Mount Stynka

Stynka (Slovak: Stinská) is a 1,093 m mountain on the state border between Ukraine and Slovakia, in the Bukovské vrchy, part of the Bieszczady. The summit lies on a rocky ridge of the same name; here the border separates Ukraine’s Uzhanskyi National Nature Park from Slovakia’s Poloniny National Park. The nearest village is Kniahynia (about 3 km to the south), with Sil and Strychava (about 5.3 km), Stuzhytsia (about 6.7 km) and Kostryna (about 8 km) a little farther.

The top is fairly flat: on the border there is a higher western summit (1,093 m) and a lower eastern one, and on the Ukrainian side, about 1.6 km to the north-east, another inconspicuous top of 1,019 m. The slopes are forested, with occasional mountain meadows. Below the summit lies a hollow with a peat bog called “Chorne Moloko” (Black Milk). The summit area is protected on both sides of the border by Stynka nature reserves.

How to get there

There is no waymarked route of ours to Stynka itself yet. The nearest is Zahorb – Stuzhytsia – Kniahynia meteorite fall site – Holania ridge – Kostryna (23 km, about 1,140 m of ascent), which passes about 1.9 km from the summit. The Transcarpathian Tourist Trail runs about 2.4 km away. On the Ukrainian side, paths lead towards Stynka from the villages of Stuzhytsia, Domashyn, Kostryna and Kniahynia, some of them waymarked; most of them, however, reach the lower tops of the massif.

Water, shelter and safety

Our map shows a weather shelter and a picnic shelter above Stuzhytsia about 2 km north-east of the summit, at around 980 m, and a spring about 2.4 km to the east (950 m). A few more springs lie above Kniahynia, 3.5–3.9 km to the south-east. The condition of all of them is unknown. The mountain lies in the border zone and in a protected part of the national park: carry your passport, do not cross the border, stay on the paths and follow the park rules. The nearest summit with our 7-day forecast is Stii on the Borzhava, about 64 km away: weather on Mount Stii. In an emergency call 112 or 101 — contacts of the nearest units are on our mountain rescue page.

Interesting facts

• The Slovak Stinská nature reserve by the summit has had its current status since 1986 and covers about 91 ha.
• Uzhanskyi Park is part of the world’s first trilateral Ukrainian–Polish–Slovak biosphere reserve, “East Carpathians”, recognised by UNESCO.
• One of our nearby routes passes the place where the Kniahynia meteorite fell.