Hi all!

I was introduced to cross-country skiing at about the same age when I learned to walk. In my hometown there was snow for 8 months, and across the road from the house there was a forest. Having moved to St. Petersburg 7 years ago, I really missed my favorite slopes, and began to look for recreation centers with ski rentals. That's how I found out about Kavgolovo...

Location: Toksovo village, 20 km north of St. Petersburg

How to get there: It’s most convenient by car, but we took a minibus from Devyatkino metro station to the Fantastica store, and then walked another half hour through the dacha village. There are trains going in that direction, but then you still have to go by minibus or bus.

What to expect: a typical Soviet hotel, but with very friendly staff

Nutrition: You can buy a set meal for the whole day, order separately, or, like us, bring food with you. Although for breakfast we went to the dining room and bought a plate of delicious milk porridge for cheap.

All rooms have amenities, i.e. there is a small bathroom with a sink, toilet and shower. One place in such a room, regardless of the number of beds, costs 550 rubles (autumn 2015), and if you want to splash out and get a TV with a refrigerator, then each person will have to pay another 150 rubles.

When we went for the first time, we took a double room with equipment, since at that time there was the Winter Olympics, and my friend was going to watch. But then the prices were a little lower. I must say that both the refrigerator and the TV worked properly.

Everything inside is also Soviet. There are signs everywhere warning that windows should not be opened in winter. In general, everyone there has access to a balcony. It must be wonderful to drink hot tea in the summer.

The beds are new, the curtains are new, the bed linen is also not made of synthetics and not washed - it’s nice to touch it.

Old batteries barely heat. Both times we encountered temperatures of -30, which, to put it mildly, was not very pleasant for Peter. So we slept in all our clothes except street jackets. In the morning, the two of us climbed into one bed and covered ourselves with two blankets. If we sat in the room and watched TV, we also did it next to each other and under two blankets.

The water in the shower ran in a thin stream, and it was barely warm. But I didn’t really want to wash myself in the room in such cold weather. I didn’t take a full picture of the bathroom, so that’s all. The shower is supposed to be taken while standing on the tiled floor.

So this base is not suitable for a romantic date with your other half in winter. For this purpose, you will have to overpay in triad, but live with all the comfort at the neighboring base.

This neighboring base is located at the foot of the famous "Northern Slope" ski resort. Living there is a bit expensive, so Kavgolovo is filled with unassuming students and young people in winter. So if someone wants to go snowboarding, they can save money and stay at Kavgolovo. It takes about 30 minutes to walk to the ski resort, the road is lit with lanterns, so it’s good even in the evening.

On the “Northern Slope” there is often some kind of action on weekend evenings, so you can come and watch. We only had enough time to “take a photo”, and we returned back to the Olympics

There is a rental of cross-country skis and boots, cheesecakes and sleds. The website also states that in the summer you can rent a barbecue, a boat and a bicycle, but I haven’t been there in the summer. I don’t remember the price of the skis, but it was very affordable. The skis are plastic, but the boots are of the old fastening type, with a metal clip. It’s fine for me, but my friend hadn’t ridden one of these for 5 years at that time, and it was hard for her to adapt.

For more modern equipment, including snowboards and alpine skis, you can visit the Northern Slope. Prices there, however, are quite high, and you need to leave documents for the car or money as collateral.

Where to go cross-country skiing

We thought we would ride on the frozen lake, which is located next to the base. But it was very windy, and we didn’t dare go out into the open - we rode around a small stadium nearby. While preparing the review, I found out that there is a ski track on the Northern Slope, but we didn’t hear about it then.

The fact is that in Toksovo there is a ski slope famous throughout the entire Soviet northwest. When my dad was young, international competitions were held there, and this center is still in operation. In general, this is where we initially intended, but at Kavgolovo it turned out that we couldn’t get there on foot, and we didn’t have a car. So for cross-country skiing, I recommend driving your car there.

Skis

Anyone who has bought skis always wonders where they can go skiing. In our city there are parks and squares where you can go skiing in winter. However, if your soul asks for more, for example, a good prepared cross-country route, not far from St. Petersburg? I’ll say right away that we have very few such trails; you can literally count them on your fingers. I’ll tell you about some of them and hope that the list will grow.

