Mount Medovaya (Zheleznovodsk)

Mount Medovaya, or Honey Mountain, is a small mountain with sheer yellow cliffs on the western edge of Zheleznovodsk, in Stavropol Krai, in the Caucasian Mineral Waters region. It rises to about 725 metres above sea level. The mountain stands next to the Zheleznovodsk resort park; the climb is short and easy, and the top gives one of the best views of the town and the surrounding peaks.

Name and legends

The mountain is made of pale sedimentary rock, and its cliffs have a yellowish-brown, honey-like colour. In places the weathered rock looks like honeycomb, which is why the cliffs are often called the Honey Rocks. A local legend says that wild bees once nested all over the sheer walls and people came here to collect honey, and that this is where the name comes from.

History

Traces of an ancient settlement dated to the Byzantine period have been found on the mountain. On 15 September 1961 Mount Medovaya was declared a regional natural monument. In 2001 it became part of the Beshtaugorsky regional nature reserve, which protects the isolated mountains around Beshtau.

What to see

The main sight is the rock wall, 80 to 120 metres high. In front of it lies a small plateau of roughly 40 by 60 metres, and the ridge above the plateau makes a natural viewpoint. From here you can see the whole western part of the Zheleznovodsk park and the town itself, and further away Beshtau, Mashuk, Zheleznaya, Zmeyka, Razvalka, Byk and Verblyud.

The cliffs have long served as a training crag for mountaineers and rock climbers, and on a fine day you will often see roped teams on the walls. For ordinary visitors it is a place for a walk with a viewpoint at the top.

Getting there

The easiest route starts at the Chapaeva bus stop, served by any minibus running from the resort area of Zheleznovodsk into town; from there a footpath leads to the mountain. Another well-known route starts at the Dubovaya Roshcha sanatorium. A forest road also begins at the roundabout by house 89A on Lenina Street: from there you can walk around the mountain or climb it by the zigzag path.

Good to know

The terrain is rough and the paths turn slippery after rain, so go in dry weather and wear proper shoes.