Have a nice weather

Greetings, dear residents of the city who are planning to get their ass off the couch! I hasten to share with you my impressions of the trip to Svidovets.

The route was chosen based on several criteria - where we had not been, so that it would be beautiful (although where in the Carpathians is not beautiful?) and so that it would not be too difficult. We made no mistake with our choice - it was very beautiful, we saw the other side of the Carpathians and it was almost not difficult.

The Ivano-Frankivsk train station, as always, greeted us sleepily and it is not surprising because at 6 am we disembarked from the train. The group gathered at 10 and the guide checked who was missing what, asked again about food preferences and everyone went for rentals (sleeping bags, tents, raincoats, rugs) and food.

Briefly about food. The food is monotonous, but very healthy and nutritious. Mostly sweet porridge and yummy soup, with all this raisins, nuts, cookies, lard, sausage and of course a lot of condensed milk. On the third or fourth day it becomes boring, but the abundance of landscapes and cheerful company brighten up this small drawback. The main thing here is that you have enough strength to eat and see it all!

Well, first of all, about the route itself.

At about 13:00 we left Ivano-Frankivsk by minibus. I recommend ordering transport, since it will take longer to get there by public transport and it will not be very convenient for you with backpacks to bounce on potholes and potholes, stopping at every stop in every village. By three in the afternoon we landed at the starting point of our route. They divided the food fraternally and set off.

The road to Drohobrat is smooth, endless turns, a slight rise in height among the forest. From time to time you go out into the open space and a view of the Carpathians opens up. There are a lot of raspberry bushes along the road; apparently in August you can enjoy the berries. We walked like this for almost 8 km, which took us about 3 hours. The parking lot was at the foot of the mountains, we sat on a lawn surrounded by wild rhubarb. Now it’s clear why local cows have such tasty milk; they don’t just eat grass, but rhubarb. It got dark at 21:30 but we managed to set up tents, unpack and even eat. Local guests came to the smell of food - mongrels, picky creatures - they do not eat bread. They were not offended by our treat and guarded us all night and all morning.

The next morning we woke up early and had no idea what adventures awaited us...

We left happy, the weight in our backpacks had decreased for one dinner, the weather was not hot, but it was not in a hurry to rain. The most beautiful landscapes of Dragobrat opened up. In some places on the top we even imagined snow, apparently not by chance. Everyone took photos, admired the distant and nearby mountains, laughed and smiled. Then it started to drizzle and by the end of the climb to the top it was already a real downpour. Despite the fact that we were well packed in raincoats, we quickly got wet. At the top the rain was pouring down so hard that it was very difficult to move; in some places I was simply blown away. Raincoats and cover covers were torn off from backpacks by the wind, and someone's seat flew off.

Wet, frozen and hungry, we walked 12 km. At first the road was nothing, just mud underfoot and slippery, then there was a descent along the “mountain goat” trail to the lake. The weather was terrible, wind, fog, you couldn’t see anything beyond arm’s length, but the lake was beautiful even in such weather. Straight out of fairy tales - there is white fog all around, and a silvery lake under your feet, peace and quiet, only the wind is grumbling somewhere above. We have moved on...

By some miracle we reached the shepherds' house, realized how wet and cold we were and decided to dry out and have a snack. The stove in the house was covered with wet butts and equally wet shoulders, everyone who did not have enough space at the stove went to the fire to dry. A couple of hours of rest and back on the road.

The rain was almost over, it was easier, and most importantly more fun, because we were almost dry! First up through the forest, then down through the forest too. The road was terrible, we dived almost knee-deep into clay puddles. We splashed through the puddles with all our strength; there was no desire to admire the beauty at all. When they saw the long-awaited parking place, they carried their feet themselves .

