The Valley Nefcerka - are We Going to a Glacial Period in a Few Moments?

Slovakia lies in the center of Central Europe and manyjust describe why.
tourists, among whom Americans are not anyThis valley lies above the lower situated and
exceptions, find it really attractive. One of the world'sneighboring Koprova dolina (valley); it is under the
youngest (in the geographical terminology) mountainKrivan Peak; the route to the Valley Nefcerka is not
range called the Tatras or the High Tatras (Vysokevisible. It is the most protected reservation in Slovakia
Tatry) lies in the heart of this small country. Theand it has wild nature unique in all Europe. It officially
arrangement of these mountains is very dense, whichdoes not have a touristic access. As it has been
means that in the Alps (Austria, Switzerland…),preserved this way for a quite long time, there may be
for example, there is a bigger distance betweenyet some unknown species of flora and fauna not
particular peaks. The High Tatras peaks areobservable anywhere in the world. The valley starts
condensed and thus exceptionally attractive. In thesewith woods, then follow dwarf pines, a howling
mountains, you can make most of any touristic tripswaterfall, the Krivan's wall on the right hand and the
just in one day and you can see all the loveliness ofrocks everywhere; then you can see the dark blue
nature hidden within the woods and the rocks.mountain lakes with the clearest water in the world.
The history of these mountains started some 500The valley ends with the ridge of the Furkotsky Peaks
million years ago and they are part of the Carpathianaccessible from a different valley (Furkotska Valley,
mountain ranges. Later, after these mountainswith mountain lakes carrying the name of the
emerged from the Mesozoic ocean some 80 millionabove-mentioned Swedish naturalist - Wahlenberg's
years ago, they started to be formed on the surface.lakes). The Nefcerka Valley has three mountain lakes
Scientists have proofs that prehistoric people dwelt incalled Terianske lakes (deep up to 47 meters) and the
the caves of the Belianske Tatry and there are alsoNefcersky stream runs out of them. In the Valley
some sources that say that when the village NovyNefcerka, there is the Nefcerka Waterfall high almost
Smokovec was founded, workers dig out a silver coinas a 30-floor building. The valley's name is probably
with the portrait of Marcus Aurelius.derived from the Neftzer family lineage, which took
The Tatras can be divided to the Western Tatras, thecare of the royal property from the year 1695 up to
High Tatras, and the Belianske Tatras. This mountain1762.
range is in the north of Slovakia and Poland owns partOn the web of TANAP, the Valey Nefcerka is
of it too. The deceased John Paul II loved thesespecifically mentioned as one of the areas that rock
mountains and he often visited them as a priest beforeclimbers are not allowed to enter:
he became the Pope. The highest Tatras are the HighNefcerka can be seen from the Krivan Peak, which is
Tatras, where the Gerlach Peak (2,655 meters abovefreely reachable by tourists (some 4 hours from
the sea level) is the highest peak in Slovakia. TheStrbske pleso - a ski center):
Belianske Tatras have a lot of caves and it is possibleFrom animals living in such hidden places like this
that ancient dwellers lived here, as there are prehistoricnature's jewel I describe here, we can mention eagle,
proofs found in some caves (an ancient stone axe, forEurasian lynx, marmot, but also many others such as
example).viper, chamois, bear, wild cat… Among the ones
Matej Bel (1684 - 1723), a Slovak Lutheran pastor, onethat is very special is Branchinecta paludosa (a
of the greatest scholars of the 18th century (Slovakiacreature from the class of primitive and primarily fresh
was under the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy)water crustaceans). This is a water creature that has
wrote a big work entitled Notitia Hungariae novaeone special attribute - it does not live anywhere in the
historico - geografica, which got even beyond theworld except Greenland, Siberia, Scandinavia…
borders of the then Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. TheThen we have thousands of miles and we suddenly
work popularized the geographical splendor of thefind it in the High Tatras. This ice relict lives only in two
Tatras, as part of it was also a precious map and a lotHigh Tatras lakes and one of them is said to be the
of information about the Slovak geography. Thus,higher Furkotske lake (pleso) in the Furkotska Valley -
some famous European scholars visited the Tatras,a neighbor of Nefcerka.
probably being also inspired by Jean JacqueA source in Wikipedia has a little information too:
Rousseau's ideas about the benefits if people comeOf the flora, we can also mention some interesting
back to nature and identify with it. Some of theseplants. One of such species is Erysimum wahlenbergii,
were Göran Wahlenberg (a Swedish naturalist),which was discovered by the above-mentioned
Robert Townson, and many others.Swedish scholar and which carries his name. This plant
The High Tatras had some mining history too. The firstgrows up to the length of one meter and it has yellow
mining activities started in the 15th century. Under theflowers like wild radish. This kind of the plant class has
government of Matej Korvin (1458 - 1490), miningnot been found anywhere in the world.
tunnels were built in the height of about 2000 metersMore information about the High Tatras (as well as
and less around the Krivan Peak. But even in spite ofabout the above-mentioned Göran Wahlenberg)
the great enthusiasm, the results were not so good ascan be found in the English Wikipedia:
expected. Some people say that gold can be found inConclusion
these tunnels even today, but with bears around andI remember visiting the Valley Nefcerka with my father
going deep into the darkness on one's knees only isin 1968. It has been one of the most vivid experiences I
quite dangerous.have ever had, as the Soviet army entered
The contemporary Tatrasaggressively our country (Czechoslovakia at that time)
Presently, the High Tatras are under the protection ofexactly on that day in August. As we were coming
TANAP, which is the Tatras National Park (establishedback, we listened to the radio. Even at that time, no
in 1949). The High Tatras have always had a good spacars were allowed to push their wheels to the
history, as the weather and overall nature withKoprova and Ticha Valley. Now too, the access to the
breathtaking vegetation is incredibly healthy for peopleValley Nefcerka is not given to anybody except for
with breathing diseases.special purposes (scientific ones, etc.).
In 1970, the World Ski Championship took place in theIs the heavy machinery allowed to go just as near as
High Tatras and from till then quite a modest and tothe Valley Nefcerka to cut off and take away the
the world unknown place an attractive tourist placefallen trees only because it yields profit? The noise
with cableways and good transportation developed allthese machines produce is to the nature's ears the
over the region. The Western and Belianske Tatrassame what the heavy artillery to human ears. Yet, we
are exception.have a law that if someone destroys a nest of a
As these are real mountains, the weather can changeprotected bird he or she is sentenced to prison. Can
any time with harsh effects. If you go up into the hillsthe heavy machines come here, scare the animals, or
and the sun is shining, always expect that hailstoneseven destroy birds' nests built in the area of the fallen
can fall on your head in a few minutes. Tourists shouldtrees? The Valley Ticha, which is neighboring with
never forget to put a wind-jacket in their packsacksValley Koprova, has its website and you can see
and good shoes on their feet. Some years ago, apictures of these machines here:
calamity occurred in the High Tatras, as the wind wasIf anybody would like to visit Slovakia, it is a good idea
so strong that it literally cut off many trees fromto start with Slovak websites. There is much more
surface. Some wood industry companies want to takethan the Valley Nefcerka in the High Tatras. Quite a
these fallen trees out of the woods even from thefamous Slovak artist, Julius Koller, installed a UFO
most protected areas.Gallery on one of the High Tatras' mountains. The
The Valley Nefcerka - Why Are You Crying?Ganek Peak is inaccessible to all but expert climbers.
As the High Tatras is the national park, some activitiesThe idea with the UFO Gallery and the stars being
are not permitted. Some places, too, are prohibited toattached to climbers' eyes helps to find a new
see. The Valley Nefcerka is one of them and let medimension.