1. VIFK- Military Institute of Physical Culture.

The route is located northwest of Lake Hepojärvi. Start/finish at the VIFK camp, on the Toksovo-Nov road section. Toksovo, on the right, around the turn to Eagle Mountain. The track is “live”, i.e. it is constantly being prepared and competitions are held on it. There is an illuminated section of 2 km, until 21.00, almost flat. The main distance of 5, for classics and skating, is quite hilly. As a rule, another 10 are rolled out for both types. From there you can run around Khepojärvi along the flat ski track to the SKA track and return back along the lake or vice versa. The circle turns out to be 15. An excellent route for all skill levels. Very often under the snow on the lake. There is water in Khepojärvi (springs), but this is not a crime, mainly in the area where it connects with Tea Lake. There are no rentals or changing rooms. From the railway station Kavgolovo 30-40 (~3 km) minutes on foot or by minibus to Eagle Mountain.

2.SKA

Located in the east of Toksovo.

You need to turn right before the Kavgolovsky jump, 1st fork to the left, 2nd, on the descent, to the right and before entering the “Northern Slope” to the left all the way. You can follow the sign for “Severny” and when you exit the road towards it, turn right, that is, on the opposite side from “Snezhny”. There is a “live” 5, skate + classic, very hilly. There are exits to the ski tracks around Lake Khepoyarvi (see point 1) and to the “ring” between the holiday village “Victoria” and lake. School.

3. Eagle Mountain

East of Small Kavgolovskoe Lake, Start/Finish begins right next to the Eagle Mountain resort parking lot where, in the summer, an asphalt ski track jumps out onto a sandy volleyball field. 5, more amateur than sports. The hilliness is average. VIFK is closer to the train (Kavgolovo station, 20 min.). On the “Mountain” there are changing rooms, cafes, and toilets.

4. Surf

Ski resort "Priboy" in Zelenogorsk, 1 km from the railway station on the road to Ilyichevo, on the right. Leave cars on the side of the road or at the cemetery, which is further down the road for another 1 km and in front of the white brick house turn right into the forest. The base has ski rental, locker rooms, and toilets. The track is “live” - competitions are held regularly. There is an absolutely flat 2, and also marked 3, 5,10, 15. All distances are prepared for classics and skating. Every kilometer there is a sign for the distance traveled, and from the middle of the remaining one, it’s at 15. The route is moderately hilly. You can jump along the ski tracks to lakes Shchuchye (beyond the 5 km mark, fork to the right) and Bol. Simagino (at the 6 km mark - straight ahead). There is often an ice hole on Shchuchye. From there you can go to the railway station. Komarovo past the Komarovskoye (writer's) cemetery.

5. LMZ

1 km south from the railway station. Lembolovo, west of the railway. Distances are 3, 5 and 10 km, flat near the Start/Finish and sloping in the middle of the 10s.

6. Mozhaiskoe

Duderhof Heights - 1 km south from the railway station. Mozhaiskaya and to the left up the hill (Mount “Orekhovaya” 175 m) there is a children’s ski school. At the top of the mountain there is a winding 5-way, very relief and beautiful, with gorgeous views of St. Petersburg in clear weather. There are no locker rooms, toilets, etc., but sometimes the guy - the owner of the mountain - comes up and asks for fifty dollars (for the whole season). This is the coach of this school and takes money for fuel for the snowmobile to “cut” the track.

7. Pargolovskaya ski track

A small three-kilometer track, located almost within the city limits, a five-minute drive from the station. Prospekt Prosveshcheniya metro station. The route passes through the picturesque copses of the southern end of the Shuvalovsky Forest Park. In general, the route is not difficult, with a maximum elevation difference of only 15 m, replete with a large number of turns and is very convenient for coaches who can watch skiers from one point 3-4 times on each lap.

About 50% of the route runs through open areas with little protection from the wind. The total elevation gain on the 3-kilometer circuit is 90 m or an average of 18 m per kilometer. There are practically no difficult ascents and descents; the route is well suited for training children and beginner skiers. The distance from any point on the route to the starting town does not exceed 500-600 meters.

Travel by bus and minibus in the direction of Pargolovo/Sertolovo. From Art. Ozerki metro station, etc. Prosveshcheniya has a large number of routes providing 5-10-minute traffic intervals, both on weekends and on weekdays.

