Wow!!! Thanks a lot! That would really interesting to follow and find out the impressions! Hope that my Russian comrades would not disappoint with hopitality. Interesting to know how David would tick off Wrangel Island; 10,000 usd tours seem to be in July-August only..

Gogland/ Hogland/ Го́гланд

Having a discussion with Mrs Meltwaterfalls about "completing" the Struve Geodetic Arc I turned my attention to the most awkward bit, the two sites on Hogland, which seems to turn up three issues:
1. it is in the middle of the Baltic Sea so you can't just drive to it.
2. It is in Russia so as a Brit I would have to go through a slightly long and expensive visa process.
3. It seems to be deemed a "border zone" so that would require an extra level of visa/ be completely out of bounds to a non Russian.

So I was wondering if any forum members may have any information or insight about what may be needed to visit/ or any routes that may lessen some of the action needed to visit the island?

It may not really be worth the hassle for a picture of a rusty bit of iron or a pile of rocks, but that isn't really the spirit of this WHS hunting malarkey.

Gogland, or Suursaari (Big Island / Great Island) in Finnish, was a part of Finland until 1939 when Soviet Union occupied it. Currently it is not possible to visit the island even though Russians have promised to open it for visitors. Please read the following articles:

https://translate.google.fi/translate?sl=fi&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=fi&ie=UTF-8&u=https %3A%2F%2Fyle.fi%2Fuutiset%2F3-10284675&edit-text=&act=url

https://translate.google.fi/translate?sl=fi&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=fi&ie=UTF-8&u=https %3A%2F%2Fyle.fi%2Fuutiset%2F3-10217794&edit-text=&act=url

https://translate.google.fi/translate?sl=fi&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=fi&ie=UTF-8&u=https %3A%2F%2Fyle.fi%2Fuutiset%2F3-9216477&edit-text=&act=url

https://translate.google.fi/translate?sl=fi&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=fi&ie=UTF-8&u=https %3A%2F%2Fyle.fi%2Fuutiset%2F3-8966377&edit-text=&act=url

https://translate.google.fi/translate?sl=fi&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=fi&ie=UTF-8&u=https %3A%2F%2Fyle.fi%2Fuutiset%2F3-8121509&edit-text=&act=url

Thanks for that Sjobe.

I probably won't hold my breath on an easily accessible ferry route opening there in the next few years :).

But I understand you Meltwaterfalls. The challenging places are usually the most rewarding. And we are collectors, Struve sites or whatever.

If it's any comfort, the nearby Finnish island of Mustaviiri, with Struve WHS, is reachable by hiring a boat with driver. It could be pricey but it should be reasonable if sharing the costs. It should be interesting and less visited place even among Struve aficionados. And in clear weather, it is possible to see Gogland / Suursaari from there ;)

And if you ever happen to visit those islands, be aware of ticks. They can be fatal.

This article outlines the world heritage aspirations of Russia.

https://www.interfax.ru/culture/638181

- Monuments of Ancient Pskov (2018)
- The Historical Center of the Gorokhovets Vladimir Region (2020)
- Transfiguration Cathedral and the surrounding landscape of the Yaroslavl Region (2021)
- "Kenozer Testaments" in the Arkhangelsk Region (2022)
- The complex "Bashkir Ural" (2023)

The name is really confusing! It is not in the current tentative list, but from Russian news, this place seem to be Pereslavl-Zalessky which is located on the Golden Ring between Sergiev Posad and Rostov Veliky. It looks very similar to the already listed sites in Vladimir and Suzdal!