Hrabušice, Sawmill – Veľký Sokol – Glacká cesta – Geravy – Dedinky
Veľký Sokol is the longest and perhaps the most mysterious gorge of the Slovak Paradise, perfect for adventurous characters. Minimal traffic, perfect peace in the bosom of wild nature and of course climbing ladders around waterfalls – all this is what the Veľký Sokol offers to the brave who decide to discover it. The ideal starting point for a hike to the Great Falcon is Hrabušice, part of the Sawmill. Another famous gorge of the Raj, Piecky, starts directly from this settlement. After climbing Veľký Sokol, it is possible to return back along the red descent route or you can continue along the so-called Glacier Trail to the Geravy plateau and from there descend to the village of Dedinky, to the surface of the Palcmanská Maša dam.
The Great Falcon
From Hrabušická Píla we start along the green hiking trail around the Veľká Biela Voda stream. After half an hour of walking we come to the Sokol locality, where the gorge of Veľký Sokol starts. Here we join the yellow-marked trail, which takes us into the real wilderness. With a length of up to 6 kilometres, Veľký Sokol is the longest gorge in the Slovak Paradise National Park. It starts gently through a romantic valley, the steep rock walls narrow later. The trail gradually disappears more and more into the bed of the Sokol stream. If you go here in the rainy season (the gorge is open all year round), you will certainly not be able to walk through it with dry shoes. Therefore, you should choose good quality waterproof hiking shoes.
After about an hour of progress up the gorge, we reach a rock constriction called Kamenné vrata (Stone Gates). The rock walls around the gorge here reach an impressive height of up to 300 metres. We cross the first cascades over which wooden bridges lead and climb a metal ladder ascending the rock around the Small Waterfall. In the season when there is more water in the gorge, you will also get a good splash. Above the waterfall there is a bridge from which you can enjoy a view into the depths of the gorge. In just a few moments, another vertical ladder awaits us, this time around the Great Waterfall, followed by another cascading section equipped with bridges and risers.
The final gorge of Veľký Sokol is called Róthova roklina, after its discoverer, Martin Róth, a pioneer of hiking in the Slovak Paradise. Together with the Small Waterfall it is the wildest and at the same time the most photogenic section of the whole gorge. After crossing Róth’s gorge, we are already climbing up to the very end of Veľký Sokol on the Glac plain, in the locality of Glacká cesta (Glacká cesta). If you need to get back to the Hrabušická Píla to your car, the red marked descent route will take you there in the direction of “Glac, former mining station”, “Glac, Malá Poľana”, “Palc, razc.” and “Sawmill”. Otherwise, continue further south along the upper parts of the Glac plain. Through the locality “Pod Suchým vrchom” we gradually pass to another plateau of the Slovak Paradise called Geravy.
Geravy
The Geravy mountain plateau is situated at an altitude of 1 032 metres above sea level. It is one of the largest and most frequented crossroads of hiking trails in the south of the Slovak Paradise. A chairlift leads here from the village of Dedinky, which should be reopened after reconstruction from summer 2022. In the restaurant of the Geravy Mountain Hotel you can enjoy a pleasant refreshment and, if necessary, spend the night here. There is also a small eco-farm directly on Geravy, where they breed various kinds of domestic animals, including horses. Occasionally, while relaxing on the benches near the hotel, you will be pleasantly disturbed by cats or baby goats that have smelled the goodies from your rucksack. From Geráv we have the possibility to descend to the valley of Malé Zajfy, to Stratenská Píla and to the village of Stratená, or by a shorter way along the green hiking trail directly to the village of Dedinky. Today we choose the second, shorter option.
Villages and the Palcmanská Maša dam
Our trip ends in the village of Dedinky, on the shore of the Palcmanská Maša dam. Palcmanská Maša is often considered one of the most beautiful, but also the coldest dam in Slovakia, which is only an advantage during hot summer days. It was built in 1954 and together with two reservoirs near the town of Dobšiná it forms the interconnected Dobšiná Waterworks, on which the pumping hydropower plant operates. If we have more time, we can rent a pedal boat at Palcmanská Maša and enjoy a romantic cruise on the surface of the dam. Hungry people will surely enjoy the delicacies from the offer of the Pizzeria Lumaro, the restaurant of the Pension Koliba Zuzana right by the dam or on the terrace of the Delika Delicatessen.
Questions for smart observers:
- What is the length of the chairlift from Dedinki to Geravy? The information board at the valley station of the cable car will help you.
- Another well-known gorge of the Slovak Paradise, which is the only one in the south of the national park (it is located in the Hnilec river basin), leads directly to the Gerava plain. What is the name of this gorge?
- A very interesting and unique construction solution can be seen on the railway line in the section between the villages Dedinky and Stratená. In addition to two tunnels and several bridges, the railway crosses directly over the Palcmanská Maša dam. The south-western part of the dam, separated from the rest of the reservoir by the railway line, is also popular with holidaymakers. Do you know its name?
Who is the trip for?
The Veľký Sokol gorge is one of the more difficult sections of the Slovak Paradise, so this day trip requires not only adequate physical fitness and hiking equipment, but also basic experience with movement in the environment of the gorges of the Slovak Paradise. For a walk with smaller children or for the first introduction to the exposed environment of the ravines of the Paradise, we recommend choosing another, easier route (for example, the Zejmarská ravine).
Tip
Make sure you are equipped with suitable sports clothing, waterproof hiking boots, a waterproof jacket or raincoat in your rucksack and enough food and fluids for the whole day. If you are travelling to and from the trip by public transport, make sure you check the departure times of the services. They vary considerably in the summer season and off-season.
How do you get here?
During the summer season there are regular bus connections from the town of Spišská Nová Ves to Hrabušická Píla, from where we start our trip. From Dedinki, where our trip ends, we can also get back to Spišská Nová Ves by bus, or by train with a transfer to a bus in Nálepkov or in Margecany.
Parking
There is a paid parking for tourists on Hrabušická Píla.
Dining options nearby:
- Mountain Hotel Geravy, Geravy, tel. no.: 0911 110 978, 0911 581 679, 0911 463 504, e-mail: ondrejkova@gmail.com
- PIZZA & CAFE Lumaro, Dedinky 75, tel: 0908 930 959,
- Restaurant Pelle, Dedinky 108, tel. no.: 0905 390 398, e-mail: dedinky@ubytovaniededinky.sk
- Pension Koliba Zuzana, Dedinky 127, tel. no.: 0905 278 397, 0910 199 942, e-mail: kolibazuzana@gmail.com
- Pension Restaurant Pastierňa – Dedinky 42, 0907365375
Accommodation options in the surroundings:
- Mountain Hotel Geravy, Geravy, tel. no.: 0911 110 978, 0911 581 679, 0911 463 504, e-mail: ondrejkova@gmail.com
- Hotel Priehrada Dedinky – Dedinky 107, tel. no.: 0903969109
- Hotel Mlynky – Biele Vody 252, Mlynky, tel. no.: 0915351166
- Pension Salamander – Palcmanská Maša 293, Mlynky, tel. no.: 0910842369
- Pension pod Guglom – Prostredný Hámor 389, Mlynky, tel. no.: 0903016865