A boy died in Uglich in 1591, and the history of Russia changed. Tsarevich Dmitry, the youngest son of Ivan the Terrible, was found with his throat cut in the courtyard of the town's kremlin, and whether it was murder or an accident has been argued ever since. His death left the throne without an heir, set off the Time of Troubles, and gave rise to a string of pretenders who claimed to be the lost prince. The Church of St Dmitry on the Blood, a red-and-white building with blue domes on the spot, is one of the town's best-known sights.
Uglich is a small town on the upper Volga with a lot of charm. The river was dammed here in 1940, so the water is now a broad reservoir, and the old centre sits above it with churches, merchants' houses and a monastery on the bank. The town's bell is a local legend: it rang to signal the death of the tsarevich, and as a punishment it was whipped, had its tongue removed, and was exiled to Siberia, only returning in 1892. Uglich also makes cheese, which is sold in the market, and a plate of it with local honey is a good lunch.
The riding around is gentle and green. Roads to Myshkin, about thirty kilometres away, wind through villages and meadows, and Myshkin itself is a small town known for its mouse museum and its quiet streets. To the west, the huge Rybinsk Reservoir spreads out like a sea, with flooded forests and migrating birds. Surfaces range from fair to rough, and traffic is light, though trucks use the main roads. Summer is the best season, with long evenings and clear skies.
Uglich has about thirty-eight thousand people, so fuel, food and rooms are easy to find. Myshkin is smaller, so top up here first. Walk along the embankment in the evening, when the light on the water is lovely. Foreign riders should check current conditions and rules before planning a trip.