Dumbier

Dumbier from the west

 30-08-12

Started south of Chopok at Sredisko (1213m) which I discovered by chance as I did not have a map. This had a nice cool covered car park underneath the chair skilift. I did not use the ski lifts, and there was a new one being built higher up to take you near to the summit of Chopok. There is already a lift that goes all the way on the north side.

Used tiny and sketchy map on a skilift leaflet, which at times was not over-helpful . Directions on the signposts for Dumbier itself  only  appeared quite near the summit - highest point in Niske Tatry (2043m P1143)..

From the ski-centre I took the yellow marked track which zigzagged through the trees to the left of the ski run and came out in the middle of the building work. There was some vague attempt to divert the path around the works – however, the British HSE would have had a fit. At one point, I had to walk through ankle high very loose earth whilst JCB driver temporarily stopped long enough for me to get by. I then followed a blue marked path that traversed the hill eastwards for quite a while to Razcestie na Krupovo sedlo where there was a curious junction with a red marked path that doubled back sharply. Initially I thought it was just a variant of the path that I was already on. This  takes you up to the saddle just below Dumbier and where the first sign for Dumbier appeared. It was 20 minutes from there to the summit, that sports another of the Slovakian double crosses, plus a range of other markers. There were a few other people there, but not a lot. Most people seem to be content with just going to Chopok which is the second highest point on the ridge.

Dumb and Dumbier

I followed the ridge back westwards on a paved track to the Kamenna Chata refuge which is just below the summit of Chopok (2024m). After bagging the very crowded summit I went in the even more crowded refuge for a large cup of sweet tea and potato cakes.

Chopok from Dumbier

Chopok

To the west is another top, Derese (2003m). Very few people bother with it and, in fact, the path bypasses it. I was one of the few – although the large number of  silly looking small cairns  built all around it showed that there are enough visitors to spoil things.

Derese

From Derese I doubled back to an unsignposted yellow marked track that descended the hill. It soon became apparent why it was not signposted as it was quite unlike any other path I have used in Czech R/Poland/Slovakia – there has been no attempt to smooth it out in terms of direction or terrain. It changed direction dramatically without apparent reason, it sometimes went back uphill and it was narrow with dwarf pines lining the sides much of the way and it was deeply grooved with plenty of roots and rocks to trip you up. In other words, it would have been a pleasure to do if not already tired by a long walk. It was also lined at times by bushes full of bilberries and redcurrants – delicious.

Eventually I found the blue marked traverse path that took me back to the head of the ski-run, where I ignored all the keep out signs and descended steeply and directly to the ski-centre for a welcome cup of tea.

Where did the path go?

Low Tatry

Nizke or Low Tatry National Park

 29-08-12

About 30 km south of the High Tatry/Vysoke Tatry is another range of lower hills called the Low Tatry/Nizke Tatry. I could see them when the air was clear enough from the tops of the High Tatry and, in particular I could make out the TV mast almost on the summit of Kralova hola (hill of the Kings meadow) (1946m P756) - what I didn't see is the equally ugly educational centre which surely must be a soviet legacy.
Started from Sumiac (drove through to top of village and road ends on a big bend with plenty of parking space. Blue marked path actually starts in the village), without a map and, for once, no helpful signposts, so it was much of a guess that the blue marked trail would get me there. However, as ever, it was quite a popular track and so it was 'dobry den' all the way. 
At the top you will see in the photo below that the summit post has a side branch. A group of women arrived shortly after me and I did not need to understand Slovenian to know what they were giggling about - and it became most obvious when they asked me to take their group photo and one of them demonstrated quite graphically what the branch represented for her. Good job that my face is already red from the sun.

I returned by the same route as I ascended.

Holding on

Kravola Hola summit sign - censored. That's the High Tatry in the background

TV mast and educational centre spoil the summit view.

To the ridiculous?

26-08-12

Vel'ka Svist'ovka summit

Sneaky view of the Vel'ka from Cierne Pleso

View down from the magistrala

After the exertions of Gerlach today's destination seems a mere bimble - but just imagine if this hill was in Cumbria! Wainwright would have devoted many pages to it.
First of all, I cheated by taking the cable car from Tatranska Lomnica to SkalnatePleso at 1751m.
The debate about using the ski lifts from Skalnate Pleso to bag the second highest point in the Tatry i.e. Lomnicky Stit (2634m) had both ethical and economic dimensions. Ethically, is it OK to bag something by merely stepping off a ski-lift. Economically, that even with a 'senior' discount it would have cost a further 40 Euros. However, as it happens, the outcome of the debate was decided by the fact that the lifts were not operating because of high winds at the summit.
It was easy walking to the summit of Vel'ka Svist'ovka (2038/P20?) using the Tatranska magistrala - a path that traverses  high up much of the way across all the High Tatry on the Slovakian side. Although it was fine weather there was mist on the tops, so not a lot to see. The Tatranska magistrala thens drops quite dramatically but with easy walking much of the way, with only one chained section, that I avoided by sliding down smooth rocks. To arrive at the refuge/chata Zelene Pleso. From there I should have just followed the rough road back down to the valley, however I continued on the magistrala to Velke Biele pleso - pleso means lake.* And it then started to pour with rain as the electrical storm was much earlier in the day than usual- let's just say I got wet and so did the stones on the path through the pine forest to the valley. Slipping and a sliding all the way.
There is a problem with beetles in the forest - so many trees are dying or dead and the path was diverted at one point because they are treating the trees with chemicals.
I reached the valley road at Biela Voda just as there was a fresh downpour of rain. Thankfully I did not have to wait too long for a bus back to T. Lomnica

*Actually, talking of the meaning of words. English 'hut', Norwegian 'hytta', Polish 'chata', French 'chateau' - got to have a common origin.

Aren't literal translations great?