Travel time is 10 minutes. Stop - opposite the Lenta on the Vyborg highway (not far from the turn to Kamenka). By private vehicle you will reach the highway area from Poklonnaya Gora in the same 10 minutes.

8. Blue Dacha

The ski slope of the MOO STC "Monolit", known among skiers as the "Blue Dacha", is located in the vicinity of the village of Suoranda, 6 km from the western outskirts of the city, the Rzhevka-Porokhov district. The main part of the route is on a forested slope adjacent to open hilly terrain.

The route, in general, has a “playful” character with alternating relatively gentle ascents and descents, and in the area from the sixth to the eleventh kilometer there are quite heavy, protracted ascents with a height gain of up to 30 -40 meters. The start and finish sections pass through open areas, practically unprotected from the wind. The rest of the route is sheltered from the wind by forest. The total length of the route is 15 km, the presence of shortcuts allows racing to be held at almost any distance. The total elevation gain is 255 meters, that is, about 17 meters per kilometer, which allows us to classify the route as of medium difficulty.

In the area of ​​the route there are recreational ski tracks, one of which connects the area with the Okhtinsky forest park in Porokhovy, which allows you to start skiing right on the outskirts of the city and after 30 - 40 minutes (7-8 km) reach the foot of the Koltushskaya Upland, on the slope of which the route is located .

9. Ski slope Dynamo village Toksovo, village Kavgolovo

The Dynamo ski track runs through the territory of the Kavgolovsky forest park in close proximity to the square. Kavgolovo. The route runs through a park forest and is reliably sheltered from wind and snowfall by centuries-old spruce trees. A relatively easy 5-kilometer distance with a total elevation gain of 120 m (an average of 24 m per kilometer) is used only for small-scale competitions. However, due to its convenient location and good protection from adverse weather conditions, this route is very convenient for training.

A significant number of sports centers located in the area, as well as the proximity of the Eagle Mountain ski complex, create good conditions for changing clothes and relaxing after training.

In the public skiing area there are a large number of recreational ski tracks, and on weekends you will meet skiers-tourists and active recreation enthusiasts on the ski track.

The easiest way to get to the Dynamo train station is by electric train from Finlyandsky Station to Kavgolovo Square (direction Sosnovo/Priozersk, interval 30 - 40 minutes on weekends, travel time 45 - 50 minutes). You can also use buses and minibuses from the station. metro Grazhdansky Ave. and Prosveshcheniya Ave. to the stop “Toksovo, Center” or “Tramplin”.

Electric trains from Finlyandsky Station in the direction of Sosnovo/Priozersk run on weekends with an interval of 30 - 40 minutes. Vehicle owners can get to the village. Toksovo is like a railway crossing near the square. Murino, and along the route Kultury Ave. - Bugry - Kuzmolovo - Toksovo, following the sign boards in the direction of the Eagle Mountain ski complex. Here you can either park your car near the Tramplin bus stop, or drive directly to the starting town through the Eagle Mountain ski complex and the training base of the Russian State Academy of Physical Culture named after. Lesgafta, and then along the low-quality road past Sq. Kavgolovo via the Stroitel road, which will be an additional 4 km.

Team L-BIKE expresses gratitude to Anatoly Chaika and Vasily Madshus for the materials provided.

ABOUT THE CENTER

The Kavgolovo educational and training center is the official training base of the Lesgaft University of Physical Education and Sports. After reconstruction and modernization, various services became available to athletes and amateurs.

The hotel complex allows you to receive guests for training camps and competitions. Spa services, gym, games room and conference room. Anyone can take advantage of all this.

A roller ski track in summer and a 5 km long ski track in winter allows athletes of any level to fully train. The track is illuminated and is constantly maintained and prepared for training.

The complex is guarded and there is a fee for renting the track in the amount of 250 rubles for the whole day. This price includes renting a locker in the locker room, where you can comfortably change clothes and take a shower. You can eat in the cafe at an attractive price.

The location of the complex is amazing. A step away from you will be the delight of the magnificent Kavgolovskoe Lake; nearby there is a forest for running and simulation training on moderately rugged terrain.

You can get to the Kavgolovo training center by car or by train. Address: Toksovo village, Leningrad region, st. Lesgafta 35 k1. By electric train: from the Finlyandsky station to the Kavgolovo station, from the car to the left, in the direction of the springboard. It is also possible to take a minibus from the Devyatkino metro station to Toksovo (Shkolnaya St.).

