Many people have climbed Hoverla or Khomyak, seen beautiful photos from Mount Pip-Ivan, or heard legends about Lake Nesamovyte. The routes in the Gorgan Mountains have also become more famous and popular. But what do you know about the Skole Beskydy? Have you ever been there?
Relatively low but picturesque mountain ranges, beech and spruce forests, powerful waterfalls and fantastic stone giants... This underrated region is located mainly in Lviv and partly in Ivano-Frankivsk region, in the northwestern part of the Ukrainian Carpathians. One of the advantages of the location is the convenient railway connection to Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa, and the interregional highway from Lviv is in good condition.
For those who just want to take a walk or a tour, it is useful to know that the Skole Beskids National Nature Park was established in 1999. There are 19 hiking trails (about 145 km) and 27 natural mineral water springs. In addition to interesting trekking routes, there are also rock climbing routes, where many daredevils practice their skills, as we will tell you in more detail below.
Let's start our review with the rocks, because nowhere else in the Carpathians will you find as many of them as in the Skole Beskids.
The first thing worth visiting is the historical and natural complex of Dovbush Rocks. You can climb to them by hiking from the village of Trukhaniv or even drive up by car from the village of Bubnyshche (although the road there is in rather poor condition). On the slopes of the ridge, in the middle of a fabulous beech forest, there are some rocks up to 60 m high. Their mysterious atmosphere and bizarre beauty leaves no one indifferent. Deep abysses, narrow gorges and amazing stone shapes, which have been worked on by Nature for millions of years with the help of wind, water and sun. The names alone are worth it: Odynets, Armadillo, Austrian, Witch, Lialka...
From the top of the Main Massif, which can be climbed without special skills, you can take unsurpassed photos. Nearby are man-made caves, where in the tenth and twelfth centuries there was a pagan sanctuary-fortress, and later, according to legend, elusive Oprishka avengers were hiding. The acoustics in the caves are mystical and mesmerizing, so the sounds of the drymba put you in a special state of consciousness.
Another location worthy of attention is Tustan, a unique natural, historical, and architectural monument. Once upon a time, there was a fortress here that played the role of a volost center and a customs checkpoint on the salt route. Now the remaining rocks are just a silent reminder of those ancient times. Tustan is located on the edge of the village of Urych, which is conveniently accessible by car from the resort town of Skhidnytsia or from the Stryi-Skole highway.
On the territory of the Skole Beskids you can visit two small waterfalls - Kamianka and Gurkalo. Gurkalo is 5 meters high and is located near the village of Korchyn. The name was given to it by the locals because during heavy rains the sound of the water can be heard hundreds of meters away. A natural bath about 10 meters in diameter was formed under it, where you can take a refreshing dip in the heat Kamianka - formed on the river of the same name near the road leading to the village of Kamianka, has a height of about 7 m.
There is one mysterious place in the Skole Beskids National Nature Park - Zhuravlyne Lake, also called Dead Lake.
Zhuravlyne Lake is distinguished by its uniqueness and mystery, enriched with a large amount of hydrogen sulfide. It is surrounded by swampy territory, and in the center there is a small floating island made of intertwined roots, moss and branches. The area has its own special atmosphere - it may seem a bit creepy, but at the same time it is magical. At the entrance to the shore, you are greeted by a wooden bridge that leads to the view of this unusual lake. From the bridge you will notice that the lake has an irregular shape, its waters are clean and clear, but at the same time so dark that they seem almost black. Not far from the shore, you can see the other shore, which can be reached by crossing the fallen trees that have been in the water for many years. However, it is better to refrain from such an attempt, because the central island is just an illusion.
Upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that the island seems to be moving. It is formed from the roots and branches of trees, which, together with the grass, create a floating mass in the middle of the lake. The lake is called "dead" because no living creature lives in it because of the high content of hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide that is produced by the decomposition process. These gases color the water a dark color and create bubbles that rise to the surface, creating a fascinating picture. The coniferous forest around the lake adds even more mystery to the area, and the marshy ground covered with moss enhances its mystical appearance.
Despite the fact that the Skole Beskydy are rather low mountains, there are good hiking trails for one or more days. Each track will delight you with beautiful views.
