Záruby

Záruby (formerly also Ostrý vrch, German Scharfenstein) is the highest peak of the Little Carpathians at 767 m (some signposts say 768 m). It stands in the central part of the range, on the northern edge of the Pezinok Carpathians in the part called Biele hory, above the village of Smolenice, about 20 km north-west of Trnava and 17 km south of Senica. The summit itself lies in the cadastre of Buková in the Trnava Region.

Záruby is part of a long ridge running west–east across almost the whole width of the Pezinok Carpathians, from the Buková reservoir to Smolenice castle. Geologists describe it as a monoclinal crest: gentle on one side, with limestone crags — typical of this part of the Little Carpathians — on the other. At the western end of the ridge, on a rock spur of the same name, stand the ruins of Ostrý Kameň castle (576 m); to the east rises Havranica (717 m). Water from Záruby drains to the Morava, from the eastern part to the Dudváh.

Getting there / trails

• Red markings — the Štefánik trail (Štefánikova magistrála) along the main ridge of the Little Carpathians, here shared with the Cesta hrdinov SNP and the European E8 route. You can reach the summit from the Havrania skala locality or from the «Pod Ostrým kameňom» junction.
• Blue markings from Smolenice via the Záruby saddle — the shortest climb from the Trnava side.

The climbs are modest and suitable for a family walk, but the last metres to the top are rocky and the limestone slabs are slippery after rain. The summit is marked by a wooden cross and a signpost.

The view

The summit area is forested, so there is no all-round panorama. From open crags on the ridge you can see Veľká Javorina, Inovec and Zobor, and in good visibility even Alpine peaks and the Pavlov Hills in Moravia.

Nature

The mountain is part of the Little Carpathians Protected Landscape Area and of the Záruby National Nature Reserve, declared in 1984 over about 300 ha with the highest, fifth degree of protection. It protects forest communities of the 3rd and 4th vegetation belts — an example of how the forests change with altitude in the Little Carpathians — with many rare and protected plant and animal species. So keep to the marked paths and do not scramble on the crags off them.

Nearby

• Ostrý Kameň castle ruins on the western spur of Záruby. The Gothic border castle was built in the 13th century (first mentioned in 1273) to guard the so-called Bohemian Road — a trade route from Buda through this pass to the Czech lands. In 1704 a major battle of the Kuruc insurgents took place near the castle, after which it gradually fell into ruin.
• Driny cave about 2 km south-west of Smolenice — a 636 m karst cave discovered in 1929, with a visitor route of about 550 m.

Safety

The Little Carpathians are low mountains, but the forest is dense and there are many paths: take a map or offline navigation. Ticks are common in summer, and in winter the crags can be icy. In an emergency call 112 or the Slovak Mountain Rescue Service (HZS): 18 300 (from a foreign phone +421 18 300).

Photos: Lure, CC BY-SA 4.0; Vegetator, CC BY-SA 4.0; Akul59, CC BY-SA 4.0; Svetovid, CC BY-SA 3.0; Akul59, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons.