Devil’s swamp: An anomalous zone where people go missing

The Batenka.ru team has been on another expedition in search of anomalous zones in Russia. This time the journalists crossed 300 miles from Moscow to the Novgorod region to seek out the mysterious Shaytan (Devil's) swamp.

It is said that here people lose their way and their mind, and an invisible wall prevents them from ever returning.

The essence of this god-forsaken place is contained in the name. A shaytan in Islamic theology is an evil spirit, the devil. According to legend, shaytans induced pious people and even prophets to err and sin.

Expedition member Alexander Vasev shares his impressions of the trip: "In the silence of the forest, no footfall can be heard - the thick moss chokes all sound, so the rare stomp of a boot is deafening. The swamp stretches far and wide - from a sandy mound along the entire length of a power cable. The humming of the wires blends with the singing of the cicadas."

"The most lamentable thing of all is not to drown in the swamp when trying hard to do so. With samurai calm, you walk waist-deep through the dark, foul-smelling slush - and find yourself in rude health."

"All around are swarms of mosquitoes and ticks, but that's of no concern. The swamp is soothing. It doesn't pull you down, just is very reluctant to let go."

"Don't believe the myth that resistance is futile. Any swamp can be churned like butter by kicking and thrashing. You can sink into a bog and scramble out whenever you please. The main thing is to be watertight."

"A couple of local inhabitants I knew never parted with their knee-high boots even in sunny weather - and on finding myself waist-deep in the mire, I understood why. Nothing is more important than keeping your toes dry. Nothing, I repeat, nothing is more pathetic than the sight of a man with drenched toes."

"The native pattern of life in no way prevents the swamp from being "devilish" - although it really should. The grief I experienced during the first "immersion" is not marked on any face - everyone here is content with life, the sun, and their warm boots."