Suchá Belá

Suchá Belá - limestone, karst valley, mostly on a narrow rocky gorge in the Slovak Paradise in Slovakia. Length of about 4 km, the best known and most visited of roklina Slovak Paradise. Located in the northern Part of Slovak Paradise. Extends almost exactly in line from south to north. It begins in the north-western part central plateau of the Slovak Paradise at an altitude of 930 m amsl. The lower outlet is is situated at an altitude of 550 m amsl in the village Hrabušice, in the immediate vicinity of the well-known tourist center Podlesok. Through valley running down stream called Suchá Belá, who shortly after leaving the valley fell into the creek Veľká Biela voda.

25.05.2012 year we went to Slovak Paradise in Slovakia. Along the way we passed and admired the beautiful High Tatras in Slovakia, towards the town of Poprad and then to Podlesok.

nice view of Tatra mountains

beautiful view High Tatras

map of the Slovak Paradise

the beginning of the trail

so we went...

The beginning of the expedition was in Podlesok, where after parked and entrance fee, we saw information boards of trails Slovak Paradise. We chose trail towards to Suchá Belá and went in the way...

some information about Podlesok

information board

the first obstacle

passed through the bridge

we went further

on the bridge

you have to go without support

Already at the beginning we had to go through many wooden bridges and more specifically ladders laid flat over the stream. We had to overcome it without support, which isn't, luckily for us was dry, because when the rain you can slip.

among the rocks

along the creek

ladders to top

so, we went to the top...

a small pond

Then waiting for us ladders....sometimes set upright and the relatively high, brook flows past them, so we could go and listening to the pleasant sound of the stream and admiring the beautiful gorge.

...and higher...

stairs to the top

on the step

...and higher...

narrow passage

Later we had to overcome the narrow straits between the rocks and rising ladders...

and next ladder...

...we went to the top...

it's steeply

again on ladder...

a narrow isthmus

carefully beside the brook

the top of the gorge

When we got to the top, then we headed towards Pod Vitacim Hrbom and later Klatorisko. Descent is pretty nice trail through the woods.

...and we went down

the ruins of the monastery

next to the monk

Kláštorisko 744 m above sea level - a vast glade in the center of the Slovak Paradise, which focuses on tourist services in this area - it is the only resort in the Slovak Paradise.

chapel for the wayfarer

In the glade are the ruins of the Carthusian monastery at the turn of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. In the past, there was a religious settlement, there was also a small city referred to in the documents as a "Castrum Lethon".  During the Mongol invasion in 1241 was the refuge of the inhabitants of the surrounding villages, so the area was later called Lapis Refugia ("rock of refuge"). Later city took over the Carthusians, who built a monastery there (around 1307). In the fifteenth century, the monastery was destroyed by the Hussites, but been able to rebuild it. Location monastery, away from other human settlements, made ​​the property at some time fell victim to robberies. Finally, in July 1543 at the behest of episcopal authority from Spisská Chapter monastery were destroyed, and the monks moved to the Red Monastery, where they has also headquarters. Other buildings fell into disrepair and none of them is left today, and in the ruins of the monastery are conducted archaeological research, also planned to restore it.

information board about Kláštorisko

Summing up it was a pleasant trip through the gorge which that provide a lot of experience, the passage is not difficult but when here is slippery, you need to be careful.