Around Kremenchuk reservoir. First day.

Idea.

The idea of ​​traveling around reservoirs in Ukraine has been visiting me for many years. In addition, I wanted to make a trip that would 5 days because I had never had such an experience. Somewhere there was a lack of time, and at some moments I was perhaps not fully confident in my abilities. But there are moments when you understand for yourself—the time has come. One of the plans I've had for a long time is a trip around the Kremenchuk Reservoir. There was even a ready-made route and ideas of places that I wanted to visit on the way. It remains to adjust it and decide on the dates. I pitched the idea to all my friends, and Vlad (@vlad1vpole) responded to it. After discussion, we decided that we would go in August so that we would be back home before Independence Day of Ukraine.

First day.

Morning trip.

I woke up around 4 in the morning, and having done all the morning routines, got dressed, took my bike, and set off into the night. Driving through hometown at night, I met only a car and an owl that flew off the roof of the fire station somewhere. Beyond the city, nearer to Pivtsi, it started to dawn, I even noticed a few Perseids. It was already quite chilly in the morning and I had planned to ride in sandals, so I wore Dexshell socks, it were comfortable and warm, and in case it rained, it also kept moisture out.

At the turn to Potoky village, I decided to have breakfast, took out a sandwich, and ate it on the go. It was cold in the village itself, but I expected that. Last year, returning in October from the Buky Canyon, I rode through Potoky at night, and that time too I got pretty cold. And even now in the summer, in the middle of August, it is 8 degrees here in the morning. Next, I ride to the highway that leads to Myronivka, and already at the entrance, I stop at a gas station to drink coffee.

After coffee, I still ride through the morning streets of Myronivka, today is Sunday, and as in any small town, there is almost no one in the morning. However, not near the railway station because there is a market nearby, which is currently full of people. While standing at the station near the station, the sun begins to burn, and I take off everything extra and pull out a second sandwich. Having strengthened myself, I go to the ticket office and buy a ticket. The train to Kyiv departs, and behind it the train to Smila is visible, standing near the second platform. Just at this time, Vlad rides up, and we get into the train and soon leave.

Smila.

Arriving to Smila, we decide to start by having lunch somewhere, and without looking for anything in particular, we sit down in some station café. To our surprise, they cook here normally. After lunch, we set off in the direction of the Kholodnyi Yar. One of the first settlements in our way is Zhabotyn village. Here we stop for a while to rest, and along the way take a photo of the local church. Near the churches there is usually some kind of water source in the courtyard where you can replenish supplies, but in this case, the gate was closed. Therefore, we headed further through the village searching for water.

Kholodnyi Yar.

Having collected water from one of the village wells, we leave this village, and somehow imperceptibly enter the Kholodnoyarsk forest. Here we have a classic situation. The thing is that when planning the route, I laid it through one of the forest roads. But in reality, this road has been overgrown for a long time, and it is not possible to ride on it, it is not even possible to walk on it. Therefore, we began to wander a little, looking for a way to get to the needed road. It worked for us, although it spent our time, which was already in short supply. We left on some forest roads, parts of which were not on the map. But we rode to the intersection near the monument to the Kholodnoyarsk partisans.

From here we reach the asphalted road and head to the monastery. Stopping at the entrance, I notice that there are some steps to the spring nearby and decide to go down to collect water. But I don't find anything there, we already lost time wandering through the forest, so I don't go further searching for water, but return. We did not enter the monastery, but after resting for a while at the entrance, we headed to Buda village.

Kholodnyi Yar is a very fascinating place, but you still need to come here separately somehow. And ideally, to have someone here show and tell you about all the interesting places, someone knowledgeable in local history. I hope that someday we will walk here with my friend Anatolii, who know a lot about this historical place and can tell the most interesting things about the Kholodnyi Yar.

Arriving in the village of Buda, we decide to refresh ourselves and visit the Wild Farm. And then I decide to walk to Maksym Zalizniak's oak tree. It is believed that it was near this oak that he held meetings during the times of the Koliivshchyna rebellion.

And then we go along country roads. And although the plan was to ride past Subotiv and stay somewhere near Chyhyryn for the night. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time because we got a little lost in the Kholodnoyarsk forest, so we had to change our plans a little. We decide that we should try to get to Medvedivka and stay somewhere for the night. Therefore, we quickly turn around, and on the way I notice a few more interesting locations, but no time to take photos. Arriving in Medvedivka village, we find a pond there, and even a convenient place with a table and a place for swimming. But from our travel experience, we already know that in such places you cannot rest because locals can come to this place at night to drink. We ride around the pond, and not far from it is a place that will be more or less convenient.