Borzhava Ridge

Borzhava is a ridge of rounded grassy summits running for some twenty kilometres in Transcarpathia, all of it above the tree line at between 1,300 and 1,681 metres, which makes it one of the easiest high ridge walks in the Ukrainian Carpathians: open ground, long views and no scrambling. Shepherds bring sheep up to the polonyna pastures for the summer. A chairlift from Pylypets shortens the climb onto the crest.

Highlights

• The open crest - twenty kilometres of grassy ridge above the tree line.
• Stiy and Velykyi Verkh - the main summits along the walk.
• The polonyna pastures - summer sheep grazing and shepherds' huts.
• The chairlift - a lift from Pylypets onto the ridge, cutting the climb.

When to go

June to October is the walking season, with the pastures greenest in June and July. Snow covers the ridge from November into May. There is no shelter on the crest and weather turns fast.

What to expect

There is no water on the ridge and it must be carried. Cloud can close the whole crest and navigation on open grass is harder than it looks. The chairlift runs to an unreliable schedule.

Nearby

Shypit waterfall is below at Pylypets, and Dragobrat is east.

Key facts