One warning right at the start: This article describes an attractive mountain hike, but its destination lies within a national park where movement off marked trails is prohibited. Walking with a dog is also completely forbidden here. Any following of our route may lead to a hefty fine. The text serves exclusively as a photo report to showcase the beauty of this area.
The end of summer 2024, after a few weeks spent in Scandinavia, brought me back to Slovakia. Driving through the High Tatras was more or less a must, and seeing the silhouettes of the Belianske Tatras made it clear that I should stop there at least for a while. Nový vrch was one of the few peaks in the Belianske Tatras I hadn’t stood on yet, so choosing it as a destination was more or less logical.
In the morning we start in Tatranská Javorina. Around the forester’s lodge in the valley we follow the marked path towards Meďodolov. After leaving the marked route we continue through Štefanov predeľ and then traverse below the gully descending from Havranie Saddle. Up to this point the route is clear and simple, without technically difficult sections. Most of the ascent leads through dense forest. Ibo keeps exemplary pace with our group and gradually gets closer to the members of the party. There is constant conversation within the group. It’s a gathering of people who hadn’t seen each other for a while and had a lot to catch up on. At the same time, such a racket is an ideal way to avoid encounters with local wildlife.
Below Havranie Saddle we change direction and climb steeply up the bottom of the gully to the saddle. The route goes through mixed grassy and rocky terrain and passes a pronounced narrowing after which the space opens up and the terrain becomes purely grassy. The last metres below the saddle no longer have a worn path. Elevation gains relatively quickly. The grassy character makes the approach pleasing to the eye, but moving through steep grass requires caution. Ibo, on the other hand, clearly enjoys this terrain with his 4×4 drive and shows that this kind of environment suits him.
Havranie Saddle is the first significant point of the day. We take a short break here and then continue towards Nový vrch. The route first goes through grassy sections which are gradually replaced by rocky terrain. The ascent now requires more attention and the last metres are exposed, so I keep Ibo on a leash. The reward for our effort are the views from the summit, typical for the Belianske Tatras. There are also views of a lesser-known part of the range – the ridge from Nový vrch to Nový Kopiniak, which more closely resembles the Italian Dolomites than the Belianske Tatras. Looking back, the view is dominated by the king of the local range – Havran.
From the summit we descend the grassy slopes toward Nové Sedlo. The steeply descending slopes are clearly the highlight of the day for Ibo. He enjoys the steep descent through the grassy cover. If he can’t go on all fours, he slides on his belly, and when circumstances allow, there is even a somersault or surfing the grasses on his back. However, this joy doesn’t last long. Just before the saddle there are mildly demanding and airy sections that give the hike exactly enough technicality to keep it interesting but not unnecessarily severe. Most of the harder sections can be bypassed through relatively sparse dwarf mountain pine, but occasionally you have to go literally to the edge. Ibo sometimes prefers to go on his hands. We handle everything with ease.
The descent route from Nové Sedlo leads beneath the walls of Muráň to the Zadné Muránske Saddle. Although the path is relatively well worn, most of the time it stays on a steep traverse and requires a sure step. All the more pleasant is the final section leading from Zadné Muránske Saddle back into the Javorová valley. It already has a calmer character. At first it is an older, sometimes overgrown path, but after a few switchbacks the route is indistinguishable from a marked trail. Only here can one calmly realize what a successful day we’ve had.
Nový vrch offers exactly what one expects from the Belianske Tatras – raw beauty, absolute tranquility, and the feeling of moving in another world. If you ever go here, you will hopefully understand what a unique place it is and approach it with respect and consideration.