White rocks in Slovakia
This year, we have decided to visit our family in Slovakia more often, but for not as many days as usually. Normally, we would go for 2-3 weeks and this time we only went for 10 days with a promise that we will return at the end of August. Usually, my mom doesn't do much with us as she still has to work and is tired after her shifts, but this time we chose the period when she would be on vacation too, so she couldn't make excuses like she always does.
Long story short - we had a great time and did a few day trips with my mom and my brother. I'm originally from the eastern part of Slovakia, only about 30 minutes drive from the Ukrainian border. My hometown is nestled between hills of Poloniny mountain range that are a part of the Carpathians which go all the way down to Romania. It's a woody area with reach wildlife, especially wolfs and bears which is why I don't like to go to the forest on my own. It wasn't like that when I was younger, but the bear population is growing rapidly and there is a big chance that you'll meet a bear when you go to the forest.
My brother kept talking about Biele Kamene or The White Rocks, so we decided to check it out. He promised us a nice walk and stunning views. He was not sure how long the walk/hike is which was a bit concerning as my mom can't walk that much, but in the end she managed very well and didn't complain as much as expected.
It took us only about 15 minutes drive to get to the parking slot with a little gift shop from where we (of course) bought a lot of branded materials as we like to support local business. Most of those items will be used as gifts for our friends 😊
We had a cup of coffee as well and started our walk. It was one of the hottest day, but luckily it should take us long to enter the forest which would have much more bearable climate.
We took Maxo on our walk too to stretch his little old legs. He was so excited and was running around like crazy, so I went ahead with him otherwise he would keep pulling me. Every time we stopped after a while (when he decided it was the right time) and waited for the rest of our group. As soon as he saw them we could continue. It was so funny.
I kept him on the leash because of other animals. He is not the best listener and I didn't want to lose him somewhere in the forest.
The road was recently renovated, so it was nice and clean. In the past it was laid with gravel which was dusty and not so comfortable to walk on.
The views were stunning as promised.
Even though it didn't rain for a long time the forest was still green and lush. We could feel the change in the air as soon as we entered it. I almost forgot how much I loved to walk in the forest those many years ago.
Maxo started to look for water, so we came across this tiny creek that was almost dried out. It took us a while to find a spot from where he could drink a bit. He is very special and will only drink from creeks or rivers on his walk. He would rather die than took a drink that we would offer him.
It wasn't easy to take a photo of this tiny snail without Maxo trying to eat him. I had to distract him with a stick because a stick is life.
We have already finished our blackberries in Switzerland and in Slovakia they were still green...
I found a couple of ripe ones although I didn't eat them in the end as my brother warned me about some sickness spread by foxes, so it's not safe to eat fruits from the forest. As sad as I was I didn't want to risk it.
We came across many beautiful flowers too. I'm surprised that those photos didn't come out blurry as Maxo didn't have any time to lose and was pulling me all the time.
There are plenty of slow worms in this area. They look like snakes, but they are legless lizards. Nevertheless, I always jump up when I see one before I realize what it is. I mean, they are as long as snakes!
Butterflies were flying around us too...
From time to time, we came out of the forest and could enjoy the views again...
And this is where we reached the sightseeing point. We took a couple of group photos, but it wasn't as interesting as we saw the exact views all the time.
And this is why we came all the way here...
It doesn't look spectacular, but it's hiding an interesting story. The legend says that if you can read what is written on the rock you can find a treasure that is hidden in the area for centuries. It's written in the old language used in the 9th century. Next to it it's the old alphabet that will help you to decode the message. I think it's a lot of fun for kids. I didn't try to read as I was way too hot and wanted to go back to the forest.
I think that even today he is dreaming about all those sticks that he found on the way...
A proof that a stick is life and its size really doesn't matter 😊
It was in total about 8 km and it took us less than 3 hours to complete. It does sound like a lot, but we stopped all the time and didn't hurry at all. I was hoping that Maxo would sleep for at least 2 hours once we came home, but he seemed to regain his energy in the car and was his usual menace self as soon as we got home. How I miss him!
Thank you for reading!
Bears aren’t as bad as they’re made out to be; you just have to keep a few things in mind. First, don’t take a dog into the woods, even on a leash. Second, make some noise—that is, talk or step on a twig so it snaps. Third, if a young bear cub approaches, do not pet it or feed it!!! Calmly and slowly move away in the opposite direction. This last point also applies to adult bears—move away calmly without turning your back on the animal.
Theoretically, what you say is right however (I don't know how it is in Poland) they got very brave and approach even groups of people. They got used to people so much that they go down to the villages/cities and simply walk around the streets. They climb over fences and approach people. Recently, one attacked a person from the back after it climbed over the fence. It is not unusual to see a bear walking on a road with a car driving slowly behind it. I could go on and on and on. I'm not saying they are bad, but for some reason they got more aggressive than they used to be. Maybe warm winter or not enough food? I don't know...
It’s not quite that bad in Poland. I don’t know—maybe it’s also because of the numbers? It’s estimated that there are about 100–150 of them here. People certainly have a major influence on this behavior—deliberately feeding them, leaving food scraps on the trail, and leaving unsecured trash cans near homes. But one thing is certain: it’s better to err on the side of caution than to take unnecessary risks.
That might indeed by one of the reasons. They are counting them in Slovakia at the moment and the official numbers will be available in November, but they already estimated around 3500 bears. Compared to 10 years ago, the population doubled.
I agree with you, it's better to be cautious as you never know. And indeed, it would help if people chanhed their behaviour too.
It really was a wonderful trip full of unforgettable memories I really enjoyed the way you described your visit with your family and the beauty of eastern Slovakia The mountains, forests and rich wildlife make it a truly beautiful and fascinating place. The lush green trees also make this landscape particularly beautiful and inviting It’s also wonderful that you were able to spend time with your mother and brother. Thank you for sharing this lovely story and your experience with us
Man look at all that green. I moved out of the city proper a few years ago, but not as far as I would’ve liked. If I was single I’d live in the middle of nowhere or somewhere small like this; civilization lite.