Nový

Nový (also Nový vrch; Polish Nowy Wierch; German Höhlenberg, “Cave Mountain”) is a 1,999 m limestone summit in the western part of the main ridge of the Belianske Tatras in Slovakia (Polish sources give 2,009 m). It rises above Tatranská Javorina and Podspády, about 20 km north-west of Kežmarok, with the village of Ždiar to the east. The peak stands between Muráň (1,890 m) to the west and Havran (2,152 m) to the east: Nové sedlo (about 1,845 m) separates it from Muráň and Havranie sedlo from Havran. The whole massif lies within the Tatra National Park (TANAP) and the Belianske Tatry national nature reserve. Its name is often confused with the neighbouring Nový vrch (1,727 m), about a kilometre to the north.

How to get there / routes

The summit is not accessible: no marked trail leads to it, and the whole massif belongs to a strict protection zone closed to both hikers and climbers. Nový is therefore a mountain to admire from a distance. It is best seen from Tatranská Javorina and the Javorová valley, with Muráň, Nový and Havran in a row; from the Polish side from around Bukowina Tatrzańska; and from the passes above Kopské sedlo. The Belianske Tatras have only a few marked trails, and none of them covers the western part of the main ridge.

What you can see from the summit

The top is covered only by low vegetation, so the view is wide: the northern part of the Belianske Tatras main ridge and many High Tatra peaks — Jahňací and Kolový štít, Kopa Brán — and in good conditions the Orava Beskids with Babia Góra and Pilsko, the Spiš Magura, the Pieniny and the border hills of southern Poland. This comes from written sources; it cannot be checked in person without breaking reserve rules.

Nature and history

Nový is built of limestone and has three tops. The lowest, southern one lies on the main ridge and is a ridge junction, while the two higher ones sit on a side ridge running north; they differ by only 1–2 m and are 10–15 m apart. The highest, northern top terminates the rocky crest of the Ždiarske Komíny, which divides the Nová and Havrania valleys. Towards the Zadný Štefanov žľab gully the mountain drops in a 60 m wall. Water from the south-western slopes flows via the Štefanka brook into the Javorinka, and the northern part of the ridge drains through the Nový potok and Havran streams — all in the Dunajec basin.

Around the summit there are a dozen or so small caves where remains of animals from the last glaciation were found — hence the German name “Cave Mountain”. Today numerous wallcreepers live here, and much of the slopes is covered by primeval forest. The name comes from the pastures in the Nová valley below the peak.

Shepherds and poachers knew the mountain long ago; later tourists came too, among them the Polish physician and Tatra pioneer Ludwik Chałubiński in 1880. The first known winter ascent was made by Adam Karpiński and Zofia and Tadeusz Bernadzikiewicz in 1937. Since then the summit has been visited very rarely, and today it is entirely closed.

Safety, season and rules

Entering the protected part of the Belianske Tatras is forbidden all year; breaking TANAP rules can mean a fine. The park’s high-mountain trails are additionally closed from 1 November to 31 May. If you walk the marked trails nearby, keep in mind the fast-changing weather and steep limestone slopes. Slovak Mountain Rescue (HZS): 18 300 (+421 18 300); emergency number 112. Park rules: tanap.sk.

Photos: Rafik k, CC BY 2.5; Rafał Kozubek, CC BY-SA 4.0; Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0; Krzysztof Dudzik-Górnicki (User:ToSter), CC BY 3.0; Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0; Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0; Krzysztof Dudzik-Górnicki (User:ToSter), CC BY 3.0 — Wikimedia Commons.