Arkhangelsk is situated in the delta of the Northern Dvina River and is surrounded by an archipelago of inhabited islands. Opposite the city lies Kego Island.
During the summer, a scheduled passenger vessel provides regular service to the island. In winter 2.5-kilometer-long, illuminated pedestrian ice crossing is established between the island and center of the city.
As Arkhangelsk is a year-round port, the ice crossing to Kego Island intersects the shipping channel. Special footbridges with handrails are set up for pedestrians; these are temporarily removed whenever an icebreaker or tugboat passes through, then put back in place afterward.
The duration of the ice crossing’s operation depends on the weather. In some years, it may open as early as November, while during milder winters, its opening might be delayed until late December or early January. The crossing to Kegostrov typically closes in late March or early April, once the river ice begins to thin.
For a tourist, a walk across the frozen river to the island—which offers a stunning panoramic view of Arkhangelsk—is a true adventure! If you are lucky, you might even witness an icebreaker or a large vessel passing by just a few dozen meters away.
In the spring—a transitional period when the ice is no longer safe to walk on, yet the ice has not yet cleared and river navigation has not officially opened—ice-class tugboats make daily trips to transport local residents, as well as food and essential goods, to the island territories.
From the deck of a tugboat, one can enjoy an impressive view of the frozen Northern Dvina River; those who are lucky might even spot seals resting on the ice floes.
The Arkhangelsk Region is the undisputed leader in Russia in terms of the number of ice crossings—surpassing even the regions of Siberia and the Far East, which are home to many large rivers. Each winter, more than 100 pedestrian and vehicle ice crossings are opened across the Pomorye region.
Photo: Anna Martynova, Yulia Kryukova, Sergey Minin, Ilya Tilman