Čingov – Tomášovská Belá – Ferrata HZS Kysel – Veľký Kysel – Tomášovská Belá – Čingov
Every national park hides a gem, a place or an attraction that is both its greatest pride and an attraction for insider tourists. In the Slovak Paradise, such a “showcase” of nature in its full beauty and wildness is the Ferrata of the Mountain Rescue Service Kyseľ. The main part of Kyseľ, through which the secured road – “ferrata” – leads today, was hit by a devastating fire in 1976, after which it was closed to tourists for 40 years. During that time, nature gradually recovered from the effects of the fire and in 2016 the gorge was reopened.
Ferrata is open annually from 15 June to 31 October. To visit it, you need to buy a special ticket (in addition to the normal entrance fee to the national park) and equip yourself with a ferrata set, which can be rented in the tourist centres of the Slovak Paradise. All further information can be found on the official website of the Slovak Paradise National Park Administration, npslovenskyraj.sopsr.sk. The hike to the ferrata can be started from several locations. The closest one is from Cingovo, where we will start from. In addition to the Kysel Ferrata, we will also take a peek into another gorge in the Kysel National Nature Reserve – Veľký Kysel. And we will also stop at the unique Klauzy reservoir, hidden in the middle of the Raj.
Genghis
We start and end our tour in a well-known tourist resort in the northern part of the Slovak Paradise, called Čingov. It is located only seven kilometres from the district town of Spišská Nová Ves, between the villages of Smižany and Spišské Tomášovce. There is plenty of parking space as well as a wide range of accommodation, catering and other services for tourists. If necessary, you can find information about hiking opportunities in Čingovo, or buy various maps, guidebooks and other useful trifles at the two tourist information centres. In one of them in the Chata na Rázcestí you can also buy a ferrata ticket and rent ferrata sets. You can find a complete list of facilities selling tickets and renting ferrata sets on this website: http://npslovenskyraj.sopsr.sk/ferrata-hzs-kysel-zakladne-informacie-pre-navstevnikov/.
From Čingovo we start along the blue marked hiking trail in the direction of “Lesnica, estuary” and “Biely potok, crossroads”. After about half an hour of walking we reach a smaller open meadow area, above which towers the massive gallery of the Tomášov view, popular with hikers and rock climbers. From the crossroads at the White Stream we continue along the green hiking trail upstream of the White Stream, through the picturesque valley of Tomášovská Bela. The first climbs, wooden bridges and other technical elements that raise the adrenaline in the blood await us here. In another 40 minutes we are standing right at the entrance to the ferrata.
Ferrata HZS Kysel
Armed with a dose of courage, we fasten our belay ferrata sets, put helmets on our heads and set off to meet the unadulterated adventure. The Ferrata HZS Kysel nature trail leads through the environment of the eponymous Kysel National Nature Reserve, which falls under the strictest fifth level of nature protection. It is home to many rare or even endemic species of plants and animals. The development of the natural environment in this ravine after the fire has not been significantly affected by human intervention, which is why numerous rubble pits and dykes made of eroded rocks and fallen timber can be seen here. These may look disturbing at first sight, but they are also a natural part of nature, which is gradually recovering from the aftermath of the devastating event. Dead tree trunks provide a breeding ground for new generations of plants and small animals. The cycle of life continues…
Apart from the ferrata, the reserve also includes two other branches of the gorge – Veľký Kysel and Malý Kysel. These are accessible in the same way as the other “standard” gorges of the Slovak Paradise and are open all year round, without the need for ferrata equipment. It will take us about two hours to cross the ferrata to the Crossroads in Kysel. Beware, during the main tourist season longer queues of tourists may form in the ferrata. If you want to avoid them, start your hike as early in the morning as possible.
Great Kysel
After climbing the ferrata section we continue from the locality “Kyseľ, rázc.” then through the so-called Veľký Kysel. This branch of the gorge, together with the Little Kysel, was not covered by the 40-year closure after the fire. Kysel lovers thus considered them as a kind of alternate route. Nowadays, they are again somewhat “in the shadow” of the ferrata, but this does not detract from their beauty at all. In Veľký Kysel, where we can now put the ferrata sets back in our backpacks, four attractive waterfalls await us – Pawlas Waterfall, Waterfall in the Barrier, Waterfall of the Nature Guardians and Side Waterfall. We will climb them with the help of wooden and metal ladders characteristic for the Slovak Paradise. Veľký Kysel will lead us to the Biskupské chyžky site, where wooden benches and tables are located. It is an ideal place for a short rest and refreshment from your own supplies before the next kilometres of the trip. Then we continue along the green hiking trail to the location “Sokolia dolina, conclusion” and “Pod Bykarka”. Here we turn onto the yellow hiking trail and descend steeply to the Klauzy reservoir.
