Slovenský kras (Slovakian karst) - Slovakia

Extent: 498 km²

This mountain range is formed with limestones and dolomites and it is located in south part of Central Slovakia in districts of Rožňava and Košice. It belongs to Slovak Iron Ore area, forming a part of West Carpathian Mountains.

Highest peak: Štít (Shield) - 851 m

Surface: there are to be found here leafy wood oaks and hornbeam forests. The areas where the trees are missing, are formed with meadows, glades, bushes, arable lands and limestone rocks.

Climatic zone: warm and moderately warm.

It is relatively scarsely inhabitated area with protected fauna, flora and nature karst appearances on a surafce as well as in caves. This romantic countryside is interwoven with tourist trails and educational paths.

Slovakian Karst was declared, thanks to its vast karst territory, as Protected Country Area (in 1973), later, in 2002, as National Park.

Lokalities

Zadiel Canyon - Nature Jewel

Locality type:
Nature places of interest

Place:
Košice - outskirts district

The countryside of our Eastern neighbours is decorated with many canons. Nevertheless, only one of them could be declared as the biggest, deepest and most powerful. Its name is Zadiel Canon, and it is to be found in exotic country of Slovak Karst in south-east part of Slovakia. The territory of Slovak Karst, declared as Nature UNESCO Monument, is formed with Secondary formation limestones and typical plain-lands. They are bordered with steep corner slopes. Upstairs, there are situated pasture lands, bushes and karst hollows. On its eastern part, where Slovak Iron Ore Mountains join to Slovak Karst, these plain lands are cut (in north-south direction) with Zadiel and Háj Valleys. First of them is even 300 metres deep and 3 kms long, and belongs to biggest Slovak canyons.

No doubt, an excursion into Zadiel Canyon belongs to most beautiful tours of Slovakia. As a starting point, there is often used the village of Zadiel, situated at south mouth of the valley. From here, you have the chance for marvellous view to this monumental nature work. Using a car, you can arrive towards upper part of the village, to a place, where the canon is terminated. Small parking place, including refreshment kiosk, are to be found here. Narrow asphalted road continues ahead inside the valley, nevertheless, the entrance is allowed to cyclists only. You mount upstairs, following red marked tourist trail (the beginning of this route is from railway stop Dvorníky-Zadiel, in distance of 2 kms from parking place). Anyway, the passage throughout the bottom of Zadiel Canon, could be for somebody a disappointment.

Whereas from big distance, the valley, decorated with white rocks, seems to be really marvelloius, so, from below, it is overgrown with trees, forming impenetrable vault. Even a brook, being quite often dry, could not offer any special sight, in form of waterfalls and cascades, as it is to be seen in other parts of Slovakia. So, you walk through whole canon-bottom within an hour, and you do not see anything special. You can admire omnipresent vegetation and limestone base only. Most of visitors terminate their walk at Zadiel cottage, situated at upper canon part. The cottage offers pleasant relax possibilities, including simple meals. You return the same way back downstairs.

Provided you wish to see Zadiel Canyon full in its beauty, you cannot returm through its bottom, but follow blue marked tourist trail, across direction of upper, east canon-corner, up to the community of Turnia nad Bodvou. After 4 kms long walking, along upper edge of valley, there are diverting pavements towards several rocky views. From here you can enjoy views inside the canon depth. The first one, you cannot miss it, in any case, is placed, after one kilometer mounting, not far distant from big stable for cattle. From here, you can watch upper part of the valley, full of luxuriant forest vegetation and decorated with arising limestone rocks. The next view is also quite important, however, a view for perfect nature is partially spoiled by cement-factory in the community of Dvorníky. So, the idyll about undamaged nature is finishing here The cement factory as well as giant quarry for stones operates as a facer.

Nevertheless, most beautiful views towards Zadiel canon are available at its mouth. You will be very thunderstruck on this place. The view is phantastic, you have to sit down and admire, with humbleness, its greatness, magnificence as well as esthetic perfection of this nature jewel, situated below you. Provided your car is parked downstairs in Zadiel, you would be inspired to descend as soon as possible down. However, there does not exist any passable way, across luxuriant overgrowns, so you have to use tourist path in eastern direction. Anyway, do not worry, as the path leads throughout typical karst countryside, unique in Slovakia. From levelled plain-land, overgrown with bushes, there are arising sharp limestone hills, and the path is winding around ahead. After a while, you see conic hill on horizon, with ruins of Turnia castle. Its seems to be quite near, however, the way is full of stones, and, especially during summer hot weather, could be quite lengthy.

To the castle, blind diversion is directed. It is worth to climb upstairs, even if you could feel to be totally exhausted. In summer months, you often can watch crowds of butterflies  (swallow-taileds), and really unusual view is to be offered from castle-ramparts. This time it is to Háj-village, at the end of karst Háj Valley, enclosed with afforested slopes. This valley (a road is crossing through, towards the community of Hačava), could be proud on Háj-Waterfalls. You can reach it easily, following tourist trail staring from Turnia Castle. However, the waterfalls were damaged partially, when water-conduit was constructed (the water was let away from karst spring over waterfalls, and this fact caused that the sources became dry). During hot season (it is standard in Slovak Karst), could be also quite allured a shortest  descent towards Turnia nad Bodvou. From here, you can take the train or bus and arrive back to a place from where you started your excursion, i.e. to parkplace at the end of Zadiel Valley.

Text: Denisa Arvajová