Option I. While the Dovbush Rocks and Tustan are quite popular places visited by many tourists, not many people know about the next location. But this does not mean that it is not worthy of attention. On the contrary! The rocky massifs around the picturesque mountain village of Yamelnytsia are one of the most beautiful places in the Skole Beskids. The Yushkova Yama is a group of steep cliffs that form a deep, hidden gorge. They are located north of the village in a dense and wild forest.
After walking for half an hour from the eastern outskirts of the village, you will come across another magnificent rock - Kikoshiv Stone. Some of the peaks can be climbed without any equipment, rewarded with fantastic views of the surrounding mountains and Yamelnytsia. The cliffs of Yushkova Yama and Kikoshiv Stone can be connected via the Dil ridge into an interesting one-day hiking route.
Option II. If you want to walk along a high mountain ridge and climb to the iconic peak, then one of the first things we can recommend is the ascent to Mount Paraska (Parashka) 1268 m from the town of Skole. This is a serious journey that will take a whole day, as the altitude gain will be more than 800 m, and the distance is about 18 km. But it's worth the effort!
At first, a beautiful forest trail marked in yellow quickly gains height. Later on, you come across more and more gentle sections. Here you can find old beeches, fir trees with two girths, and in season you can enjoy delicious blackberries and raspberries. After walking about half the way and enjoying the forest beauty, you come to the mountain meadows. Breathtaking 360-degree views open up, and raspberries are replaced by blueberries, which are hard to tear yourself away from. Then the trail goes along the ridge for several kilometers to the top. The return trip will take much less time. There are two other ways to climb Mount Parashka: from the village of Korostiv and from the village of Korchyn via the Gurkalo waterfall.
Option III. Another interesting one-day hiking route from Skole is the ascent to Mount Lopata. Its height is 1210 m, the trail has a yellow marker and runs more through the forest. The total distance is about 15 km, the height gain is 750 m.
So, if you are interested in this wonderful land, the KULUAR club can offer you a rich and interesting program, where we have collected the most beautiful places and routes - Hiking in the Skole Beskydy: Dovbush Rocks, Tustan and Parashka. And other trips in our native mountains can be found here - Hiking in the Carpathians.
Skole Beskids is a popular climbing and bouldering region in the west of our country. The largest and most famous location is the Dovbush Cliffs, which we described above. There are dozens of routes of varying difficulty and length, multipitches, and several bouldering trails (low, short, and difficult routes that can be done without equipment). The rock is mainly sandstone, the relief often has "passive forms", "raw", so climbing is interesting and specific. Some routes end at the top of the rocks, and then you get pleasure not only from climbing, but also from contemplating the beautiful scenery. The descent down is mostly done by abseiling, and from the main massif - on foot.
In recent years, the following climbing areas have been developed: Knyazhi Skeli near the village of Tyshivnytsia and Kikoshiv Kamen near the village of Yamelnytsia.
If you are more interested in bouldering, then you should go to Easter Island. This area is located near the village of Kamianka, in the middle of a dense forest in a mystical place. Dozens of stones up to 5 meters high are scattered on the territory of several hectares, which are connected by a lace of paths. There are routes of varying difficulty and length, including the lowest one with a height of less than 1 meter 🙂 Previously, a boulder festival was held here every year, where dozens of people gathered to compete, meet and have a great time in the company of like-minded people.
In general, the weather conditions are similar to the rest of the Ukrainian Carpathians, but due to the lower altitude of the mountains, spring comes earlier and winter later. Therefore, when there is still snow on popular routes somewhere in the Gorgany or Chornohora, the Skole Beskydy are already available for visiting. The snow-free hiking season begins around April and lasts until November.
When planning a trip to this region, check the weather forecast in advance. It is often hot in summer, but sometimes there can be cold snaps down to 10–12 degrees. There are also frequent thunderstorms, especially in June and July. In the fall, the weather is more stable, dry and clear, but it is quite cool in the morning and evening. When traveling, pack a raincoat, windbreaker, fleece jacket, and a baseball cap or buff in your backpack. Also, do not forget a water bottle, snacks, flashlight and first aid kit just in case. For climbing high peaks, you may need trekking poles to reduce the load on your legs and knees. In the warm season, comfortable and durable sneakers will be enough, but in winter you will need good waterproof trekking boots.
Author of the article: Ivan Kucheryavyi, teamleader in the Carpathians
