The High Tatras (Poland and Slovakia)

Our holiday trip in July and August of 2007 took us to the High Tatra mountains which peaks are divided between Poland and Slovakia. Some of the popular peaks belong to Poland, some to Slovakia. On the first day, we climbed to the highest in Polish side - RYSY (2499 m) within one day. It was an interesting, exhausting, demanding experience followed by powerful emotions (with sounds of guitar) on the top of everything. It was worth all this work! The trip took alltogether 10,5 hours - started in the morning and finished when it was totally dark. Alltogether, we walked and climbed 30 km-s on that day.
We also visited two clear-blue mountain lakes - Morskie Oko (Eye of the Sea) and Czarny Staw (Blacklake), which were amazing and had beautiful views over to surrounding mountains.
In Slovakian side, we took a cable car to go to the top of Lomnicky (2634 m), which is the second highest peak in the High Tatras, but not accessible by foot. We hiked in Skalnate Pleso (1751 m) enjoying the beautiful views down to the mountain villages; and in the Dill Valley to get to see the highest waterfall cascade (80 metres) called Kmetov Waterfall.

Photo: The peak of Rysy - 2499 m - which had an idyllic view and romantic scenery when we reached the top - a nun enjoying the guitar music and singing by two guys... Like you are in the corner of Heaven... :). Polish Tatras, July 2007


Photos: Morskie Oko (Eye of the Sea) lake, largest in Tatra Mountains, in elevation of 1395 m. Back you can see the mountains, one of them has the peak called Rysy. Morskie Oko lake is known of its clear blue water, where you can easily notice the fish called trout. Polish Tatras, July 2007.


Photos: Morskie Oko lake and us photographed from the level of the other mountain lake - Black Lake (1583 above sea level). Polish Tatras, July 2007.


Photos: Both lakes (Morskie Oko and Czarny Staw), photographed from above, during the climbing to Rysy. Polish Tatras, July 2007.



Photos: The small cable car took us from the middle station Skalnate to the Lomnicky Peak, which is 2634 metres high. The day wasn't clear up there, so we mostly saw just clouds... and a little bit more when it cleared up. It was cold up there - 1 degree... You can see I'm freezing:) And Erik had shorts on... But we survived it! Slovakian Tatras, August 2007.




Photos: Hike around Skalnate Pleso. We hiked around the nice mountain lake, looking down to the small mountain village called Tatrancka Lomnica. It was quite cold up there, and the only warm thing I had with me, was a hat :). It felt homely as we found a lot of blackberries! Like from our own forests... and the tasted just the same! Slovakian Tatras, August 2007.





Photos: The hike in Dill Valley to see the highest waterfall cascade in High Tatras - Kmetov Waterfall. It was beautiful! And the weather was so good... sun was shining all the time! The hiking track was quite long, so we didn't see many people, it was relaxing, peaceful... on the way, we ate blueberries again, photographed butterflies... Slovakian Tatras, August 2007.