Vsevolozhsky District: Nature Trails and Cultural Heritage

Vsevolozhsky District in Leningrad Oblast offers forest and marsh landscapes, trails for different types of travel, and the historic Priyutino Estate. When planning, it is worth distinguishing nature experiences by trail length and season, and comparing them with the estate’s cultural attractions.

Forests, kame hills and protected areas

Five specially protected natural areas have been established in Vsevolozhsky District. The Kokorevsky Reserve lies on the shore of Petrokrepost Bay on Lake Ladoga, between the villages of Gannibalovka and Kokorevo.

The defining landscapes along the “Elovye Kholmy” ecological trail include little-disturbed spruce and pine forests, sandy kame hills, and marsh vegetation in the hollows between the kames. The “Dolina reki Okhty” trail also lets you explore kame hills, as well as spruce forests with trees up to 160 years old and the valley of the Okhta River.

Nature trails: length, season and themes

The “Elovye Kholmy” ecological trail is 3.2 kilometres long and designed for walkers, cyclists and skiers. From December to March, it can be used for winter skiing trips. The “Malinovaya Gora” trail, also located in Toksovo, is 2.3 kilometres long and likewise intended for walkers, cyclists and skiers. The different lengths help you compare the routes according to your preferred time and activity level; the stated winter option applies to “Elovye Kholmy”.

The “Dolina reki Okhty” ecological trail runs through Toksovsky Nature Park, is 4.5 kilometres long and is open year-round. Check local trail notices before your visit. A shorter option expressly designated as a walking trail is “Ozero Shimpalatovskoye”: the trail is two kilometres long and accessible year-round. It passes through the Kokorevsky Reserve in the Rakhya Urban Settlement.

Visitors learn about the birds of the reserve on the “Ozero Shimpalatovskoye” trail. QR codes next to the bird descriptions link to videos or bird calls. A photo spot, art installations, a forest photo exhibition, and rest areas with benches and gazebos round out the trail.

Priyutino Estate: park, museum and culture

Priyutino Estate offers a different focus. Since 1960, the main manor house and park have been designated cultural monuments of federal significance. The estate belonged to Alexey Nikolaevich Olenin; among its visitors were A. S. Pushkin, I. A. Krylov, A. S. Griboyedov, M. I. Glinka and K. P. Bryullov. The park is laid out in the English style and is considered unique in Leningrad Oblast.

The museum complex includes the surviving main manor house, the guest wing, or second manor house, the servants’ house, the kitchen and laundry, the utility building, the dairy, the wine cellar and the forge. The museum displays an extensive collection illustrating the life of the nobility in the 19th century, mementos from the Olenin family, and paintings and graphic works by well-known artists. The buildings and collections give a visit a different focus from the nature trails: here, the estate’s history and surviving grounds take centre stage.

The estate hosts theatrical performances, classical music concerts, and interactive programmes for children and adults. Check the specific programme details before travelling. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, your interests can guide your choice of trip: forest and trail landscapes, birdlife and outdoor activity, or the park, collection and cultural programme.

Discover more destinations

Explore more places: Razmetelevo, Kokkorevo, Mednyy Zavod, Luppolovo and Voyeykovo.

Discover more destinations: Slantsevskiy District, Lomonosovsky District and Kirishsky District.

Return to the regional travel overview: Leningrad Oblast.