Valdai Hills
Upland region in Russia / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Valdai Hills (Russian: Валда́йская возвы́шенность, romanized: Valdáyskaya vozvýshennost'), sometimes referred to as just Valdai (Russian: Валда́й, romanized: Valdáy), are an upland region in the north-west of central European Russia running north–south, about midway between Saint Petersburg and Moscow, spanning the Leningrad, Novgorod, Tver, Pskov, and Smolensk oblasts.
The Valdai Hills are a popular tourist destination, particularly for fishing. The towns of Ostashkov and Valday are also known for their historical associations.
Valdaysky National Park was established in 1990 in the southern part of Novgorod Oblast to protect the landscapes of the highest part of the hills. The park includes Lake Valdayskoye and the northern section of Lake Seliger, as well as the town of Valday. Since 2004, the National Park has the status of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.[1]