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Kláštorská Gorge via the Hornád Breakthrough

Moderate physically demanding Difficult technical
03:45
Walking time
11.5 km
Distance
550 m
Elevation gain
Loop
Moderate physically demanding Difficult technical

Hike description

Kláštorská Gorge is full of waterfalls, and you climb beside them on ladders up to the meadows of Kláštorisko in the heart of Slovak Paradise. To reach the gorge, you first have to cross the Hornád Breakthrough on iron footholds bolted into the rock several metres above the river.


The Hornád Breakthrough and footholds above the river

From the Podlesok (545 m) trail junction, right opposite the reception of Podlesok campsite, follow the blue trail across the footbridge and then along the road past the Podlesok ranch and the Turistický raj campsite. Beyond it, you will reach a rock above the entrance to the Hornád Breakthrough gorge, where the Velká Biela voda stream flows into the Hornád. A path then drops down to a bridge, where you cross the river to the Hrdlo Hornádu (530 m) junction.

Still following the blue trail, continue on a metal catwalk along the river. After that, a narrow forest path runs past a dilapidated hut and on to the footholds below Zelená hora. These footholds are metal grates fixed to the rock several metres above the Hornád.

In a few places the rock bulges outward slightly, so you will need to press yourself in close as you pass. A chain helps for support, but if you are not comfortable with heights, this section will still get your heart racing.

Next come the footholds near Mníchova diera. These also run fairly high above the river, but the rock is a bit more slanted here, so the passage is easier. From there, an easy forest path leads all the way to the Chain Bridge, where you cross the river and soon climb up to the footholds above Večný dážď.

You will cross a few more footholds before reaching the Kláštorská roklina, ústie (520 m) junction. Right from the junction, you can cross the river on a cable bridge suspended high above the water. Your route does not go that way, but it is hard to resist this airy walk on iron grates with lovely views down the river valley.

Kláštorská Gorge

The Kláštorská Gorge follows the green trail. It is only about one and a half kilometres long, and the ascent should take no more than an hour. Much of the climb goes up the streambed, but there is usually not much water in it, and even in spring it can usually be crossed easily by stepping over stones and fallen logs. Given how short the Kláštorská Gorge is, you will come across a surprisingly large number of waterfalls. Right at the start is Strakov Waterfall, which you climb beside on a ladder on the left. Next comes Rainbow Waterfall, with two ladders on the right, and then the Gustáv Nedobrý Cascades. A narrow passage between the rocks leads you below the Small Waterfall, beside which you climb a ladder on the right, then pass the Moss Waterfall, and finally the tiny, gentle Carthusians' Waterfall with its small wooden chutes.

Kláštorisko

The last waterfall marks the end of the ascent through the Kláštorská Gorge, and after just a few more steps you join a forest track that brings you within minutes to the wide meadows of Kláštorisko, with a mountain hut, magnificent views of the High Tatras, and the ruins of a Carthusian monastery. The site is gradually being restored and can be visited. Right next to the hut stands the Kláštorisko, chata (770 m) signpost.

There are several options for the descent, but the best is probably the green trail, which first follows the track to the pod Kláštoriskom (765 m) junction, then turns right and continues downhill on a forest path to above the Turistický raj campsite, where you turn onto the blue trail and return to Podlesok.

Video

Useful info

By car: Take the D1 motorway past Poprad, leave at exit 341, and continue toward Spišský Štvrtok and Hrabušice. Drive through Hrabušice and after about one kilometre turn left to the paid Podlesok car park. By train and bus: Take the train to Poprad, then a local train to Vydrník. From there, buses run to Hrabušice, and in the summer season they continue on to Podlesok.

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Podlesok Hrdlo Hornádu (0:30) Kláštorská roklina, ústie (1:30) Kláštorisko, chata (2:30) pod Kláštoriskom (2:45) Hrdlo Hornádu (3:15) Podlesok (3:45)

Podlesok, hut at Kláštorisko, St. Bruno's spring by the monastery ruins

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