Lartsevo: Cycling History and Moorland

A cycling tour from 2008 features Lartsevo as one stage of a longer journey. A report from the same year mentions numerous ponds along a road in the village. About one kilometre north lie a sphagnum and cranberry bog and the small peat lake Tpruno. Village details, cycling history and landscape offer different points of interest for planning a trip.

A historic cycling tour through Lartsevo

The approximately 70-kilometre cycling tour in 2008 began at Bolshaya Volga station. It went via the hydroelectric complex and the dam to Lartsevo, continued to Ignatovo and then passed through Lartsevo again. The route then ran via Gubin Ugol, Sobolevo, the Volga riverbank, Sobolevo once more and Kimry to Savyolovo station. During this ride, it was possible to cycle through almost the entire village. The total distance belongs to the tour through several places, not to a short loop through Lartsevo alone. Its route links the hydroelectric complex and the dam with several stops and a section along the Volga; passing through Lartsevo twice is part of this longer sequence.

Village ponds and moorland north of the village

The ponds along a road and the landscape north of the village offer two distinct natural features. The sphagnum and cranberry bog and the small peat lake Tpruno lie about one kilometre north of Lartsevo. When planning a holiday, you can therefore distinguish between the village itself and the nearby moorland, without combining them into a single outing.

The cycling reports also describe different kinds of routes. A report dated 4 May 2024 describes a damaged unpaved route with numerous obstacles in the area around Lartsevo, in the forest towards the Ivankovskaya Dam. Impassable sections often had to be bypassed. This is very different from the long tour in 2008, which passed through several places and through Lartsevo twice: here, the focus is on a difficult forest section. Together, the two reports provide different perspectives on cycling in and around the village.

Nature experiences in Tver Oblast

As separate nature destinations in Tver Oblast, the Central Forest State Nature Biosphere Reserve offers guided excursions along the “Tayny Okovskogo lesa” and “Lesnaya azbuka” ecological trails. The “Boloto Staroselskiy mokh” educational trail runs through a picturesque raised bog, with vast open areas completely covered in moss and unusual plants. The reserve also offers an excursion to the “Staroselskiy mokh” raised bog; visitors use their own vehicle for this trip.

Another option in Tver Oblast is a hike to the “Barsuchikha” ranger station. It can be taken as a day trip or with an overnight stay in a forest cabin. Along the way, visitors see southern taiga forest and a raised bog. The Central Forest Reserve thus offers a choice of guided trails, an excursion using your own vehicle, and a hike with the option of a day trip or overnight stay.

The reserve’s main estate also has a visitor centre. It provides information about the organisation’s history and structure, a regularly displayed exhibition of children’s work, and a souvenir shop. The nature museum showcases important ecosystems in the protected area and the species that live there; one room is dedicated to scientific research.

Cultural destinations in Tver Oblast

Tver Oblast’s cultural destinations offer their own points of interest. In the historic centre of Torzhok, Verkhnee gorodishche is an archaeological monument of federal significance and a tourist attraction. The “Blin s Pripyokom” and “Kuzminki v Torzhke” festivals are held annually at the Novotorzhskiy Kremlin. The Novotorzhskiy Borisoglebskiy Monastery in Torzhok was founded in 1038 and is one of Russia’s oldest Orthodox monasteries. Nilova Pustyn, a monastery and centre for religious and pilgrimage tourism, is located on Stolobny Island.

When looking for a holiday apartment in Lartsevo, it helps to distinguish between the village and its landscape and a broader itinerary in Tver Oblast. The historic cycling tour, ponds and moor north of the village are specific to Lartsevo; the reserve, Torzhok and Nilova Pustyn represent distinct regional interests. Focus your search on what matters most for your trip.

Discover more destinations: Likhoslavl, Pererva, Antonovo, Moscow, Staryy Sig, Verkhnyaya Troitsa, Kolesnikovo, Zaltso

Go to the regional travel overview: Tver Oblast.