught and rescued thousands of sticklebacks from a running dry pond. Their shape is unique. You never forget.
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Beautiful plants and landscapes, Natalia! thanks for sharing them :)
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Thank's Natalia!
Beautiful!
Best regards! Zvone