SK, Bardejov – Tourism Around

As the pandemic still does not stop, trips to nature are an excellent and at the same time recommended relaxation. We will therefore take you to the northeast of Slovakia, more precisely to the Čergov mountains, which is currently an ideal destination due to the absence of an extensive infrastructure of restaurant and accommodation services.

Čergov Mountains

The Čergov Mountains offer many attractive views, peaks and lookout towers, and with its beautiful nature it brings the Tatras closer. It borders the Ondavská vrchovina in the east, the Beskydy foothills in the south, the Spišsko-šarišský středoří in the west and the Ľubovnianská vrchovina in the north. From a geological point of view, it is a mountain complex with a flysch subsoil, which is covered with mixed forests with a predominance of deciduous trees. The river Topľa springs on the eastern slopes of Čergov and there are several nature reserves. Here you will also find medieval castle ruins or rare wooden churches.

Čergov Mountain Cabin

A tourist destination popular and popular is the only mountain hut in the Čergov mountains - the Čergov cabin (920 m above sea level), which is situated in its saddle of the same name in the south-eastern part. The cottage offers accommodation (40 places), but only on weekends. It is currently closed, so be sure to check your current accessibility in advance. At the cottage there is a double signpost, on which there are signposts of trails of all four colors, such places in Slovakia are really not many.

Tourist Hikes

If you are a tourist enthusiast, you can definitely not miss the ascent to the highest peak of the Čergov - Minčol mountain range (1,157.2 m above sea level). The peak is located in the western part of the mountains, on the borders of the districts of Bardejov, Sabinov and Stará Ľubovňa. Thanks to the typical Carpathian flora, its top part is a territory of European importance Natura 2000. The top itself is decorated with a massive reinforced concrete pylon from the time of the first Czechoslovak Republic, which is also a border of districts and a geodetic point. A large cross is placed on the pre-peak of Minčol. It is interesting that there are up to seven mountains in Slovakia called Minčol.

Another great tourist tip is climbing the Žobrák hill. The ideal starting point is the village of Hervartov, from where a red sign leads to the top (Cesta hrdinů SNP), or the village of Záď, from where you can get along the blue sign. The reward for the climbing effort will be two wooden lookout towers - the old and the new lookout tower. They are less than 80 meters apart. From the highest floors they offer you beautiful views of the mountains and villages at the foot of Čergov. In the vicinity there are fireplaces, a large covered shelter with benches and a shelter.

Tips for (Non)Tourists

If you don't feel like hiking, you may be tempted to visit more traditional localities, such as the famous Bardejov Spa and its Museum of Folk Architecture, a network of undemanding singletracks or the town of Bardejov, whose historic core is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The preserved wooden churches in the villages of Hervartov, Tročany, Krivá, Kožany, Lukov, Frička, Jedlinka, Mikulášová or Zboj are definitely worth seeing. For enthusiasts of war history, we recommend monuments in Dukla and Svidník.

GPS: 49 ° 10'40.4 "N 21 ° 11'04.7" E (Čergov mountain cabin)

Source and photos: OOCR Šariš – Bardějov

Edited by Infoglobe