Wednesday 21 July 2010

One Step at a Time - Building the Trail

Unsurprisingly, the busiest time of year for the Great Baikal Trail is Summer. Given the long winters, this is the time when work groups of Russian and international volunteers head out for two weeks at a time to extend and maintain existing trails.

I was fortunate to join a group working in the Pri-Baikal National Park. GBT is working with Rotary International, who have agreed to fund 100 km of trail, from Listvyanka to Peschanaya Bay on the eastern shore of the lake.

Arriving by chartered boat, the first task was to unload and set up camp. Forming a chain from the boat to the shore, bags and equipment were hauled ashore. This was the first introduction to the temperature of Baikal water - so cold that people forming the chain in knee deep water could manage about a minute before needing to warm up and regain sensation in their toes. The extreme depth of the lake keeps the water cold and affects the local climate, with temperatures differing a few months behind nearby Irkutsk.

Once tents were set up and latrines dug, the next two weeks were a rotation of work days on the trail, and 'duty days', with two people responsible for cooking and cleaning the camp. Although the diet was limited, fresh veg and the use of a 'fridge pit' enabled a healthy and filling set of meals. The camp served as a good introduction to some aspects of Russian cuisine, including 'Tushyonka' (tinned meat), 'Sgushyonka' (tinned condensed milk) and 'Varyonka' (boiled condensed milk).

We were blessed with the presence of Natasha, a gifted camp cook who treated us to 'Camp Sushi' (with tinned fish) and 'Ferrero Roche' made from boiled condensed milk and biscuit crumbs.

The working week was broken up with a visit to the 'Skriepers', high rocky outcrops, and a much needed trip to the Banya in Bolshoye Koti, for a good hot wash. Every day there was plenty of free time to chat, walk and even swim in the lake, though the cold limited dips to the bravest or most foolhardy, and every evening games and singing round the camp fire helped to keep spirits high.

During the camp, in addition to over 100 meters of new trail, the group constructed stairs to make a steep descent safer, made signs to direct walkers, and cleared out a garbage pit and did a litter pick along the trail.

Sadly, along the more popular areas of shoreline around this spectacular lake old tin cans, fire pits and bottles are a too frequent sight. Brigadier Svetlana explained that although it is almost impossible to stop people littering, by setting an example GBT hopes to make a start in changing attitudes.

After two weeks, we stood on the shore and welcomed the next group, who will continue our trail up to the Skreipers. Taking out our bags and the rubbish we had collected, we enjoyed an hour in Listvyanka before returning to hot, dusty and busy Irkutsk, a world away from where we started the day.

Monday 5 July 2010

'Dobrograd' Kids' Camp


Situated on the banks of the Angara about an hour from Svirsk, the camp allowed me to see first hand the efforts to improve the camp and the experience for the children who attend, and some of the difficulties faced by youth groups. I went with Mark, a volunteer from the Baikal Ecological Wave, an NGO working to protect Baikal. We helped with work and gave presentations on ecological issues and volunteering.

As part of an ongoing process, summer camps are clearing, renovating and improving the site. The children generally come from Svirsk, a small town which has several factories. There are some ecological issues in the town with waste and rubbish issue. One of the aims, in addition to giving young people something to do during the holidays, is to alter young people’s attitudes to the environment and the world around them.

The state of the camp offers an insight into state support for community initiatives. Built in the Soviet Union for the Pioneers (one of the Soviet Union’s youth groups), the camp consists of several single-story wooden dorms, each with about 16 rooms. A mess hall, a fairly large kitchen, a shower house, flower beds, small statues and murals all point to what was once a thriving site.

However, following the fall of the Soviet Union the camp has fallen into disrepair. Having not been used for years, and suffering from a lack of funding the camp site is overgrown, with the buildings rotting and falling apart. The faded murals and empty plinths conjure up more the image of decay than a revitalized youth movement. A vandalized Soviet painting inside one building complemented the faded Pioneer mural overlooking the main square.

Happily, the children at the camp proved to be the opposite of their surroundings. Friendly and chatty, their tasks included building steps, clearing grass and weeds from the centre of the camp site, creating flower beds and helping with food preparation.

Mark and I saw the opportunity to use an old swimming pool as a football pitch. Clearing away weeds and overgrowth from the bottom of the pool, the makeshift pitch proved hugely popular with the children in the evening.

Having become used to the foreigners, the children talked about their lives in Svirsk, and some of the problems in the town. Although there were some initial concerns over the lack of showers and the quality of the food, after a ‘clear the air’ meeting the camp improved.

It was impressive to see children of 15 and 16 years old working to improve something for future generations. The adults at the camp gave their time for free. As camp leader Maria Alexandrovna explained to the children “I do this in the hope that my children and their children have somewhere to come to”. It seemed like the kids had the same thoughts too.