I manage to start
surprisingly early, already half past seven.
Some kind of strange
bluish mist. I’m suspicious since I haven’t seen that here before.
The path goes over Lopushna and Syvulia which are nicely lined up without the need to go much down in between. Many flowers on Lopushna and some First World War remains between the two mountains. Forestry machinery can be heard from below, clearcutting, increasing the likelyhood of floods and droughts (plants hold the soil and the moisture). Most of the tree felling in Ukraine is illegal.
Two weathered Ukrainian flags on top of Syvulia with nice view. Collect the cigarette stubs that lay on the ground there, have been doing that for some time already. A common chiffchaff comes and looks at me, first with one eye then with the other and flies away. Somehow I suddenly finally feel welcome here, as if the mountains had tested and now decided to accept me.
After Syvulia a man rakes. It’s Vitaly and he gathers icelandic moss. Tea made out of it heals everything. He has been coming to collect it for fifteen years already. He gesticulates towards the noise below: what is happening here is anarchy, what will happen? So there are people who understand. Vitaly also worries if I have enough water and is prepared to give me some from his supplies. Today I have enough. So instead I get a bagful of moss as a souvenir together with an unspecified amount of god’s blessings.
Rushchyna pasture is right below. A hige meadow with two springs and many streams.
Today was meant to be a short day and I enjoy it fully. First undertake a bath in the stream, wash my hair and all my dirty clothes. Put the solar panel up to charge gps and tablet. Walk barefoot on the grass and take pictures. Read. Some parties of hikers pass and take water from the spring but most of the time I’m alone except for the bunch of horses who maintain the camping grounds. When I later see my reflection on the tablet screen then my many times wetted hair gives me some idea how Boris Johnson might achieve his hair style.
Distance walked: 9,5 km.
The path goes over Lopushna and Syvulia which are nicely lined up without the need to go much down in between. Many flowers on Lopushna and some First World War remains between the two mountains. Forestry machinery can be heard from below, clearcutting, increasing the likelyhood of floods and droughts (plants hold the soil and the moisture). Most of the tree felling in Ukraine is illegal.
Two weathered Ukrainian flags on top of Syvulia with nice view. Collect the cigarette stubs that lay on the ground there, have been doing that for some time already. A common chiffchaff comes and looks at me, first with one eye then with the other and flies away. Somehow I suddenly finally feel welcome here, as if the mountains had tested and now decided to accept me.
After Syvulia a man rakes. It’s Vitaly and he gathers icelandic moss. Tea made out of it heals everything. He has been coming to collect it for fifteen years already. He gesticulates towards the noise below: what is happening here is anarchy, what will happen? So there are people who understand. Vitaly also worries if I have enough water and is prepared to give me some from his supplies. Today I have enough. So instead I get a bagful of moss as a souvenir together with an unspecified amount of god’s blessings.
Rushchyna pasture is right below. A hige meadow with two springs and many streams.
Today was meant to be a short day and I enjoy it fully. First undertake a bath in the stream, wash my hair and all my dirty clothes. Put the solar panel up to charge gps and tablet. Walk barefoot on the grass and take pictures. Read. Some parties of hikers pass and take water from the spring but most of the time I’m alone except for the bunch of horses who maintain the camping grounds. When I later see my reflection on the tablet screen then my many times wetted hair gives me some idea how Boris Johnson might achieve his hair style.
Distance walked: 9,5 km.
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