The Kalendskaya trail («old Roman road») starts in the Baidar Valley near the village of Podgornoye and it is named after the old name of this village (Kalenda) and leads to the popular Shaitan-Merdven (Devil’s Staircase).
This is the famous Roman military road, via militaris, connecting Chersonesos and Kharax.
From Podgorny straight to the village of Shirokoye the road crossed the Baidarskaya valley, then climbed the slope of Mount Simnalykh and further up and down the low mountains, where steep slopes are overcome by serpentines, and led to the village of Morozovka. And further it went along the right bank of the Chernaya River, along the Kara-Koba valley, and from there to Chersonesos.
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But how does the toponym Kalenda translate?
There are two versions. A century ago, the toponym was interpreted as the Turkic word formation Kale-Enda — «the fortress descended» or «the fortress that descended».
From ancient times one of the busiest roads from the valley to the South Bank (through the Shaitan-Merdven Pass) ran in this place. And to protect such passages in the Crimea put fortresses («kale»). And on the southern side of the Devil’s Staircase (Shaitan-Merdven) there are still remains of medieval isar. The same bastion, a twin fortress, could be located on this side of the pass, at the beginning of the Kalend trail. It is reasonable that the settlement that grew near the fortress was named after it.
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But our contemporaries, determine in the name of the village an echo of the time of stay of the Romans in Crimea, when the main base of troops and fleet became for them Greek Chersonesos — it is the 1st century AD.
During the Crimean Khanate, the population of Bajdarskaya valley was exempted from taxes, instead they were charged with the duty of maintaining technical order on the road. Both foot travelers, horse riders and wheeled wagons stepped, galloped, rode down to the South Bank and climbed back up.
The path, or rather a wide pack road, is paved with good cobblestones in some places, winds through the dense forest and suddenly creeps out on the cliff — and clings, squeezes, clinging to the cut shelves and niches. And below is a deep abyss.
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The trail is interesting to wander along at any time of the year: winter and summer, fall and spring. Walking in the coolness of this forest you can listen to the murmuring of the mountain river with cozy pools, accompanying most of the way. When a yellow leaf falls motionless and weightless, and autumn blue-orange crocuses peek out from under it.
The Kalende Trail loops often, but perseveres on the uphill climb, either slightly noticeable or significant. If you follow the trail even further, you can find yourself at The Devil’s Staircase.