Makovica

Makovica is a 981 m summit in the central part of the Slanské vrchy in eastern Slovakia, in the subunit that bears the same name. It rises above the village of Kecerovský Lipovec, about 12 km west of the town of Vranov nad Topľou, on the border of the Košice and Prešov regions. Around it lie Kecerovský Lipovec and Opiná to the west, Mudrovce and Rankovce to the south-west, Herľany to the south, Juskova Voľa to the east and Červenica to the north-west. Makovica stands on the main ridge running from the highest peak, Šimonka (1,092 m), to the Herľany pass, and is recognisable from afar thanks to its tall transmitter tower.

How to get there / routes

The main red ridge trail of the Slanské vrchy crosses the summit — part of the European path E3 and the old Eisenach–Budapest route. According to Polish sources it runs from Ruská Nová Ves via Tri chotáre, the Hanušovce saddle, Čierna hora, the Červená mláka and Grimov laz saddles, Makovica, Mošník and the Herľany pass to Slanec.

• Red from the north: from Dubník via Menší vrch (950 m).
• Red from the south: from the Herľany pass via the Vyžník junction.
• Blue: from the east from the village of Juskova Voľa.

A road from the village of Mudrovce also leads to the transmitters on the summit and is popular with cyclists.

What you can see from the summit

The summit is covered by continuous forest, so the top itself has no view. From open spots nearby you can see the neighbouring Slanské vrchy peaks, the Košice basin, the Volovské vrchy, Čierna hora, Branisko, the East Slovak Lowland and the Vihorlat Mountains, and occasionally the Tatras.

Nature and history

The Slanské vrchy belong to the volcanic Matra-Slanec area. Near Makovica rise Menší vrch and Šimonka to the north, Mošník (911 m) and Črchlina to the south and the Rankovské skaly crags to the south-west. The western part of the ridge lies in the Olšava basin — the northern slopes drain via the Mokrý potok, the south-western via the Kostoliansky potok — while the eastern slopes drop via the Košiarny potok to the Lomnica in the Topľa basin.

Its central position in eastern Slovakia and considerable height made Makovica an important telecommunication node. A tower was first built here for radio-relay links and later also carried a television transmitter. Other structures on the summit are used by power companies, the army, mobile operators and private broadcasters. Today FM radio is broadcast from here; digital television was transmitted in the past. Coverage includes most of eastern Slovakia, including Košice and Prešov, the East Slovak Lowland, Zemplín and Šariš, and the signal can even be received in Poland, Ukraine and Hungary.

Safety, season and rules

The routes to Makovica are easy, but the wooded ridge is hard to navigate in fog, and in winter there is snow. Do not enter the fenced transmitter area. Slovak Mountain Rescue (HZS): 18 300 (+421 18 300); emergency number 112.

Interesting facts

• Makovica has a prominence of about 370 m.
• The European long-distance path E3, linking the Atlantic with the Black Sea, crosses the summit.

Photos: Ing.Mgr.Jozef Kotulič, CC BY-SA 4.0; Ing.Mgr.Jozef Kotulič, CC BY-SA 4.0; Ing.Mgr.Jozef Kotulič, CC BY-SA 4.0; Milan Bališin, CC BY-SA 4.0; Milan Bališin, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons.