Dnipro bluffs and the 'Cherkasy Sea': where to find the best views over the water

The Dnipro in the Cherkasy region is nothing like the river in Kyiv. Here it spreads into wide reservoirs, and its right bank rises in high bluffs with views stretching for dozens of kilometres. We have gathered places worth visiting for the views, the quiet and the water.

Trakhtemyriv, a Cossack capital above the Dnipro

The peninsula near Trakhtemyriv is surrounded by water on three sides and by hills on the fourth. In 1578 King Stephen Báthory granted Trakhtemyriv to the Zaporozhian Cossacks: it became a Cossack centre, and from 1576 the monastery ran a hospital for old and wounded Cossacks. Today it is the Trakhtemyriv State Historical and Cultural Reserve, created in 1994 and covering 590 hectares, with dozens of archaeological, historical and natural sites.

The peninsula is best explored on foot: an eco-trail climbs to its highest point, with views over the Kaniv Reservoir, and descends to the Monastyrok tract, the site of the former Cossack monastery, partly flooded by the reservoir. There is also the “Kaniv Dislocations” geological site, ancient rock layers folded and crumpled, clearly visible on the slopes.

Lake Buchak

Near the village of Buchak, about 19 kilometres from Kaniv, lies an unusual lake with very clear water: a former pit dug for a pumped-storage power plant that was never completed. People come here with tents for the silence. Keep in mind that the tarmac ends before the village, the dirt road is almost impassable after rain, and there is no mobile coverage. Buy food in advance in Kaniv or neighbouring villages.

The Moshny ridge

Between Kaniv and Cherkasy stretches the Moshny ridge, wooded hills 160–180 metres high that hikers jokingly call the “mini-Carpathians”. The trails can be boggy, so wear waterproof shoes; it is most beautiful in autumn. In the village of Moshny, see the Church of the Transfiguration, designed by Italian architect Giorgio Torricelli in a “Moorish” style unusual for Ukraine, and the Taras Shevchenko museum, opened in 2013 in the house where the poet stayed after his arrest in 1859.

The Kremenchuk Reservoir, the “Cherkasy Sea”

The Kremenchuk Reservoir is the largest in Ukraine: more than 2,200 square kilometres in area and 172 kilometres long. It was filled in 1959–1961, and locals have called it a sea ever since. Cherkasy has equipped beaches with a gentle slope into the water, such as Kazbek and Zhyvchyk. In summer you can rent pedal boats and SUP boards or go wakeboarding.

In the city, take a walk along the waterfront from the River Station (1846) and visit Sosnovyi Bir Park, the largest park in Cherkasy, set on a Dnipro terrace with a view of the dam.

Practical tips

• The best season for bluffs and trails is May–June and September–October, when it is not too hot.
• Swim only in designated places and check current bathing permissions.
• Keep away from the edge on the bluffs: the loess slopes can crumble.