Izborsk claims to be older than Russia, which is a bold thing for a village of a thousand people. The Primary Chronicle records that in 862, the Varangian prince Truvor, brother of Rurik, took up residence in Izborsk, and so the site is counted among the oldest settlements in the country. Whatever the truth of that story, the hill is certainly ancient: a limestone ridge above a valley, topped by a stone fortress whose first walls date from the fourteenth century and whose long, towered curtain still stands, grey and lichened, among meadows and birches. It guarded the western border against the Livonian knights, and it was rebuilt, besieged and burned repeatedly.
You walk up through a gate and find yourself in a space that is mostly empty, with grass, a small church, and a wide view across the valley toward Estonia. Below the fortress, a road winds down to a group of springs known as the Slovenian Springs, which gush from the foot of the hill and feed a stream, and which have been regarded as holy for centuries. The cold water tastes of minerals, and people fill bottles at the troughs. In spring, the valley is covered with flowers, and in autumn, it turns gold.
The ride from Pskov is a pleasure in the way that quiet, rolling countryside can be. The roads run through fields, birch woods and small villages, with long gentle curves, gravel verges and wide views. The surface is patchy in places, with frost heave and repairs, and you should watch for tractors, cattle and the odd pothole. Traffic is light, and the best seasons are late May to early October. In July, the heat can be considerable, and thunderstorms roll in during the afternoon. Remember that you are close to the Estonian border, and a border zone applies, so carry your documents, and avoid wandering off toward the frontier.
Fuel is not available in the village, and the nearest sizeable town is Pechory, about nineteen kilometres away, where several stations and shops can be found. Izborsk has a few small cafés and guest houses, and a hot meal of soup and pies is a good idea after a morning on the road.
Stay for the evening if you can. The light on the walls is warm, and the swallows circle the towers.