This is one of the most radioactive roads in the world, and as soon as we approached it, the Geiger counters went berserk. When the accident occurred, the majority of the radioactive debris fell within this area. The trees became so contaminated that they could only be treated as highly radioactive waste and were buried in concrete lined trenches. In the intervening time the trees have grown back but now have a strange red colouring to their bark and are the subject of a scientific study as to how they have survived, as during the disaster some trees died and others did not despite receiving the same radiation doses. We were around 20 metres from the tree line and in a minibus and still the readings where high, at about 10.00 µSieverts/hr In comparison the radiation levels at London Luton airport before we left where 00.11 µSieverts/hr. It was here we also glimpsed the massive radar array of the Woodpecker, or DUGA 3, a relic of the Cold War.
Click here to experience the Geiger Counters going a little mental.
