The Upa river: description, features, attractions and interesting facts

The Upa River is one of the most picturesque tributaries of the Oka River. It flows through the Tula region of Russia and is very popular with lovers of fishing. In addition, on its banks there are many interesting sights, noteworthy lovers of history and architecture.

Description

The Upa River, sung in the works of the great Russian writers Tolstoy, Turgenev and Bunin, has a basin area of 9 510 sq. Km. Km, its length is 345 km, and the width varies within 30-40 meters. It begins on the Volovskiy Plateau and flows within the boundaries of the Central Russian Upland. Up to Tula, the water of Upa, which forms several large loops, moves north. Then its channel turns to the west and flows into the Oka near the village of Kuleshovo.

The food of the river is mainly snow. Flood lasts from the last days of March to early May. At the same time, the average annual water discharge at a distance of 89 km from the mouth of Upa is up to 40.2 cubic meters. M / s. The freezing of the river takes place in late November during December and is opened about the end of March - early April.

On the banks of Upa there are the cities of Tula and Sovetsk, as well as the village of Odoev.

Flow

At first, Upa is narrow and flows northward through open terrain. The city of Sovietsk on it built a reservoir area of 5.7 square meters. Km. Behind its dam, Upa has a stable level and steep picturesque banks, overgrown with a mixed forest. After the settlement of Prilepa, the river is crossed by the Tula highway.

Below the point of confluence in the Upa of the right tributary of the Shata, it leaves the zone of green massifs and continues to flow between the fields. Further on its way is Tula, and it becomes a fairly full river with steep, open banks and a wide valley.

Passing the village of Ketri, Upa makes a turn and, changing the direction of the current, moves to the south-west. This site, right up to the village of Novoe Pavshino, is a great place for fishing.

Below the village of Nikolsky, the rapids and rapids begin, and then the Upa flows through the Krapivenskoye zasek. In this area, the river floodplain is swamped in some places, and the banks are covered with a dense mixed forest. Passing the village of Yartsevo, Upa emerges from the notch and creates several convolutions. In the Oka river flows slightly above the city of Chekalin.

History

The researchers believe that the name Upa comes from the Baltic word "upe", which translates as "river".

It is known that the basin of this tributary of the Oka was inhabited already at the beginning of the Iron Age. There, about the 6th c. BC. E lived the East Baltic carriers of the Verkhneokskaya culture, which founded the town of Radovishche. Later, in the 5th-7th centuries AD they were assimilated representatives of the goliad tribe, and 500 years later they suffered the same fate, and they dissolved into the Slavic tribe of Vyatichi.

Upa and its tributaries on the territory of Tula

In 1741-1831, 10 rivers flowed through the city. Among them, besides Upa, were Tulitsa, Khomutovka, Voronka, Bezhka, Rogozhnya, Rzhavets, Trostyanka, Serebrovka and Sesha. At the moment there are only 6 rivers, some of which resemble streams. More recently, the Upa river was navigable, and barges moved along it. Today it has considerably grown shallow and divides Tula into 2 unequal parts.

Interesting Facts

At the beginning of the 18th century, when the floodgates were built on the Oka, Upa became part of the shipping route leading from middle Russia to the sea along the Oka, Shatu and to the Don through Ivan-lake. The first caravan of ships passed along this road in 1707. However, after the attention of Peter the Great switched to the Baltic, the route lost its relevance. At the same time, as a transport artery to meet local needs, the Upa river was intensively used until the middle of the last century.

Tulitsa

This is the right tributary of Upa. It has a length of 38 km and a meandering channel. On the territory of the city the river flows from the village of Medvenka to the confluence of the river Upa at Zarechensky bridge. Floodplain Tulitsa is swampy enough and is a place potentially dangerous for flooding. For this reason it is not built up and represents a corner of the virgin nature in the city.

Attractions on the banks of Upa

Tula is a city famous for its monuments. Among them there are those who are located on the banks of Upa. In particular, this river flows through the territory of the Demyan Bedny park, as well as near the Chulkovsky cemetery, where in the 19th century the famous Lefty was buried. In addition, a few years ago the embankment of the river Upa was decorated with a beautiful snow-white rotunda, from the site in front of which a magnificent view opens. It quickly became a favorite place for Tula honeymooners who come to be photographed there. The rotunda is also remarkable for the fact that opposite to it, on the other bank of Upa is one of the main tourist sites of the city - the Weapons Museum. By the way, the "joint" photo of these two architectural symbols of Tula together with the adjacent section of the embankment is the main decoration of most of the tourist avenues devoted to the region.

The Upa River: fishing

The rivers of the Tula region are very popular among lovers to sit with a fishing rod. In particular, this river is full of delicious, fat and large roach. And the largest specimens are caught, as a rule, closer to the Oka. On the spinning roach can be successfully caught near the village of Sergeevskoe, where Upa is crossed by the Tula highway and the access to the river can be done without problems at any time of the year. The main fish are okunek and small pike, which can be caught in large enough quantities.

In the waters of the river Upa there are also chubs, minnows, ruffs, catfish, bream, burbot, pike perch, carp and bleak.

Alloy

Fans of outdoor activities can admire the beauty of the landscapes of Upa, breaking it in a kayak. The best place to start such a mini-trip is the quay of the Upa river (Tula) in the area of the railway bridge, which is located 0.5 km from the station.

On the section from the city to Krapivna you will meet several operating and destroyed dams. Therefore, approaching them, it will be necessary to pull the kayak out of the water and make an update. Below the city of Tula, the Upa river is contaminated by sewage for about 25 km, and this site should try to pass quickly.

There are practically no beaches on the banks of the river. In addition, on much of the road you will find it difficult to find a place to exit. At the same time, the bottom of the river is mostly stony, or silt, and after Odoev, thickets of willow are very often found near the water's edge. The most interesting begins after overcoming the mouth of Upa, as there are already many beaches and open beaches. You can complete the trip on the right bank of the Oka, reaching the bridge on the highway Kozelsk-Kaluga.

Now you know what is called one of the most beautiful rivers of the Tula region. Attractions located on its shores, as well as luxurious landscapes deserve to be seen. Almost all areas of the river Upa can easily be reached by boat, so it is best to study everything from the water.