A cross-country ski trail more than two kilometres long in the wooded area of “Lyubogorye,” the Sopki in the centre of Lyubytino and an open-air museum featuring models based on the 10th century illustrate the range of themes in Lyubytinsky District. Winter activities, archaeological sites and museum themes offer different options for a stay. Season and specific dates are especially important when planning: the winter sports facilities operate seasonally, and the gathering at the former monastery takes place every year on 22 August.
Winter Activities in “Lyubogorye”
The “Lyubogorye” ski area has seven ski runs of varying difficulty, with a total length of five kilometres. A cross-country ski trail more than two kilometres long also runs through the wooded area of “Lyubogorye,” and the tubing run is 250 metres long. Downhill skiing, cross-country skiing and tubing are three different ways to plan winter activities.
The ski runs operate seasonally. The cross-country trail and tubing run are also seasonal offerings; snowfall and operation vary for the trail, while operating conditions for the tubing run may change. Before travelling, check whether each offering is available on your planned dates.
Museums and Archaeological Sites in Lyubytino
The Lyubytino Local History Museum displays archaeological finds, paintings, photographs, weapons and jewellery from various periods, from the Stone Age to the present day. The variety of objects and broad time span offer several ways to explore history through the collection. To experience history in the townscape as well, visit the Slavic burial mounds, known as Sopki, in central Lyubytino, by the bridge over the Msta. They are eight to ten metres high. The museum collection and the mounds thus represent two different ways of engaging with the past.
Open-Air Museum and Crafts
The “Slavyanskaya X veka” open-air museum in Lyubytino includes a replica of the Voymeritsa Cross, four dwellings, a barn, a granary, a threshing floor, a forge and a bakery. The buildings are based on 10th-century models. At the open-air exhibition, visitors can learn to use a drawknife and an adze, and shape pottery without a potter’s wheel. Alongside the reconstructed buildings, the museum also offers practical craft techniques. If you plan to take part in an activity, check the current arrangements in advance.
Another significant historical date is May 2006, when the living history museum’s exhibition was established on the banks of the Msta as part of the “Rus glubinnaya” project.
Monastic Tradition and Architecture
The former Svyato-Troitsky-Rekonsky Monastery lies on the banks of the Rekonka. Since 2002, clergy and pilgrims have gathered there every year on 22 August, the feast day of Elder Amfilochius. A Divine Liturgy is celebrated and a memorial service held at the gathering. If you want to plan your trip around this date, check the current arrangements in advance.
In Lyubytino, the unfinished Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin features elaborate brick ornaments on its walls. Today, it houses the Lyubytino municipal cultural centre. The building thus brings together the historical architectural design described here and its present-day cultural use.
Rivers and Landscapes
The Priksha is a right tributary of the Belaya, which flows into the Msta. There are two waterfalls on the Priksha; the higher one plunges into a deep pool. The Beloye estate is also located on the banks of the Belaya, in the centre of Lyubytino. The river connections are therefore distinct: the waterfalls are on the Priksha, while the estate is on the Belaya.
A Hands-On Activity in Bor
The “Polyanitsa” equestrian tourism club in Bor offers a workshop on grooming, saddling and harnessing horses. If you plan to take part, check the current arrangements with the provider in advance.
When looking for a holiday apartment in Lyubytinsky District, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: seasonal winter activities in “Lyubogorye,” museums and crafts in Lyubytino, or the river landscape along the Priksha and Belaya. When planning your dates, take seasonal opening into account and, if relevant, the annual gathering on 22 August.
Discover more destinations: Khvoyninskiy rayon, Malovisherskiy rayon, Malovishersky District, Valdaysky Rajon, Borovichsky District, Novgorodskiy rayon, Valdayskiy rayon, Novgorodsky District.
Return to the regional travel overview: Novgorod Oblast.
