Trekking in the High Tatras
through Poland and Slovakia

by Sue Boardman

My partner Steve and I joined the AAC(UK) eighteen months ago with a view to experiencing trekking using mountain huts and a trip, organised by Tony Cooper this year to the High Tatras, proved to be just the ticket.

View to the Five Lakes Hut
Photos Steve Clark

We met Tony and the other members of the trip on Saturday evening in Zakopane. The following day we took a short bus journey to Kuźnice to begin our trek. It was a delightful walk with some 500m of ascent to the Murowaniec hut. Here half the group opted to have lunch, then explore the near-by lakes. The rest opted to continue ascending a further 550m to the Poland / Slovakia border ridge. Here we had wonderful panoramic views into both countries and of the rocky ridge leading to the top of Świnica.

Our second day began with a 600m climb taking us across beautiful mountain landscapes and over the Krzyine pass at 2112m. Some of us had a tricky traverse across a particularly steep scree-filled area which tested my mettle. Then we descended to the Five Lakes hut which proved extremely busy with people sleeping in the corridors, on the dining room floor and outside!

Sue, Steve and Clive on Hruby Stit

On the third day we had a short and relatively easy stroll through the mountains to the Morskie hut which was absolutely teeming with walkers and families. Morskie Oko, the lake in front of the hut, is an extremely popular destination for Polish people with many walking for two hours from the nearest road or taking a horse drawn cart. Three of us then opted to climb Hruby stit at 2172m.

Next day we descended to the Slovakian frontier walking against the thousands of people walking up to Morskie Oko. It was a phenomenal sight. Crossing into Slovakia a road brought us to the forest trail leading to the Green Lake Hut. We climbed 550m up a valley to Kopske col, passing through verdant landscapes before descending to the Green Lake hut. It was a truly wondrous sight when I woke in the morning and saw the mountain reflected perfectly in the still lake. We stayed two nights here and on the second day a group of us took in the 700m of ascent of Jahnaci sat at 2228m. This was a steady climb with a small area of chains just before the col followed by a less well defined rocky ridge path.

Sue and Steve at Teryho Lake

Day six began with a steady ascent to a 2020rn col and peak before descending to a busy ski-lift station. Around 2pm we arrived in at the Zamkovského hut, the smallest hut we stopped in. Some of us then opted to walk to Téryho lake, some 550m higher up.

Our next destination was the Bilikova hut with a choice of two routes. Steve, Trevor and I chose the high level Sedielko pass at 2362m with 900m of ascent. There was about 300m of a chained section for the final 100m of vertical ascent which was a new and daunting experience for me.

The Green Lake from the hut window

On the final day of the trek, after yet another scrumptious mountain hut breakfast, the majority of the group went for a short walk around the Strbské Pleso lake before taking the tram to Poprad. Steve and I chose to walk 1150m up to Slavkovsky stit at 2452m before re-joining the group at Poprad. We had our first taste of rain here. Up to now the weather had been mainly sunny and warm.

Tony had also arranged an optional two day add-on in the Slovensky Raj National Park, which eight of us enjoyed. I would like to thank Tony for his organisation and leadership throughout the trek and my thanks to all of the group, for their warm friendship which made it a memorable first mountain hut trekking experience.

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