Salt

Not every Kharkiv citizen knows about the existence of such an unusual place. The reservoir was given an intriguing name, despite the fact that there are no seas or salt mines nearby. At the same time, it is completely true. We are talking about the Salt Lake. Such objects are shrouded in many interesting stories and mysteries. Some riddles make you distract from everyday problems, ordinary worries, and meet the unknown and intriguing. The place is really very beautiful and conducive to a relaxing, comfortable vacation.

Description of the Salt Lake near Kharkiv

The reservoir is especially popular among residents of the Kharkiv region - lovers of beach vacations and picnics. Tourists from neighboring areas are also frequent visitors here. The lake is characterized by fresh air (similar to sea air) and a high degree of salt content in the water, which makes it almost impossible to drown in the reservoir. In terms of its characteristics and properties, the water can be compared to the Dead Sea. This fact makes people with various ailments come here to recover. There are beautiful landscapes around, which are perfectly combined with blue water, sandy-salt marsh shores and rare green vegetation.

Video from the Salt Lake in the village of Antonivka

Characteristics of the lake

The water is very salty in the warm season and warms up quite quickly. At a depth of more than one and a half meters, it is 7-10 degrees cooler. The shoreline is steep, and there are practically no convenient entrances into the water. Since the bottom of the lake has not been studied much to date, its maximum depth can be judged based on eyewitness accounts (50 meters or more). The size is just over 100*100 meters. The water color is bright blue. The shore is sandy and muddy. There are few good, convenient and safe entrances to the water.

Interesting facts

The location is famous for its oil and gas fields. This feature, in fact, led to the formation of the salt lake. The fact is that there used to be a 3000-meter-deep well in its place. It passed through a large salt layer. The geologists who studied this area did not take into account a very important feature - the abnormally high gas pressure (over 300 atmospheres) coming out. In the course of drilling operations, the “blue fuel” literally began to gush out of the ground. This led to an emergency situation. As a result, the tower maintenance staff and residents of the nearby village of Antonivka were evacuated.

In order to prevent air pollution, the well was immediately plugged. However, within a few days, the gas found its way out again. Within a few hours, the ground around the tower began to sink, and eventually, along with the tower, it went completely underground. A huge crater was formed, with a diameter of 60 meters. The resulting emptiness was rapidly filled with water from underground springs passing through dense layers of salt beds. This is how the salt lake near Kharkiv was formed, which is now a popular tourist attraction.

However, gas continued to bubble above the surface of the former well for some time. To prevent an environmental disaster, experts decided to burn it. However, this did not help. Subsequently, a number of geological and exploration works were carried out. The specialists decided to drill inclined wells, which helped to preserve the facility by filling the created “channels” with concrete solution. Thus, a serious man-made disaster was avoided. As a result, all gas production operations were suspended for an indefinite period of time.

It is important to say that many vacationers note the beneficial properties of salt water. It turns out that it has a positive effect on human skin. Just a few minutes of bathing have a healing effect on wounds and a restorative effect on joints. It is interesting that there is a version of the maximum depth of the lake, which is about 2500 meters, but there is no official confirmation to date. Some say that today the former depression no longer exists, as it has simply silted up. There are also eyewitnesses who have seen a diver dive into the lake to a depth of 50 meters in search of a drowned car.

Infrastructure & Activities

A great place for a beach vacation and recreation. Given the fact that there are no shops and cafes nearby, it is recommended to take the necessary water and food with you. Since there are few trees around to hide in the shade of, it's a good idea to have sunscreen. You can have a snack in one of the catering establishments in Kegychivka. A small cafe Mercury on Yuvileina Street offers good conditions. Many travelers speak positively about the Astoria bar and the Kulinichi bakery. Very tasty food is served in the Kazka cafe with a large well-groomed area.

The situation with where to spend the night by the lake is more complicated. The easiest option is to rent a room from locals (in season), but no one can guarantee that there are free rooms or offers. A more reliable option would be to spend the night at the Status Hotel in Kegichevka. This option is suitable for frugal, unpretentious tourists. A little further, in the village of Natalino, at 124 Senchenko Street, there is a hotel-restaurant Lesnoy, which offers not only comfortable rooms but also comprehensive meals. As a last resort, in the warm season, a tent is the most reliable option. You can find places for its placement without any problems near the lake.

Location

The lake is located near the village of Antonovka, in the Kegichevsky district. It is not difficult to get to it at the following coordinates: 49.321695, 35.813552. The distance from Kharkiv to the reservoir is about 135 kilometers. You can get there by suburban train or bus (from the bus station No. 1, 22 Yuri Gagarin Avenue) on the Kharkiv-Kegichivka route, which will take about 2 hours. You should be guided to the bus stop on the highway, located near the turn to Antonivka. It will take 10-15 minutes to walk from there to the lake.