The east shore of Lake Onega is empty in a way that is hard to explain until you have been there. Forest comes down to the water, the villages are small and far apart, and the lake itself is so large that it feels like sea. Besov Nos, the Devil's Nose, is a granite headland on this shore, and it is one of the most important rock art sites in northern Europe.
The reason for coming is the petroglyphs. Some six hundred figures are carved into the smooth granite slabs along the shore, made by hunters and fishers about six thousand years ago, in the Neolithic. Swans, geese, elk, boats, humans and strange spirit figures cover the rock, and the most famous is a three-toed, long-limbed figure with a face like a mask, which the old name of the cape, Bes, or demon, probably refers to. The carvings are best seen in low, raking light, in the early morning or evening, when shadows pick out the lines. There are boardwalks to protect the surface, and you should keep to them. The site is sacred to many local people, and archaeologists treat it with enormous respect.
Riding in is a different kind of travel from the highways of central Russia. Expect gravel, ruts, potholes, long straight stretches through pine and spruce, and the occasional glimpse of the lake through the trees. Go slowly, especially on blind crests. Bears and elk live in these forests, and you may see the tracks, if not the animals. In summer, mosquitoes are very bad, and the white nights of June give you almost endless daylight.
Fuel is the main practical issue. There is no supply near the cape, so fill up in Pudozh before you set out, carry a spare if you can, and assume that nothing is open at the end of the road. Take water and food with you. A bit of cash is wise.
Lake Onega itself is the second largest in Europe after Ladoga, and the weather on it can change suddenly, with fog or squalls. Wear your rain gear, and enjoy the silence.