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Piešťany, colonnade bridge – Čertova pec, motel

Start: Piešťany
Hiking routes of the Slovak Carpathians
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10.1 kmLength
308 mAscent
234 mDescent
418 mMax. altitude
157 mMin. altitude

Trail map

Route, springs and shelters: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · elevation: Copernicus DEM © DLR e.V., © Airbus DS · Data & licences

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About the trail

Route Piešťany, colonnade bridge – Čertova pec, motel. Has blue marking (regional route №2417, KST). Waymarking data: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL).

Officially marked regional tourist route No. 2417. Marking is blue, sign — horizontal stripe on a white background. Marked and maintained by: KST. Length of the route — 10.1 km. Location: mountain range — Považský Inovec, Slovakia.

At a glance

A one-day route of 10.1 km with 308 m of ascent from Piešťany, colonnade bridge to Čertova pec, motel. Estimated walking time: about 3 h, not counting stops. Difficulty: easy. Waymarking: blue.

How we estimate walking time

By Naismith's rule, used by mountain clubs and guidebooks: an average hiker walks 4 km an hour on the flat and needs one more hour for every 600 m of ascent. For this trail: 10.1 km ÷ 4 = 2.5 h + 308 m ÷ 600 = 0.5 h, about 3 h of walking in total.

  • Breaks, snacks and photos: add 20–30 %.
  • A heavy pack, children, snow, a wet path or windfall add more; a long steep descent also takes time, especially for the knees.
  • The height of the Carpathians (up to 2,655 m) hardly changes the pace — on the ridges wind, fog and weather slow you down.
  • Limits: up to 9 h is one day; 9–13 h is a very long day or two; over 13 h means several days with overnight stays.

Route stages

  1. 0–4 kmGentle ups and downs at 160–290 m
  2. 4–5 kmClimb of 120 m (up to 409 m)
  3. 5–8 kmGentle ups and downs at 360–420 m
  4. 8–10 kmDescent of 120 m to Čertova pec, motel

Steepest kilometre: km 4–5, a climb of 100 m (≈10%).

Water and overnight stays

A spring near the trail: at km 0. There are no springs between km 0 and 10 — carry at least 2 l of water.

When to go

The route can be walked most of the year; it is most comfortable from April to October.

Getting there

Start: Piešťany, colonnade bridge. This is a one-way route: the finish is 6 km from the start in a straight line, so plan your way back in advance.

Directions to the start in Google Maps

FAQ

How long does the route take?
Estimated walking time: about 3 h, not counting stops.
Is there water on the route?
A spring near the trail: at km 0. There are no springs between km 0 and 10 — carry at least 2 l of water.

Water and shelter on the route

  1. Trajan wellkm 0 from the start · 190 m off the path · Not verified · 157 m

All springs of the CarpathiansAll Carpathian huts

Walk this route in 3DReal terrain, satellite map, Carpathian forests Play

Comments and trail condition

Travellers’ experience: reports, tips, questions.

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Wildlife along the route

All
Blackthornfruit nowEdibleBlackthornPrunus spinosaA spiny bush that turns white with flowers in spring before the leaves appear. The tart blue-black fruits sweeten after the first frosts.
St John's wortin seasonIn season nowSt John's wortHypericum perforatumYellow inflorescences on dry meadows and forest edges; leaves appear to be pierced with a needle. Blooms from June to August; a traditional herb for tea.
Yarrowin seasonIn season nowYarrowAchillea millefoliumWhite clusters of small flower heads and feathery leaves on every meadow — from the village to the polonyna. Blooms from June to September.
MallardIn season nowMallardAnas platyrhynchosThe most common wild duck: the male with a green head and a white 'collar'. It lives in the rivers, lakes, and ponds of the Carpathian valleys.
Great spotted woodpeckerIn season nowGreat spotted woodpeckerDendrocopos majorA black-and-white woodpecker with a red undertail. In spring, its drumming is the loudest sound in the forest.
European mantisEuropean mantisMantis religiosaA large green or brown predatory insect with its front legs folded in a 'praying' position. In the Carpathians, it lives in the warm foothills and valleys.

Based on naturalists’ records nearby (GBIF, iNaturalist), matched by altitude, habitat and season. Sightings are not guaranteed.

Trails nearby

All trails
Hlohovec – Trenčín, Hotel ElizabethHardMulti-dayMarkedHlohovec Trenčín, Hotel ElizabethElevation profile145–1 041 m81.8 kmascent 2 463 mPiešťany, colonnade bridge – Čertova pec, motelModerateOne-dayMarkedPiešťany, colonnade bridge Čertova pec, motelElevation profile157–451 m12.1 kmascent 290 m≈ 3.5 h walkingKarol Domin trailEasyOne-dayMarkedKarol Domin trailElevation profile157–453 m10.5 kmascent 306 m≈ 3 h walking

Craft nearby

All craft places
Piešťany: the Spa Island, sulphur mud and thermal bathsWater parks & thermal poolsPiešťany: the Spa Island, sulphur mud and thermal bathsPiešťanyunder 1 km from the trailPiešťany is Slovakia's best-known spa, spread out in the Váh valley between the Považský Inovec and the Little Carpathians.Salaš Beckov: 100% sheep’s cheese and bryndza dumplingsCheese dairies & pasturesSalaš Beckov: 100% sheep’s cheese and bryndza dumplingsBeckov21 km from the trailA sheep salaš beside one of the Váh valley’s finest castles Beckov is a village in the Váh valley between Nové Mesto nad Váhom and Trenčín, overlooked by the ruins of...Magula Winery, Suchá nad Parnou: biodynamic wines and a farmWine & tastingsMagula Winery, Suchá nad Parnou: biodynamic wines and a farmSuchá nad Parnou31 km from the trailSuchá nad Parnou is a wine village on the south-eastern slopes of the Little Carpathians, near Trnava.Včelovina meadery, Smolenice: mead and honey beerHoney & meaderiesVčelovina meadery, Smolenice: mead and honey beerSmolenice31 km from the trailThis is where the Včelovina meadery works — “a small production with a big heart”, as its founders put it.Smrdáky: a hydrogen-sulphide spa for skin diseasesWater parks & thermal poolsSmrdáky: a hydrogen-sulphide spa for skin diseasesSmrdáky42 km from the trailSmrdáky is a small spa village in western Slovakia, on the edge of the Záhorie Lowland and the foothills of the White Carpathians, about 7 km from Senica and 80 km...Trenčianske Teplice: the Hammam and sulphur thermal bathsWater parks & thermal poolsTrenčianske Teplice: the Hammam and sulphur thermal bathsTrenčianske Teplice43 km from the trailTrenčianske Teplice is one of Slovakia's oldest spas, squeezed into a narrow wooded valley of the Strážov Mountains not far from Trenčín.