Vysoke Tatry Things to Do

A lovely place, which can be reached after a long walk in the Belovodska Valley. The trail becomes steeper before you come to the lakes but the view is worth the effort. The emerald mountain lakes in the heart of the high mountains, the majestic beauty of the surrounding mountains are not to be missed.
If you haven't had enough, from there you can climb Polski Grzebien (Polish Comb), but consult your guidebook beforehand.

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You don't have to be an experienced mountaineer to reach this beauty spot - the walk from Javorina, only a little uphill, won't take you more than 20 - 30 minutes. And the place is lovely, the mountains towering above, the spruce forest all around, the Javorinka mountain river at your feet. Here the road forks: if you walk straight on you will eventually reach L'adowy Stit (the Ice Summit), but it is a long and arduous hike. If you cross the wooden bridge on your left, the path will take you past a forester's house and on to Kopske Sedlo, another mountain pass. A matter of a few hours as well. But first explore the clearing at the foot of Muran and take a rest on one of the benches. You can have your lunch here on the tables provided or shelter from the rain sitting on one of them. Yes, on - sitting on the bench you would still get wet. Look around and you will find some raspberries.
The place feels safe and very private - hardly any tourists, complete silence except for the rumbling sound of the stream. But here, too, bears have been spotted. A mother bear with her young, for instance, better to be avoided. If you look up, you can see a cave in the rock - that is where chamois (kamziky) often find shelter during winter months. It is here that the National Park (TANAP) begins and you won't be allowed to walk any further if you happen to be there between November and end of June. The trails are closed to the public throughout the winter, spring and even early summer to let the wild animals breed in peace.

This mountain trail starts from Hrebienok where you can get by cable railway from Stary Smokovec. There is a cafe at the top but the view of the Tatras is mostly hidden by the forest. To get a better view but at a far from low cost go on from there to climb Slavkovsky Stit (2452 m). It is not a trail for weaklings though so I won't pretend I've been there. The photos taken by my husband were enough to put me off. You have to negotiate steep and stony path, scrambling over boulders at places. The trail looks short on the map only. It's the southern slope of the mountain so you will be doing the climbing in the burning sun. There is no water nearby so stock up well before you set off.
To admire the scenery on the way to Slavkovsky Stit, see my travelogue.

The church at Javorina is surrounded by a graveyard with some interesting graves in it. As you walk straight from the gate you will find the sarcophagus of the princely Prussian family of the Hohenlohes, who used to own the land and were founders of the local church. More about them in my next tip.
Don't miss an interesting tomb with sculptures of two dead birds with their heads hanging down and another sitting nearby probably mourning for them. A very touching scene, which is the more interesting that since I saw those birds I have seen the same motif on a few tombstones in a graveyard in Scandinavia. Isn't it amazing?

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The church at Javorina is not in the village centre but a little at the back. It boasts interesting wooden architecture with a verandah and a spire with a clock, more like the churches in Germany than in the neighbouring Poland. No wonder as it was founded in the twenties I think by the Prussian Prince Kristian Kraft Hohenlohe, who owned the land there at the time. It is open only for Mass on Sunday or for funerals so we never managed to get inside.

When you finally reach the pass, you can admire the panorama of the High Tatras all around you. The views are stunning, that's what hikers come here for. In the picture you can see either Jahnaci or Kozi Stit, can't decide which one because they are close to each other and both over 2100 m high.
You'll find more views from Kopske Sedlo in the travelogue.

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As you walk on to the mountain pass of Kopske Sedlo, the rocky path becomes steeper and, as you get in and out of the wood, at one moment you come to a beautiful river gorge, with the river - or a mountain stream rather -on your right and the rocks towering above you on your left. Very picturesque but there is hardly enough space for you to squeeze through. Soon afterwards, the path reaches another glade with more benches and tables. Time for a rest before the most difficult part of your walk.

If you choose the path on your left at Pol'ana pod Muran'om (the Glade under Muran), you will soon find yourself in a fairyland of beautiful lush mountain meadows with a wide variety of plants taking turns to flower throughout the summer. If you look up from your rocky path past the meadows, you'll see the spruce forest dotted with some leafy trees like mountain ashes which contrast best with the green of the spruce in the autumn (see the travelogue). Still further up you can only see dwarf mountain pine wood and to top it all just the rugged rocks of the Belianske Tatras interspersed with moss-like plantlife. This kind of landscape will accompany you throughout the Zadne Medodoly mountain valley, which will eventually bring you to the mountain pass of Kopske Sedlo.