We spent the night in a former lumberjack hostel. The lawn is divided by a river, on one side there is a two-story building with many rooms, without glazed windows and doors, in complete desolation, on the other side there is a gazebo and fire pit in excellent condition. It was very interesting to set up a tent in the room, since the design allowed it without pegs. But it was warm and dry to sleep, everyone had separate apartments.

The third day was a lazy day. We washed, dried, slept... got acquainted with the second group (the cheating weather brought us together with another group on Dragobrat, so we decided to stick together). In the evening, gatherings began around the fire, playing show off, mafia. The best company for playing mafia is people you don’t know + Vasya from Ivano-Frankivsk as the host ))) we laughed and played for a long time, went to bed late.

In the morning we wandered on in good spirits. The fourth day was memorable for the source of the Black Tisa; you won’t believe it, a fast, full-flowing river begins with a spring dripping two drops per minute. Then the path through the forest led us to the steepest climb to Mount Bratkovskaya. The climb is very steep, at times you had to climb over fallen trees, slide over roots and grass, but the landscapes, some kind of landscapes open up to your eyes... Then a cloud floated for you, then the sun came out for you, otherwise it was just the blue of the endless Carpathian peaks! Almost at the top, when there was no longer a place to hide behind the trees, it began to rain again and a cold wind blew. The photo shoots weren't too much of a stretch because my teeth started chattering from the cold.

Then the trail led us down from the top along the ridge. We walked through sunny lawns, through thorny thickets, and scatterings of stones. They sentenced us to a couple of packs of nuts and chocolates. Then there was a short snack and back down.

We felt all the delights of the descent immediately after Mount Duren. The grass is wet, my feet slip, the path is again for “mountain goats” - my legs get tired quickly. A short rest along an almost flat path through the forest and a hellish descent through the forest, and then almost a swamp. The descent is very steep, long, and without comfortable, well-trodden shoes it is impossible to descend. The earth, along with the stones, simply runs away from under your feet, trekking poles helped out and, of course, a soft landing on your fifth point. By some miracle we crawled to our overnight stop near Pantyr. Our saddest overnight stay was that the water source was very small, it was impossible to wash, and you couldn’t get much water. All around the water is churning and full of midges. Only in the morning did we see the beauty of the stopping place - all the nearby slopes were strewn with blackberries and strawberries, yummy.

The fifth day was the most delightful of all. The sun came out, it was not particularly hot, there were many sources of water and just rivers where you could cool off. The trail goes up, then down, and so on until the Legionnaires' Pass. The views from it are magnificent, forgive the repetition, but you can admire the mountain landscapes for hours, the main thing is that you have sandwiches and water in stock 

After a pleasant snack, we were waiting for a descent along the Bystritsa river to the village. We forded the river several times, which allowed us to significantly wash our sneakers of adhering clay in 4 days. Of course, along the way we stopped to graze on blueberry and strawberry bushes. We witnessed the felling of forests, oh powerful trees. When a spruce tree falls nearby, you feel the earth shaking under your feet. It's a pity to see the fall of such a mighty beauty...

By six o'clock in the evening we reached our last stop. The place is gorgeous. Green lawns, next to a river where you can swim if you are not afraid of cold water. Equipped area for overnight stay, fireplace and lunch, nearby village 9 for those who got bored for example after 5 days drinking beer or kefir). The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the cows are ringing their bells. It was very difficult to pack up and leave such a hospitable place.

Sixth day. We got some sleep and a short walk to a stop in the center of the village. We loaded back to Ivano-Frankivsk.

A short tour of the city, thanks to the guide, and a delicious dinner at the Desyatka cafe. I recommend it to everyone - the prices are very reasonable, the portions are huge, the dishes are varied and tasty. Exchange contacts and long live the journey home!

Well, why haven’t you changed your mind about going yet?! I'm definitely not :) Skinned knees and bitten hands will heal, white sneakers will be washed and torn pants will be thrown away, but the impressions of the kilometers traveled and the mountains climbed will remain for a long time.

Good weather and recharge your camera battery!