There are two periods of the year when the plots become as graphic as possible in color and light – a snowless leafless spring and the same autumn. This is exactly the time I wanted to get to Vohtoga, but last spring I somehow disconnected from the wave of cellars, and in the fall I studied completely different places.
And here I am in Vohtoga, when all the conditions I need have developed successfully – no snow, no foliage, graphic vegetation, soft light with a light haze and cloudy sky.
Upon arrival, half of the eight locations with vegetable storages that I marked immediately disappeared, as there were baths or dugouts that simply disappeared.
Of course, I was upset, but not for long: in all the subsequent places it was so beautiful and interesting that I immediately forgot about the first failures.
Height differences! I can't get tired of saying that this is the most important sign of a cozy place for me.
Even if there are insignificant hills or a steep riverbank, all this immediately makes the place attractive.
In Vohtoga, the elevation differences are formed by the bank of the Vohtozhka River, which is very steep in some places. And this is the second sign of comfort – a water feature!
I wasn't particularly impressed with the dugouts themselves.
There are a lot of abandoned and destroyed ones, and the type of cellars with a pitched roof is not exactly what I expected.
But the village itself was very pleased with its atmosphere. I'm sure it's even more beautiful here in summer or autumn. Anyway, when a place is good, it can't be ruined by any time of the year.
But one place struck me the most.
These are multi-level outbuildings on the riverbank.
First there are garages along the road, which are installed on stilts or supports at the place of the slope of the steep bank.
Then there are the cellars just below.
In some places, there are passageways between outbuildings.
The garages stand in such a way that it looks very flimsy, as if they are all going to collapse.
In one place there is a staircase that leads to the bridge over the Vohtozhka.
This is the most unusual place with dugouts in recent times.
The only drawback was the bright background light from the lantern next to the house.
There are almost no dugouts left in the other location.
Each place with cellars is located at a bend in the river with a steep bank.
There were other outbuildings like baths or stables.
And finally, the very first place I visited in Vohtoga was a cluster of stables and dugouts, which were almost gone...
It all started with disappointment, and ended with an extravaganza.
Vohtoga was deposited in my mind very vividly!