Polonyna Sheshul

Sheshul Polonyna is a treeless grassy ridge on the south-western spur of Petros in the western part of the Chornohora range, Rakhiv district, Zakarpattia. The open slopes stretch from roughly 1,550–1,600 m up to the summit of Sheshul (1,728 m); maps place the polonyna label a few hundred metres south-west of the summit, at about 1,620 m. Sheshul is joined to the Petros spur by a shallow saddle, which makes this the relatively easy way up Ukraine's fourth-highest peak.

For most hikers Sheshul is the key section of the classic route from Kvasy to Petros: this is where the forest ends and open space begins. The polonyna lies within the Chornohora protected massif of the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve.

What you will see

The slopes and summit are covered with grasses, shrubs and bilberry, with patches of dwarf mountain pine; lower down grow beech and beech-fir forests. In spring, as soon as the snow melts, crocuses bloom on the slopes. From Sheshul you can see almost the whole Chornohora ridge with Hoverla; to the north-west, across the Chorna Tysa valley, Svydovets with Blyznytsia; to the south the Marmarosh range with Pip Ivan Marmaroskyi. Below, on the slopes of Petros, lies Rohnieska Polonyna, one of the most beautiful polonynas of Chornohora. A dirt track runs along the ridge, which makes navigation in fog easier than on open ground.

Shepherds, huts and cheese

We found no descriptions of present-day grazing on Sheshul itself. Traditional farming with sheep, cows and horses is practised on neighbouring Rohnieska, and in summer cheese can be found on Menchul Polonyna, where a revived high-mountain dairy operates. If you meet a flock on the slopes of Sheshul, walk around it and greet the shepherds politely.

History and legends

Between the two world wars this part of Chornohora belonged to Czechoslovakia. In 1931 soldiers of the 36th Infantry Regiment set up a memorial on Sheshul Polonyna to Cyril Hrdlička, a Czechoslovak army officer killed in an avalanche. The height of Sheshul itself is a muddle: Soviet and later maps give 1,689 m, but that figure actually belongs to neighbouring Mount Kopytsia; pre-war Polish maps gave a near-correct 1,726 m.

Routes

• Kvasy – Menchul – Sheshul – Petros on the red waymarks of the Transcarpathian Tourist Trail: about 15 km one way, 6–7 hours up, roughly 1,470 m of ascent.
• Kvasy – Vesnarka – Kopytsia – Sheshul: about 15 km; a loop option without going up Petros.
• Our tracks: Kvasy – Sheshul – Kvasy, from Kvasy over Sheshul and Kopytsia back to Kvasy, from Yasinia over Petros and Sheshul to Kvasy, from Luhy over Pip Ivan Chornohirskyi, Hoverla, Petros and Sheshul to Kvasy.

Difficulty is moderate to above moderate: from Kvasy to the polonyna there is over a thousand metres of ascent, and the last kilometres run up an open slope. For those not ready for such a day, a sensible compromise is to walk to Menchul Polonyna and admire Sheshul from below.

Getting there

The most convenient start is the village of Kvasy: "Kvasy" railway station on the line to Rakhiv, and buses from Ivano-Frankivsk, Kolomyia, Uzhhorod and Mukachevo. From Kvasy the road leads across Menchul Polonyna and on to a junction with signposts to Sheshul and Menchul Kvasivskyi. Off-road vehicles take tourists part of the way to Menchul.

When to go and weather

The best time is from late May to early October. Crocuses bloom in spring, bilberries ripen in August. The ridge is almost always windy, and snow can lie here as early as mid-October. Summer thunderstorms often arrive in the afternoon, so start early. In winter the slopes of Sheshul and Petros are prone to avalanches.

Water, shelters and overnight

There are several springs below Sheshul: the spring below Mount Sheshul and another spring higher up the slope; in summer some may dry up, so carry a supply. At the big junction below Sheshul stands a renovated hut with a stove where you can warm up and dry out in bad weather; leave it tidy and restock the firewood. Our catalogue also lists the hut on Sheshul Polonyna. Camping is easier lower down on Menchul. The nearest accommodation is in Kvasy.

Safety

• Thunderstorms, fog and wind are dangerous on the open ridge: carry a windproof and a warm layer even in summer.
• Sheepdogs may be with the flocks: do not run, walk around the flock and call the shepherd.
• Avalanches are possible in winter; an avalanche killed Cyril Hrdlička here in 1931.
• This is a border area: border guards check documents, and rules on advance registration change, so check the current requirements of the State Border Guard Service before you go.
• This is Carpathian Biosphere Reserve territory: do not pick plants or light fires outside designated places.
• In an emergency call 112 or 101 (State Emergency Service, mountain search and rescue); for medical help call 103.

What visitors say

• The route over Sheshul is well marked but demands stamina: many took 6–8 hours to reach Petros instead of the promised six.
• The climb alternates between gentle and steep; the hardest parts are the section before Shumnieska Polonyna and the final push up Petros.
• The wind on the ridge is very strong, so dress warmly, and on sunny days don't forget sunscreen.
• The views from Sheshul are called some of the best in Chornohora, from Svydovets to Hoverla.
• On the descent to Kvasy there are many shortcut paths, but use them only in good visibility.
• Snow can already appear in October, and after it melts the trails turn muddy.

Polonynas and peaks around

• Mount Sheshul: the 1,728 m summit above the polonyna.
• Mount Petros: 2,020 m, across the saddle to the north-east.
• Mount Petrosul: the northern shoulder of Petros.
• Rohnieska Polonyna: the pasture below Petros that you see from Sheshul.
• Menchul Polonyna: the lower step of the route from Kvasy, with the cheese dairy and field station.
• Holovcheska Polonyna: on the other side of Petros, towards Lazeshchyna.
• Mount Kakaraza: a neighbouring summit on the Chornohora spurs.

Photos: Tanya Troyan, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Igor1972P, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Приходько Юрий, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Misha Reme, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.