Vyshny Volochyok sits on the Tvertsa River in Tver Oblast, halfway between Moscow and St. Petersburg, and its name tells the story: a volok was a portage, a place where boats were dragged overland between two river systems. Here, the Tvertsa, which flows to the Volga, comes within a short distance of the Msta, which flows toward Lake Ilmen and the Baltic, and for centuries merchants hauled their goods across the gap. Peter the Great saw the possibility of a permanent link and ordered a system of canals and locks, completed in the early eighteenth century, which made it possible to travel by water from the Volga to the Neva.
That system, the Vyshny Volochyok Water Route, carried huge cargoes to the new capital and made the town rich. Stone locks, many of them still visible, and canals lined with old brick warehouses recall that period. A small museum in the town explains how the system worked, and in the old center you find some fine merchant houses and a cathedral. The town later became famous for its glass factory, and for decades it produced fine tableware and decorations.
The surroundings are low, wooded and watery, with the Valdai Hills rising to the north and a patchwork of lakes. The Sovereign's Road, the old highway between Moscow and St. Petersburg, passed this way, and some of its stations still stand. The modern roads are a mix of fast highway and smaller routes, with the main M10 carrying heavy traffic and trucks. Side roads offer quiet bends through fields and forests, with the occasional glimpse of a canal or an old wooden church. Spring brings flooding in the low areas, and autumn is brilliant with birch and aspen.
For riders, the practical side is easy. The town has about fifty thousand people, with fuel stations along the highway, supermarkets and cafes, and a few small hotels. It is a convenient stop on a long ride between the two capitals. The old locks and the canal are a short walk from the center and are best seen in the morning light.
Take time to stand on a lock and look at the stones. They were laid by hand more than three centuries ago, and they are still working.