Four-season Carpathian ridge hike not only for pros

Itinerary

• We proceed from the center of Ľutina (Litinye) towards Olejníkov (Olajpatak) along an unmarked road (this section can also be done by bus if we happen to catch the intercity service).
• From the far side of Olejníkov, from the settlement of Majdan, we follow the S marking straight to the building of Chata Čergov (Čergő mountain hut).
• At the Sedlo Čergov junction directly above the hut (in the saddle), we turn left onto the K markers, which we follow up to the main peak called Minčol.
• From the main peak, we head back along the K marking to the Lazy crossroads.
• At the Lazy crossroads, we turn right onto the Z marking, which leads down to the shelter located about 450 meters away (Útulňa pod Minčolom).
• From the shelter, we climb back up to the Lazy crossroads along the Z marking.
• From the Lazy crossroads, we return right along the K marking to the Sedlo Ždiare junction.
• At the Sedlo Ždiare junction, we turn right onto the Z marking and descend to the Za hradom junction.
• At the Za hradom junction, we turn left onto the S marking.
• We make a short detour to the ruins of Hőnig Castle (Nový hrad).
• We return along the S marking to the starting point of our hike, the center of Ľutina (Litinye).

Detailed description of the tour

Society in the valley

Slovakia basically shows the same territorial development difference from west to east as Hungary, and this becomes obvious when traveling towards our starting point, Ľutina (Litinye). However, Ľutina is a neat village, partly because it is a famous pilgrimage site. We can visit the shrine located in the upper part of the village at the end of our trip.

Unless we are lucky with the bus, we approach the mountains from Ľutina by walking along a low-traffic, unmarked country road edge. Near Olejníkov (Olajpatak), we get a distant, sad glimpse of the poverty situation in eastern Slovakia. Continuing, we see neat mountain houses, and at Majdan, we leave civilization behind with a rather archaic village view. At the end of the village, we head right following the S marking.

We walk for a long time along the S marking in the valley, and in its upper part, we encounter a real curiosity: a refurbished socialist-realist bus stop, which hosts a lovely exhibition commemorating the now extinct mountain villages hiding in the forest, Ambrušovce and Baranie scattered settlements. No buses run here anymore, but something is happening in this remote part of Slovakia, as some old wooden houses by the road are being renovated. We continue along the valley in this somewhat "Transylvanian" atmosphere, finally climbing out and ascending steeply to the Črchľa junction, then basically walking on level ground to the building of Chata Čergov (Csergő mountain hut). The hut is likely not crowded, so we might enjoy a peaceful evening at the end of the world. The original simple shelter was built by skiers at the end of the 1920s but was soon destroyed by fire. In 1929, within a few months, with the initiative of tourists from Prešov and with the help of locals, a hiking hut was built by a nature-loving military commander and his team, which remains the only one in the mountain range.

Sunlit mountain ridge

The next day brings a very nice day full of views, walking over beautiful, varied, and pleasant terrain.

At the junction above the hut, we turn left following the K and P markings, soon unveiling the main ridge of Čergov: we arrive at the similarly named peak, which hosts a spacious meadow and a huge cross (Čergov, 1050 m). This is the first time we can scan the endless chain of mountains with our gaze, but it's worth noting that under the peak in the forest, the well-equipped and always open Útulňa Drina awaits those who enjoy sleeping in the wild under nomadic conditions. There is also a spring nearby.

Continuing along the ridge, we soon reach the Chuchułka saddle, where we turn left onto the K marking. From here on, all we have to do is enjoy the continuous revealing landscape while winding loosely through the ventilated meadows. Most of the time, there is only a hay meadow on one side of the ridge, so between forest patches, splendid views open alternately to one side or the other. Our gaze will most certainly be attracted by the unique High Tatras silhouette unveiled from the first peak’s 1098-meter-high Veľká Javorina.

Our atmospheric ridge hike is accompanied by crosses and shrines left over from the time of shepherding. In the smaller, nameless saddle after Veľká Javorina, there are benches by a large cross. From Solisko, a 1057-meter peak, we get an even more magnificent view of the dramatically sized High Tatras, then after long winding between beautiful meadows, birch groves, dwarf beeches, and forest patches, we descend to the mentioned Sedlo Pryehiby saddle, which naturally hosts a nice little chapel.

Our biggest challenge may lie ahead: about 200 meters of ascent awaits us, and it is important to know that shortly after the pass, the trail passes a developed spring. We return again to the ridge and, reaching the Sedlo Ždiare saddle, the meadows disappear. From here on, we cross the covered block of Hýrová, 1071 meters high, and in the latter half of our hike, we pass through a strictly protected forest reserve as well. In the saddle, there is a rain shelter with benches – many choose this spot as a camp during their tent hike (though there is no developed spring nearby).

Dwarf beeches on Minčol peak

From the forests of Hýrová, we reach the charming hay meadow of Lazy, surrounded by religious paintings and dwarf beeches. The section between Lazy and the already visible main peak, Minčol (1157 m), is a strictly protected nature reserve, whose most characteristic residents are beech trees growing only low in height on the windy ridge – gnarled and stout-trunked, unforgettable companions in our hike. First, we climb up to the peak bearing the large cross (Kríž pod Minčolom), from where we get a better panoramic view than from the neighboring main peak. Beyond the Tarca Valley, the forested Levoča Mountains and the towering High Tatras are visible. We also have excellent views of the Pieniny, Spiš Magura, and the Low Beskids, as well as the Szalánc and Branisko mountain ranges.

Returning to the Lazy junction, we turn right onto the Z marking and descend steeply to the shelter named Útulňa pod Minčolom. The neat little house can be rented as a key-access hut system after prior reservation (see among the links).

Farewell to Čergő

The day starts with a tiring climb along the Z marking, then from the Lazy junction, we walk along the familiar K marking back to the Ždiare saddle. From here, we follow the Z marking to start descending towards Ľutina. From the path on the side ridge, we get beautiful views of the stream valleys below in several places. After a long descent, at the Za hradom junction, we turn left onto the S marking, and shortly afterward, with a short left detour, we stand before the ruins of Hőnig Castle (Nový hrad / Hanigovský (Nový) hrad). The castle belonged to the neighboring village of Hanigovce (Hőnig), which was established in the 14th century by German noble settlers. According to descriptions, it was built by Mikcs Ban from the Ákos clan between 1320 and 1330, first out of wood, and then rebuilt into a stone castle with King Louis the Great’s permission in 1342. Later, it belonged to the Tarczay family, who supported János Szapolyai against Ferdinand of Habsburg. As a reprisal, the Habsburgs besieged and blew up the castle.

We descend through the hay meadows above the village and reach the border of Ľutina (Litinye), the largest shrine of the Greek Catholic Diocese of Prešov, which became a pilgrimage site after a Marian apparition in 1851. Chapels were built, and its church was designated a basilica minor by Pope John Paul II. We finish our tour by descending back along the S marking to the starting point, but if we have time, it is definitely worth taking a closer look at the shrines and chapels built on the hillside.