SK: High Tatras – Climbing to Sedlo pod Ostrvou

Sedlo pod Ostrvou – The Point of Our Interest

The saddle mentioned above is to be found in the south of the High Tatras, near Popradske lake. The saddle spreads above Mengusovska valley between the peaks of Ostrva (1 984 m) and Tupa (2 285 m). The saddle is situated at 1 966 meters. There goes the red tourist trail which is the popular Tatranian freeway. The Sedlo pod Ostrvou is a popular hiking destination. Tourists go on from there either to Slezsky house or to Popradske lake. You can reach Sedlo pod Ostrvou easiest either by walking some of the tourist trails running across Mengusovska valley from Strbske lake. Here we can either take the blue trail running from the Popradske Pleso train stop. Alternatively we can take the red tourist trail which starts off at Strbske Pleso town. Both points of starts are easy to acces via the Tatranian electric railway or by car. There are several paid parking lots for visitors.

To Popradske lake

The trek to Sedlo pod Ostrvou is an easy alpine trip even for people who are alpine tourism beginners or are not sufficiently physically fit for more difficult hikes. Our tour is 15 kilometers long and supposedly takes around 5 hours. We start off at Strbske Pleso village. Here we join the red tourist trail running to Popradske lake. We walk through forest while going uphill. Then we pass Trigan direction board. Soon we enjoy the first of the beautiful vistas over Mengusovska valley or Zlomiskova valley which is bit furter away. The trail goes on. On the other end of the valley, there is the massive peak of Ostrva. Eventually, we reach Popradske lake. We pass several cabins and eventually spot huge mountains of Ostrva and Tupa. On the opposite slope, we recognize the last section of our hike – a tourist trail going up steep mountain side to Sedlo pod Ostrvou.

The Vista over Mengusovska Valley

We continue along the trail along the lake. Then we follow a trail uphill. Quickly we gain the necessary altitude. The trail crosses steep debree field covered with mountain pines. The higher we get the less mountain pines there are. On the ohter hand there is more of grass. The vistas over Mengusovske valley are getting prettier with each meter gained. Upon final meters of climb, we are headed towards our goal – Sedlo pod Ostrvou. The vista over Mengusovske valley and the glittering surface of Popradske lake. To the left, there is the diverse ridge of Bast and its main peak of Satan (2 421 m),. On the other end of the valley, there is the Koprovsky pyramidal peak (2 367 m). To the right we can recognize the Popradsky ridge. Vysoke (2 547 m) rises above Zlomiskova valley. Right before us there is huge pyramidal peak of Tupa (2 285 m).

Great location makes Sedlo pod Ostrvou a popular place for tourists. Here we can enjoy  amazing vistas over the valley, surrounding peaks, Popradska basin and the Low Tatras ridge. Peace, beauty, noblesness and humility. These traits you discover in yourselves when being in this amazing, charming place everybody love come back to.

GPS: 49°09'00.9"N 20°05'29.1"E

Text and photos: Radoslav Biskupič

Překlad: Stanislava Waniová

Sedlo pod Ostrvou – The Point of Our Interest

Zmíněné sedlo se nachází v jižní části Vysokých Tater nedaleko Popradského plesa, rozprostírá se nad Mengusovskou dolinou v oblasti mezi vrchy Ostrva (1 984 m n. m.) a Tupá (2 285 m n. m.). Přes sedlo, které leží v nadmořské výšce 1 966 metrů, vede značená červená stezka – turisticky známá a populární Tatranská magistrála. Sedlo pod Ostrvou je oblíbeným cílem túr, jakož i odpočinkovým místem pro ty, kteří přes něj pouze procházejí a pokračují dále – ať už směrem na Slezský dům, nebo k Popradskému plesu. Sedlo pod Ostrvou je nejlépe dostupné po některé z turistických stezek vedoucích přes Mengusovskou dolinu z oblasti Štrbského plesa. Můžeme se vydat buď modře značenou trasou od železniční zastávky „Popradské pleso“, nebo si můžeme zvolit trasu červenou stezkou se začátkem z osady Štrbské Pleso. Oba výchozí body túry jsou dobře dostupné Tatranskou elektrickou železnicí i autem (návštěvníkům je k dispozici několik placených parkovišť).

To Popradsk lake

The trek to Sedlo pod Ostrvou is an easy alpine trip even for people who are alpine tourism beginners or are not sufficiently physically fit for more difficult hikes. Our tour is 15 kilometers long and supposedly takes around 5 hours. We start off at Strbske Pleso village. Here we join the red tourist trail running to Popradske lake. We walk through forest while going uphill. Then we pass Trigan direction board. Soon we enjoy the first of the beautiful vistas over Mengusovska valley or Zlomiskova valley which is bit furter away. The trail goes on. On the other end of the valley, there is the massive peak of Ostrva. Eventually, we reach Popradske lake. We pass several cabins and eventually spot huge mountains of Ostrva and Tupa. On the opposite slope, we recognize the last section of our hike – a tourist trail going up steep mountain side to Sedlo pod Ostrvou.

The Vista over Mengusovska Valley

We continue along the trail along the lake. Then we follow a trail uphill. Quickly we gain the necessary altitude. The trail crosses steep debree field covered with mountain pines. The higher we get the less mountain pines there are. On the ohter hand there is more of grass. The vistas over Mengusovske valley are getting prettier with each meter gained. Upon final meters of climb, we are headed towards our goal – Sedlo pod Ostrvou. The vista over Mengusovske valley and the glittering surface of Popradske lake. To the left, there is the diverse ridge of Bast and its main peak of Satan (2 421 m),. On the other end of the valley, there is the Koprovsky pyramidal peak (2 367 m). To the right we can recognize the Popradsky ridge. Vysoke (2 547 m) rises above Zlomiskova valley. Right before us there is huge pyramidal peak of Tupa (2 285 m).

Great location makes Sedlo pod Ostrvou a popular place for tourists. Here we can enjoy  amazing vistas over the valley, surrounding peaks, Popradska basin and the Low Tatras ridge. Peace, beauty, noblesness and humility. These traits you discover in yourselves when being in this amazing, charming place everybody love come back to.

GPS: 49°09'00.9"N 20°05'29.1"E

Text and photos: Radoslav Biskupič

Překlad: Stanislava Waniová