Hiking the Little Carpathians
Today’s waddling adventure took us to the beautiful meadow Čermák and then a little bit more up to Skalnatá, from where the view was breathtaking, even though the wind was cold.
Our waddle:
- Waddle duration: 2 hours and 36 minutes
- Distance: 9 km (5,60 miles)
- Route: Yellow & Red
- Map: link
The Little Carpathian didn’t disappoint, and the hike was fantastic. It took us through the forest, and even the snow surprised us. The higher we went, the more we encountered it.
The difficulty of this waddle is medium. Only the last climb is a little more demanding.
If a penguin can climb it, so can you.
Accessibility
If you are coming from the capital Bratislava by car as we did, you can park your car at the parking space opposite Zochova Cottage. The parking space is quite extensive, but we recommend coming early anyway. We arrived at 9 am with only a few cars, but the parking lot was packed when we returned after our waddle.
Note it is a paid service. The price for a full-day ticket is 3 €. For 1 hour via SMS, it is 0.50 €. There is also a possibility to pay via card.
Apart from coming via car, there is also a bus going from the capital up to Zochova Cottage. It is part of the public transport and goes quite regularly. Check out more details here.
The Waddle
Starting from the parking space, we took the yellow route first. It will take you mainly through the forest.
The forest has a few challenges up in its sleeve as well. Our situation was very muddy, which we did not expect. Manageable, but some parts were harder to cross. As a penguin, I wish I could fly. It’s always good to check the weather conditions before a hike.
The mud was a surprise even though our attire was appropriate.
There were, however, also many beautiful parts where we stopped by, like the well with refreshing water.
Čermák
After the well, we came upon Čermák, a beautiful meadow that welcomed us with snow.
Čermák is a meadow that offers many possibilities for spending time there. During winter, I can imagine sledding here, while in warmer months, one can have a picnic with the whole family or friends. Although I would be cautious during the summer months, as it is close to Zochova Cottage, many people will be interested in spending time here, and it can become overfilled.
Did you know the meadow is named after a local woodsman?
Anyway, as it is winter time, it was a quiet day, and we only met there two other hikers. A shame we did not bring a sled – that would have been a lot of fun.
Read also about hiking from Rača to Záhorská Bystrica
Čermák was only halfway up to where we were waddling to. Our final destination was Skalnatá, so after a short break, we continued. And it got even more beautiful. We need to repeat this route during summer.
After waddling for a while, we saw our final destinations. From down, it looks like quite a waddle, but it looks worse than it is.
Can you imagine a small penguin waddling up? Fortunately for me, I was carried in the backpack.
Skalnatá
The hike up is easier than it looks from the bottom of the hill. Even less experienced hikers can make it. It was a little harder for us as we had freshly fallen snow, making it more slippery.
The altitude is 704 meters above sea level. It is one of the most beautiful hills in the Little Carpathians. Skalnatá is characteristic of the steep climb, but the view is worth it.
It is a popular destination for several photographers and hikers.
The winter wonderland was beautiful from up here, and I look forward to returning in the summer.
