A local connection to nature

Chudovsky District is home to the Boloto Bor State Nature Reserve, a protected area of regional significance. This offers a clear local connection to nature: you can get a sense of the district through a specifically named protected area. If you are choosing nature-related activities for your trip, this gives you a precise local point of reference. The wider destination of Novgorod Oblast offers other, different landscapes and cultural attractions.

More landscapes in Novgorod Oblast

In the wider destination of Novgorod Oblast, Valdai National Park covers 159,100 hectares and stretches across the three districts of Valdaysky, Demyansky and Okulovsky. Its scale gives nature a regional scope and distinguishes the national park from the local protected area in Chudovsky District.

Mount Ryzhokha is the highest point in the park. A 25-metre-high observation tower stands on it, offering views of the taiga, Lake Velyo and other bodies of water. The circular trail in the Bor area offers a different focus: it passes through typical taiga forests on hilly terrain, as well as diverse wetlands in the hollows between the hills. At the tower, the focus is on the viewpoint and vistas of forest and water; on the trail, it is on the combination of hills, taiga forest and wetlands. This is a practical distinction if you are choosing nature experiences based on whether you prefer a viewpoint or a landscape trail.

Culture in Novgorod Oblast

The wider view of Novgorod Oblast also leads to Valday for cultural attractions. At the Bell Museum in Valday, staff demonstrate bell-ringing techniques and let visitors try them for themselves. The Bell Museum Centre in Valday displays bells from around the world, spanning forms from the 3rd century BC through the Middle Ages to modern souvenir bells. Those interested in craftsmanship can take a hands-on approach by trying the techniques, rather than focusing on the collection’s breadth across time and the world.

Opened in 1998, the exhibition at the Museum of the County Town explores the everyday lives of townspeople, the development of local trades, and the lives of individual Valday families and well-known summer visitors. Its themes range from town life and work to individual families and summer visitors. In 2017, the “Kuznetsam i kolokolnym masteram Valdaya” monument was erected in Valday. Its title puts blacksmiths and bell makers in the spotlight. In this way, bell-related collections and demonstrations sit alongside insights into urban life and local trades.

When looking for a holiday rental, first decide whether your destination is Chudovsky District itself or the wider destination of Novgorod Oblast. This helps you focus your search on your travel interests: either the local protected area or the wider nature and culture of the oblast.

Discover more destinations: Starorusskiy District, Marevskiy District, Borovichsky District, Valdaysky District, Valdayskiy District, Khvoyninskiy District, Novgorodsky District, Okulovskiy District

For the wider travel overview: Novgorod Oblast.