Cycling within the framework of the Velokraina project

Cycling has its advantages over other types of tourism. A bicycle is a very convenient means of transportation. It gives travelers the opportunity to cover long distances at a fairly high speed, get to know the region during a short trip, and visit interesting sites located at a considerable distance from each other.

The natural landscape of the Carpathians provides all the opportunities for mountain biking: from calm, easy routes along river banks to breathtaking cycling routes with steep ascents and descents.

The routes for cyclists in the mountains run through forests and meadows, offering unique views of the picturesque Carpathians.

A unique project called Velokraina was implemented in the Carpathians. Amateur cycling journalists and volunteers, with the support of the European Union, developed and equipped special routes for cyclists. No other region of Ukraine has ever implemented such an effort. The European Union provided a grant of half a million euros to implement the plan.

Thanks to the VeloKraina project, infrastructure for cycling has begun to be built in the Yaremche City Council, Verkhovyna, Kolomyia, Kosiv, Nadvirna, and Sniatyn districts. In this article, we will inform you about Velokraina in as much detail as possible and from several sources.

Within the framework of the VeloKraina project, more than 50 bicycle routes (radial and circular routes of 7-60 km, of varying difficulty) with a total length of 1350 km were developed and described; tourist maps and catalogs, presentation booklets were published; 10 roadside rest areas for tourists were built; 800 bicycle racks were installed; 53 cottages with 1091 beds were equipped for the needs of cyclists.

A bicycle ecological tourist route was created to the Kozakova Dolyna tract, located on the territory of the national reserve of the same name, along the route: Ivano-Frankivsk - Vovchyntsi village - Kozakova Dolyna ur. Ganusivka - village. Uzin - city of Ivano-Frankivsk. Ivano-Frankivsk.

Cycling is a fascinating form of active recreation that offers many unexpected, and sometimes never-before-seen and original experiences. In order to popularize active recreation in the Carpathians, namely cycling and extreme sports related to mountain biking, cycling competitions and festivals are held annually in the region.

As part of the Velokraina project, cooperation agreements have been signed with inns and tourist estates to host cyclists. The new partners of Velokraina also received compensation for the costs of arranging the amenities necessary for cyclists: bicycle garages, washing facilities, and racks for short-term parking of two-wheeled vehicles near their place of residence. These facilities will be used to create a network of cyclists friendly places.

On each route, the organizers have installed directional signs, wooden gazebos for resting and bicycle racks near shops and cafes. A dozen local hotels and mansions were specially equipped for the special needs of cyclists.

- "First and foremost, you should have a place to store your bike at night and wash it after your trips," says Viktor Zagreba, manager of the Velokraina project. "It is also important that the hotel or guesthouse provide guests with the opportunity to wash and dry their sportswear and shoes, and have at least a minimum set of tools for routine bike repairs.

Mountain biking routes differ in length, level of difficulty, and elevation differences. They will appeal not only to beginners but also to thrill-seekers.

- For very experienced cyclists, the most difficult and high-altitude route "Kulnyi" leading to Mount Kukul is suitable. It is an extreme route of 52 kilometers with a steep descent," advises Volodymyr Zakalyuzhnyi, PR manager of Velokraina.

"This route has a so-called 'Kul' route for professional riding on two wheels.

- It's designed so that you start and finish in the village of Vorokhta. At the Hoverla checkpoint, be patient - there is a difficult and long climb through a dense protected forest ahead. At the top, you will be rewarded with a picturesque panorama of the entire Montenegrin ridge - the highest mountain range in our country. Then, if you wish, you can climb Mount Kukul or bypass it on a traverse path. After a break in the meadows, you go down a steep slope to the village of Voronenko. From there, look for the road to Vorokhta. "You have to be careful when you go to Voronenko: some areas are real swamps," says Zakalyuzhnyi.

"For those who are new to cycling, Velokraina specialists have developed a simple two-hour walking route. It starts in Yaremche, crosses the Prut River on a bridge, and leads through the villages of Pidil and Dora. The signs lead you first to the St. Andrew's Monastery and then to the recreation center "Legend", built in the traditional Hutsul style. There, on the riverbank, you will find good places for picnicking and swimming.

The Legend route on this map is designed for beginners.

Politically oriented bicyclists will find the trip from Tatariv to Zhenetskyi waterfall interesting. There, the magnificent mountain nature is complemented by other attractions - the estates of political and business leaders of our country.

The "Presidential" route is complemented by the estates of political and business leaders of our country.

The winter residence of President Yushchenko is also hidden among the farmsteads here. And not far from it, in a meadow, locals breed sheep and make cheese according to old Hutsul recipes. All in all, this is a great 20-kilometer route for those who don't want to pedal, but just want to relax and get some fresh air.

More than forty more such bicycle routes are planned to be built by the Velokraina participants in 2010. This is due to the agreement with the European Union.

- "We have already completed more than 50% of what was planned within the project," boasts Viktor Zagreba, manager of Velokraina. - "In the summer of 2009, we completed the pilot part of the project - we created an infrastructure for cycling in the Yaremche region. And now we have moved our activities to neighboring regions - Kosiv, Kolomyia, and Verkhovyna districts of Ivano-Frankivsk region, as well as to two districts of neighboring regions - Chernivtsi and Zakarpattia.

The Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Administration allocated 30 thousand hryvnias for the preparation and publication of a map of bicycle routes in the Yaremche region. The circulation is 10 thousand copies. They are distributed free of charge. The guides can be obtained directly from Velokraina members or in specialized stores in regional centers.

This map shows routes with only an average level of difficulty. One of them is called "Women's Tears".

When planning an active trip in the mountains, you don't have to take your bike with you on the train. You can rent a two-wheeler on the spot. You can find out where exactly on the website bikeland.com.ua. This service costs 90-120 UAH per day.

Participation in a 4-hour bike tour around Vorokhta costs 120 UAH, the price includes lunch. Meals in cafes cost about 40-50 UAH per meal, and in restaurants - 50-100 UAH. The cost of getting to Yaremche from Kyiv this summer was 100-120 UAH for a train ticket plus 20 UAH for a minibus.

This map shows two routes: "Old Railroad" for beginners and "Mykulychynski Polonyny" for cyclists with an intermediate level of skill.

Bicycle rental and tourist accommodation are part of Velokraina. In private estates and hotels labeled "Velokraina," cyclists can find a bike wash, a room for overnight storage, maps, and a set of tools. All of these services are free of charge, regardless of whether the cyclist lives in the estate or not.

The Karpaty Rocks team joins the project as an information partner, because we wholeheartedly support the implementation of such initiatives. But we cannot understand where almost 600 thousand euros were spent. That is why we will try to analyze all the details of this project and invite everyone to actively participate in such an important dialogue.

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