Belomorsky District offers several different themes to explore: the history of the Sumsky Ostrog, a route to groups of petroglyphs, and the landforms of the Soroksky Nature Reserve. If you choose the district for a trip, you can consider these highlights separately and then decide what kind of cultural or nature experience you want to focus on.
The cultural history of the Sumsky Ostrog
The regional cultural heritage site “Pamyatnoe mesto, gde nakhodilsya Sumsky ostrog (konets XVI–XVII vv.)” is located in Sumsky Posad. The Solovetsky Monastery built the Sumsky Ostrog in 1582–1583 to defend the Karelian Pomorye against Swedish raids. The boundaries of the heritage site have been established. None of the fortifications remain; traces of the ditch and earthen rampart can be seen at the site. It is therefore important to distinguish between the former fortress and the surviving traces in the landscape: the site brings together a specific history of construction and visible remains of the fortifications.
A route to the petroglyphs
Vygostrov is the starting point for the route section of “Kamennaya kniga Belogo morya” located in Belomorsky District. From there, an ecological trail runs through the forest in the direction of Zalavruga. The groups of petroglyphs visited include “Yerpin Pudas III,” “Yerpin Pudas IV,” and “Zalavruga.” The route thus focuses on several groups of rock carvings rather than just one site. Before travelling, check current local arrangements.
The landforms of the Soroksky Nature Reserve
The Soroksky Nature Reserve includes bedrock outcrops known as Medvezhi Golovy and Morskaya Malya, islands of crystalline rock, dunes, lakes, and fluvioglacial deltas. These varied landforms give the area a different focus from the historic heritage site or the petroglyph route. Visitors interested in landscapes and geology will find a mix of rock formations, islands, and other landforms that can be considered a travel destination in its own right, alongside cultural history and rock art.
Petroglyphs in the wider destination of the Republic of Karelia
In the wider destination of the Republic of Karelia, the UNESCO World Heritage property of the Onega and White Sea Petroglyphs comprises 4,500 Neolithic rock carvings. The White Sea Petroglyphs mainly depict hunting and sailing scenes, along with related equipment, as well as animal and human footprints. The Belomorsk Petroglyphs are located in the lower reaches of the Vyg near its mouth into the White Sea, 6–8 km from Belomorsk, and comprise more than 2,000 different carvings. The Onega Petroglyphs are another regional landmark: they comprise more than 1,200 figures in Pudozhsky District, most of them on the capes of Pery Nos, Besov Nos, and Kladovets. These regional details put the rock art in the context of the Republic of Karelia.
Where to focus your accommodation search
When looking for a holiday rental, you can first decide whether cultural history, rock art, or the nature reserve’s landforms will shape your trip. You can then compare individual accommodation listings according to your own criteria. This way, your search begins with the kind of trip you want; it is best to check the details of each specific accommodation directly in its listing.
Discover more destinations: Lekhta, Loukhsky District, Segezhsky District, Kondopozhsky District, Suoyarvsky District, Olonetsky District, Loukhsky District, Prionezhsky District.
Back to the wider travel overview: Republic of Karelia.
