Ring Mountain (Kislovodsk)

Ring Mountain, Gora Koltso in Russian, is a sandstone crag with a hole right through it on the western edge of Kislovodsk, near the villages of Mirny and Nezhinsky in Stavropol Krai. It is a spur of the Borgustan Ridge above the right bank of the Podkumok River, about 871 metres above sea level and roughly 100 metres above its base. It has been a protected natural monument since 1961 and is part of the Lermontov State Museum-Reserve in Pyatigorsk.

The rock is full of niches and small caves. Wind and water wore the sandstone away until the outermost cave broke through, leaving an opening about 8 metres wide and up to 12 metres high, depending on the source. Fossil shellfish and traces of a Bronze Age settlement have been found at the foot of the hill.

Lermontov wrote about the rock in Princess Mary, part of A Hero of Our Time: his characters ride out to watch the sunset through its stone window. The mountain also appears in the 1955 film Princess Mary.

Local legends say that a warrior who rode through the ring fully armed could not be beaten, and the Nart epic links this with the hero Aref. Another story says a shepherd shot an arrow through the rock to win a prince's daughter. These days visitors stand inside the ring and make a wish.

From the opening you can see Kislovodsk, the Podkumok valley, the Dzhinal Ridge and the Pyatigorye peaks, and Elbrus on a clear day.

The rock stands by the A157 road from Kislovodsk towards Karachay-Cherkessia. Bus 101 runs from Kislovodsk Central Market to the SNT Nezhinsky stop. There is free parking and a market selling woollen goods at the bottom. Entry is free. The climb is short but steep, and the polished sandstone is slippery, especially after rain. Half an hour is enough for a visit, and many people combine it with a trip to the Honey Waterfalls.