Walking routes through Odessa region were compiled by Volodymyr Poltorak, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of History of Ukraine, Odessa National University named after Mechnikov. Discover the following routes: Baraboy steppes, Kuyalnik Estuary and Tiligul Right Bank.

Baraboy Steppes

from Vyhoda to Mannheim (18 km)

Walking one-day route from Vyhoda railway station to steppe expanses of Odessa region to the former German colony of Mannheim (now, Kamyanka).

In the village of Vasylivka, founded by Andriy, a Cossack Shostak, you should see the remains of a nineteenth-century palace built by the second owner of the village, Major General Vasyl Dubetsky. In this building lived the son of the third owners, Sergey Pankeev, who became world famous thanks to his doctor: Sigmund Freud.

Then the trail goes through the valley of Baraba. Here in the sixteenth century the Cossacks by the baron Bernard Pretwich repeatedly met with the Nogai, who led Ukrainian prisoners to the Ottoman slave markets. Around the valley you can see mounds, burials of nomads of different times.

Picturesque ruins have been preserved in the former German colony of Mannheim churches, houses and outbuildings of the colonists, and the building structure settlement indicates its original developers.

The Kuchurgan-Odessa route has a traffic, so the traveller does not will have trouble getting on the bus to regional center.

Kuyalnik

from Buyalik to Illinka (40 km)

A two-day walking route through the upper roads of the Kuyalnyk Estuary. It starts from the Buyalik railway station and ends in the village of Illinka.

The first part of the route is the territory of the former Bulgarian colony Velykyi Buyalyk and Ukrainian villages on the banks of the river Malyi Kuyalnyk.

Eventually, the landscape becomes rugged, deep valleys and steep slopes are covered trees and shrubs. Not far from the famous village Severinivka, founded by a member of the Pototsky family, there is a spring "Third God". Here in the woods near the spring you can stay overnight.

In Severinovka you can see the ruins of the Pototsky Palace and temples, Greek Catholic and Orthodox. Here passed the ancient Chumak way and later the old Kyiv road. You can reach the upper road of Kuyalnyk estuary near the village Stara (Old) Emetivka. From the hills between the estuaries there is a beautiful view, on the horizon you can to see the suburbs of Odessa.

And in the vicinity of the village of Illinka you should see the place of Paleolithic age bear cave - the oldest known find of traces of modern settlements. In the village there is the ancient Orthodox Church and local lore museum.

From Illinka use the usual buses to Odessa.

Tiligul Right Bank

near Kurisovo (19 km)

A one-day route through the former possessions of a noble family of Cossack origin Kuris with a visit to the town, palace, forest and picturesque shores of the Tiligul estuary.

Kurisov's architecture in the center is significantly influenced classicism and empire. Meanwhile, a palace on the outskirts of the modern village was built in Moorish and neo-Gothic styles.

The forest in the valley of the river Balay was planted in the XIX century and provides shelter from hot southern sun during the route. On one of the lawns you can see a stone slab with the image of an anchor and the inscription "Chumak Philip". This is a trace of the "chumaks" in the Ukrainian steppes, thanks to whom Odessa was in the pre-railway days is connected by land with others regions of the country.

The ruins of the 19th century stone bridges can also be seen along the route. They were also a part of the Chumak's transport system.

Through the village of Cairo along the shores of the Tiligul estuary trails go to Makitra tract - an amazing picturesque corner of Odessa region.

You can finish the hike in the Kalinovka village, from where you can get to the regional center by bus.

To be continued...