Moje studentsko oduševljenje planinarenjem ima sve šanse da se ponovno rodi u Hrvatskoj. S prijateljima sam pješice prelazila teške i prekrasne rute po planinama na Krimu i u ukrajinskom dijelu Karpata. I to je bilo vrlo različito iskustvo. Jer planine na Krimu su kamenite i sunčane. Karpati su potpuno drugačiji, prekriveni gustom zelenilom, vlažni i prohladni.
Naravno, moji hrvatski prijatelji su me pitali o ukrajinskim planinama dok smo uživali u piću u planinarskom domu. U našoj obitelji postoji smiješna priča: ne dolazimo do vrhova, lutamo padinama s užitkom. Tako je bilo s Ivanščicom. Tako je bilo i s Hoverlom. 

Najviša planina Ukrajine

Hoverla je najviša točka ukrajinskog dijela Karpata. Uzdiže se na 2061 metar nadmorske visine. Ova stožasta drevna planina pruža putnicima priliku da prođu kroz tri klimatske zone: od šume u podnožju planine do alpske livade na vrhu. S planine se pruža čaroban pogled na cijele Karpate.

Karpati u Ukrajini

Ukrajinski Karpati su središnji dio Istočnih Karpata, koji se proteže kroz četiri oblasti Ukrajine. Za Ukrajince, Karpati su prekrasan zimski odmor sa skijanjem, sanjkanjem i kupanjem u bačvama s vrućom vodom. Također su mjesto umjerenog ljetnog zelenog turizma. Ovdje ima puno zelenila, bobičastog voća i gljiva. Krajolik krase brojne planinske rijeke i slapovi. Padinama i pašnjacima lutaju ovce. A jutarnje magle pretvaraju šume u tajanstvene slike. Posebna atrakcija je jezero Sinevir.

Visokogorsko jezero

Sinevir je hladno i prekrasno jezero na visini od 989 metara, čija dubina doseže 24 metra. Jezero je nastalo prije oko 10 tisuća godina kao posljedica potresa. Na padinama oko jezera, u gustoj smrekovoj šumi, žive srne, medvjedi, vukovi, lisice i hermelini. Slikoviti otočić usred jezera dao mu je drugi naziv – Morsko oko. Zimi se do otočića može doći pješice po ledu.

Tradicije i kuhinja

Kulturna posebnost Karpata u Ukrajini – možda je najveći magnet za turiste nakon ljepote prirode. Zahvaljujući udaljenosti od velikih gradova, ovdje su se uspjele sačuvati stoljetne tradicije i recepti, elementi načina života dalekih predaka. Regija je poznata po ovčjim sirevima, mirisnim jelima od kukuruznog brašna i juhom od vrganja. Ovdje se također priprema janjetina i uzgaja riječna pastrva.
U Karpatima se čuva umijeće sviranja trembite – duge drvene trube. Glazbeni instrument duljine od 2 do 8 metara koristio se za komunikaciju na daljinu. Posebni signali obavještavali su o kretanju stada, vremenu, dobrim i lošim vijestima. Zanimljivo je da se trembita izrađuje od drveta koje je pogodila munja. Vjeruje se da će tako bolje zvučati.

Iz Karpata u Hrvatsku

Kada sam se našla u Hrvatskoj, najviše me iznenadilo koliko sam bliskima osjetila neke elemente kuhinje i kulture. Kukuruzna kaša, tradicionalna odjeća, sarma (u Ukrajini se ovo jelo zove golubci i češće se priprema sa svježim kupusom). Od Karpata sam prešla cijelu Mađarsku, ali u Hrvatskoj sam se ponovno osjetila bliže domu, Ukrajini.

From Hoverla to Ivanščica

My student passion for hiking has every chance of being rekindled in Croatia. My friends and I hiked challenging and beautiful routes through the mountains in Crimea and in the Ukrainian part of the Carpathians. And it was a very different experience. After all, the mountains in Crimea are rocky and sun-drenched. The Carpathians are completely different, covered in dense greenery, humid, and cool.
Of course, my Croatian friends asked me about the Ukrainian mountains while we enjoyed drinks at a tourist lodge. In our family, there’s a funny story: we don’t reach the peaks, we wander the slopes with pleasure. That’s how it was with Ivanščica. And that’s how it was with Hoverla. 

The Highest Mountain in Ukraine

Hoverla is the highest point of the Ukrainian Carpathians. It rises 2061 meters above sea level. This conical ancient mountain offers travelers the opportunity to pass through three climatic zones: from the forest at the foot of the mountain to the alpine meadow at the summit. From the mountain, a magical view of the entire Carpathians opens up.

The Carpathians in Ukraine

The Ukrainian Carpathians are the central part of the Eastern Carpathians, stretching across four regions of Ukraine. For Ukrainians, the Carpathians are a wonderful winter getaway with skiing, sledding, and bathing in hot tubs. They are also a place for leisurely summer green tourism. There is a lot of greenery, berries, and mushrooms here. The landscape is adorned with numerous mountain rivers and waterfalls. Sheep roam the slopes and mountain pastures. And morning fogs turn the forests into mysterious paintings. A special attraction is Lake Synevyr.

High-Mountain Lake

Synevyr is a cold and beautiful lake at an altitude of 989 meters, with a depth of up to 24 meters. The lake was formed about 10,000 years ago as a result of an earthquake. On the slopes around the lake, in the dense spruce forest, one can find roe deer, bears, wolves, foxes, and ermines. The picturesque island in the middle of the lake gave it a second name – “Sea Eye.” In winter, the island can be reached on foot across the ice.

Traditions and Cuisine

The cultural originality of the Carpathians in Ukraine is perhaps the biggest magnet for tourists, after the beauty of nature. Thanks to its remoteness from large cities, ancient traditions and recipes, elements of the lifestyle of distant ancestors, have been preserved here. The region is famous for its sheep cheeses, fragrant dishes made from corn flour, and white mushroom soup. Lamb is also cooked here, and river trout is raised.
In the Carpathians, the mastery of playing the trembita – a long wooden pipe – is preserved. This musical instrument, from 2 to 8 meters long, was used for long-distance communication. Special signals announced the movement of flocks, time, good and bad news. Interestingly, the trembita is made from wood struck by lightning. It is believed that this makes it sound better.

From the Carpathians to Croatia

When I found myself in Croatia, what surprised me most was how close I felt some elements of the cuisine and culture were. Corn porridge, traditional clothing, sarma (in Ukraine, this dish is called holubtsi and is more often prepared with fresh cabbage). From the Carpathians, I traveled through all of Hungary, but in Croatia, I again felt closer to home, to Ukraine.