TRAINING AT THE SKI ACADEMY

At the training center Kavgolovo we conduct training both in winter and summer. Our Ski Academy trains amateurs from beginners to professional levels.

We offer to master the skills of cross-country skiing and roller skiing for beginners, and improve the results for athletes thanks to our well-coordinated team.

The Academy includes trainers and methodologists of the highest category, Masters of Sports and certified specialists, graduates of sports universities and participants in seminars, trainings and educational courses in various areas of sports and fitness.

Signing up for a training session is very easy, just leave your details and we will call you back. You can study both in a group and individually. For children we have a children's school

The oldest track in the region.

The SKA route was built back in the fifties of the last century. Regional and all-Union competitions were constantly held here, for which the Kavgolovo sports complex was equipped with four hotels, a ski stadium and a judges' pavilion. SKA is one of the most difficult tracks. Its length is 10 kilometers, and the total height gain (in other words, the sum of the heights of all the slides that you have to climb) is 400 meters. It's ideal for pros, but for beginners it's best to practice on shorter running courses.

How to get there: by train from Finlyandsky station to Toksovo station, minibus 431 from the Prospekt Prosveshcheniya metro station to the Toksovo Center stop, from there it’s a kilometer walk. The journey will take 30 – 40 minutes.

"Dynamo" in the Kavgolovsky forest park

A small but convenient training track among centuries-old fir trees.

Unlike the nearby SKA, Dynamo is also suitable for those who are not very confident on skis. Its length is 5 kilometers, and the total height gain is only 120 meters. It is occasionally used for local competitions. The rest of the time, the wide road, protected from the wind by coniferous forest, is ideal for training.

How to get there: by train from Finlyandsky station to Kavgolovo or Toksovo stations, minibus 431 from the Prospekt Prosveshcheniya metro station to the Toksovo Center stop, from there it’s a kilometer walk, in addition, next to Dynamo there is the Eagle Mountain ski complex with a parking lot. The journey will take 40 minutes.

"Pargolovskaya ski track"

A winding and easy route on the northern outskirts of St. Petersburg.

The Pargolovskaya ski track runs through the southern part of the Shuvalovsky forest park. This is the most convenient route for skiers who do not have time to go to train at Eagle Mountain or Blue Dacha. In addition, it is very suitable for beginners: the height difference is only 15 meters, there are no slides, and the coach can observe the skier without practically moving from one place.

How to get there: by bus, minibus from the Ozerki or Prospekt Prosveshcheniya metro stations to the Doroga na Kamenka stop, from there - 500 meters on foot. The journey will take 10 – 20 minutes (depending on traffic jams on the Vyborg highway)

LMZ

A well-equipped and wide track in the picturesque Lembolovo forests.

An ideal road for those who are already bored in Pargolovo, but it’s too early to go to Toksovo. The total length of the ski track is 10 kilometers. It is paved by Buran snowmobiles, so the track is wide enough for both classic and free-running competitions. The total height difference is 200 meters, the section that is especially difficult for beginners and “intermediates” is right in the middle: there are many slides and sharp turns. The area around the LMZ ski track is indented with small walking trails, which are used by children and ordinary vacationers who occasionally go out of town with their skis. Among the amenities are a well-equipped racing start (with radio communication) and a recreation center with brick houses: relatively cozy, although without any special frills.

How to get there: by train from Finlyandsky station to Lembolovo station. The total travel time is a little over an hour.

"Blue Dacha"

A long and difficult route at the foot of the Koltush Upland.

The route of the MOO STC "Monolit" is located a few kilometers from the urban area of ​​Rzhevka-Porokhovye. This is one of the longest ski runs in the vicinity of St. Petersburg (about 15 kilometers). Part of it passes through open terrain, one section is replete with long and steep climbs (the total drop is 255 meters). Competitions there are held quite rarely. The main convenience is that you can get to it directly from the city on skis, since there is a special walking ski track from the forest park in Porokhov, along which it is direct to the track - only 7 kilometers on flat terrain.

How to get there: by buses and minibuses 426 – 430 from the Ladozhskaya metro station to the village of Suoranda. Travel time is only 30 - 40 minutes.