Chayka Pioneer Camp (Krasnaya Dubrava)

The Chayka ("Seagull") pioneer camp, later a children's health camp, is an abandoned summer camp near the village of Krasnaya Dubrava in the Orekhovo-Zuyevo district of Moscow Oblast. The grounds have long been deserted and are turning back into forest; the most striking building is the ruined canteen that visitors nicknamed the "wrecked canteen".

History

Chayka was one of the many pioneer camps around Moscow where the children of local factory workers spent their summers. According to some sources it belonged to the MIZ plant, and materials about the camp mention it still operating in 1986. After the Soviet system of children's holidays fell apart, the camp was renamed a children's health camp and then closed. The exact date and reasons for the closure are not given in open sources.

In hikers' stories the camp is sometimes called "Lastochka" ("Swallow"). This is probably a mix-up with another camp or a local nickname: in official records the site near Krasnaya Dubrava is listed as the Chayka pioneer camp, so anyone looking for photos of the former Lastochka camp here should search under both names.

What to see

The main sight is the ruined former canteen. Around it stand the remains of dormitory blocks and other camp buildings, while paths and playgrounds have been almost completely swallowed by the forest. The main gate is open and there is no guard.

The place is popular with urban explorers and overnight hikers: the empty buildings give shelter from wind and rain, although in the cold season it is hard going without warm gear. The authors of one such trip spent a night here at the turn of autumn and winter and remember it as one of their toughest outings, with cold, a rush to set up a place to sleep and the whole group working together.

Stories and accounts

Visitors say that the last residents, a dog and a cat abandoned by people, lived in a hut next to the camp. People who come here feed them from time to time. Hikers who visited in autumn left them food, and when they returned during the New Year holidays they found the dog alive; the cat did not show up. They could not photograph the animals and asked anyone heading to Chayka to bring some food for them.

Getting there

Road 46K-7060 runs through Krasnaya Dubrava. A scheduled bus runs from Orekhovo-Zuyevo to Krasnaya Dubrava; from the stop it is a walk through the woods to the camp. By car, take the same road and leave the car in the village.

Good to know

The buildings are dilapidated: floors and stairs may collapse, and broken glass and rebar lie underfoot. Go in daylight, in sturdy shoes and not alone. The land still has an owner, so do not damage the buildings or leave litter.