Renata Narozna

Fully-updated third edition of this comprehensive guide to walking and scrambling in the High Tatras mountains between Poland and Slovakia, and the White and Western Tatras ranges. The sight of the craggy peaks of the High Tatras mountains straddling the Poland-Slovakia border is unforgettable, beautiful and dramatic. This was the first English-language guidebook to cover this spectacular area in depth. The two sides of the range, in Slovakia and Poland, offer totally contrasting experiences. In Slovakia, you can walk from several villages strung out along the foot of the range and linked by a tramway. In Poland, there is just one main resort, Zakopane, a delightful small town that retained its traditional atmosphere through the ravages of the Communist era. The authors provide a detailed insight into the possibilities for walking at all levels from easy through moderate to strenuous. The book also includes sections on history, vegetation and wildlife, weather, languages, preparations for your trip, accommodation and local attractions. For anyone wishing to visit the High Tatras, this book is a must.

With breathtaking scenery, some 600km of well-maintained, waymarked paths and a selection of characterful resorts, the Tatras mountains have all the elements of a perfect walking holiday. Straddling the border between Slovakia and Poland, the region boasts stunning mountain landscapes: rocky pinnacles, craggy peaks, jagged ridges and towering cliffs, mirror-surfaced tarns and dancing waterfalls. Covering the Western, High and White Tatras, and both sides of the Polish-Slovakian border, it presents 180 walks and scrambles routes of between 1km and 30km (both circular and linear and from easy to strenuous) linking the main resorts with peaks, lakes and mountain chalets. In Poland, there is just one base - delightful Zakopane - whereas in Slovakia, you can walk from several villages strung out along the foot of the range and linked by a tramway. The guide also includes a wealth of information about local services, facilities and attractions and extensive practical advice covering travel and insurance, accommodation and facilities, mountain guides, languages and safety in the mountains. The Tatras have been designated as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in recognition of their rich biodiversity and the guide presents a summary of the region's plants and wildlife, as well as its fascinating history. Other highlights include an ascent of Krivan, the national symbol of Slovakia, glorious ridge walks in the Western Tatras and gentler strolls taking in caves and waterfalls. Blending information with inspiration, this book is a must for anyone wishing to visit the High Tatras.