Clauses
The Klauzy reservoir lies hidden in the imaginary heart of the Slovak Paradise, on the White Stream. It is surrounded by dense forests and steep hills. It is a few hours’ walk from every tourist resort in the Paradise. The original reservoir was built here in 1781 and was restored in 1917 by the noble Csáky family. The reservoir is referred to as a taich, although its role was not directly related to mining, such as in the case of the taichs near Banská Štiavnica. It was used for the extraction and transport of timber. During the winter season, the logs were collected on the surface of the Bieleho Brook and then floated by a stream of water released from the taich to Smižiany to the Smižianska Maša (Smižianska Maša). Here, the wood was used in the smelters to process iron ore from the Spiš mines. Since 1985, the Klauzy taich has been a cultural monument.
At present, the Klauzy serves mainly for fish farming purposes and adds to the beauty and aesthetics of the area. Directly on the crown of the Klauzy dam there is a small roofed hut with benches, from where you can enjoy a perfect view of the whole taich and the surrounding nature. You can refresh yourself here again and in case of bad weather also take shelter from the rain.
Next, our steps will be directed along the green hiking trail parallel to the White stream through the valley Tomášovská Bela, up to the confluence of the stream with the river Hornád below Tomášovský view, where we have already been. It is quite a long way back, but we will certainly not be bored here. In this picturesque valley, besides the immaculate nature, we will also find a number of wooden and metal bridges and climbing frames. From the site “White stream, crossroads.” it is only about half an hour along the blue trail back to Čingov.
Questions for smart observers:
- Did you remember the names of at least three waterfalls that are located in Ferrat Kysel? They are all marked with name plates.
- At the narrowest point of the ferrata, cross one step from the climb on one side of the cliff to the opposite side. The width of the narrows here is therefore only one step. Do you remember what this place is called?
- From the valley Tomášovská Bela, after which we return from the Klauzy taich back to Čingov, another well-known gorge of the Slovak Paradise begins. Have you noticed what kind?
Who is the trip for?
Today’s trip is a full-day hiking trip, which we need to start as early as possible in the morning, so that we can return safely before dark. Due to its length of more than 20 kilometres, it requires adequate physical fitness as well as suitable hiking equipment, especially sturdy, high hiking boots. Ferrata Kyseľ itself belongs to the secured paths of lower to medium difficulty, so it is also suitable for newcomers who have no experience with ferratas so far. However, we do not recommend crossing it with children under 10 years of age.
Tip
Ferrata Kyseľ is a real showcase of the nature of the Slovak Paradise and the nature conservationists guard it properly. Please, take care to observe the visitor regulations here and definitely do not forget your ferrata kit or to buy a ticket to the ferrata. Otherwise, you may be unpleasantly surprised by a heavy fine (and, without a ferrata set, a serious accident).
How do you get here?
The Čingov tourist resort is very accessible by car and public transport from the nearby town of Spišská Nová Ves, as well as the villages of Smižany and Spišské Tomášovce. Fitter tourists can also cover these distances on foot.
Parking
A large paid parking lot is located directly at the entrance to the resort of Cingov. There are also parking lots for guests at the adjacent accommodation facilities.
More information
www.vraji.sk, www.slovenskyraj.eu, www.npslovenskyraj.sopsr.sk
Catering options
Pension Lesnica – Čingov 113, 053 11 Smižany, 053/449 15 18
Ihla tourist cottage – Čingov, 053 11 Smižany, 0907 956 396
Buffet Čingov – Čingov 113, 053 11 Smižany, 0918 344 830
Accommodation options in the surroundings
Pension Lesnica – Čingov 113, 053 11 Smižany, 053/449 15 18
Grand Hotel Spiš – Hornádska 1001, 053 01 Spišské Tomášovce, 053/449 11 29
Hotel Čingov – Čingov, 053 11 Smižany, 053/443 36 63
Park Hotel Čingov – Čingov, 053 11 Smižany, 053/442 20 22