Bliznica

    Bliznica - one of the most beautiful tops of Svidoveckij mountain range and Ukrainian Carpathians - is not far from the settlement Yasinya, of Rakhiv district, Transcarpathia area; its height - 1883 meters.
    Rakhiv district is the known tourist district. Here you will meet the trip-lovers at any time of a year. And it is not surprising - that many summer and winter routes pass here.
    Bliznica, as well as all Ukrainian Carpathians, is glorified in songs and fairy-tales. One of the most interesting legends is about the name of the top.
    In a neighbor of mountain Petros once have been living guzul family. Once in summer acquainted arrived to them with their sons-twins. A guzul had daughter-beauty. In long conversations it turned out, that children in both families had been given birth in one year and day. After this visit a girl and guys met often, they went for a walk in the picturesque environs of Petros. Guys came to love guzul daughter, and a girl liked fellows. Long time the torment of dubiety, but however each in a secret from a brother made girl a declaration of love. Parents did not oppose to the possible wedding, but to who give preference - the girl had to decide. But, to make a choice was difficult. Finally, she said to brothers: "Who will bring me in a gift silk flower, would have my heart and hand". A long time fellows walked by mountains in searching of silk flower (in Carpathians called edelweisses). Rising on mountain valley, they met old shepherd and told him about their anxieties. An old shepherd offered to the fellows the dried up edelweisses, but they rejected - it is unbecoming act to offend a girl with lie. Then the shepherd showed on the sheer slopes of three-headed mountain: "A silk flower grows there. The most bold and strong fellow can get him only. Climbing on rocks is uneasy. Besides, flowers guard very beautiful girls-enchantresses. They will give it to you, if you forever will remain in their mountain kingdom. Otherwise they will whip off you from rocks in deep canyons..."
    It did not scared fellows. The love stoked up them. Difficult and long was a road in mountains. On unscalable cliff they finally saw, one flower. Passing ahead each other, brothers in haste climbed on cliffs. Each wanted the first to pick a flower. One of the fellows succeeded to reach to the edelweiss. But girls-enchantresses appeared, inviting guys to remain among them. Brothers disagreed.
    The highlandress got angry: "You would not fill happiness in your lives!"
    Under the fellow's feet, which were dragged to the edelweiss, a rock collapses; he breaks away and, falling, drags his brother in to the chasm...
    The girl has been waiting for fellows. Not waiting till, went away in mountains on searches. On mountain valleys an old shepherd told her about meeting with fellows, showed rocks to which they went to. A girl rose to the cliffs and saw tracks of frightful misfortune. Guzuls daughter did not bear the grief and jumped from a rock in to a chasm... Habitants named three tops, located alongside in this place, Bliznicy. The highest carries the name Bliznica (so in the local manner of speaking usually name one of girls-twins).
    On the way we will meet rocks-ledges - the First gendarme, Second gendarme, Third gendarme. The origin of their names also explains in the legend. From afar three ledges on the rocky slopes of Bliznica remind human figures. It is said gendarmes arrived to investigate the reasons of brothers-twins and girls' death. Hearing the story of old shepherd, they petrified from fear. So they stand until now, guarding the place of death of three falls in love and blocking up a way to all, who tries to climb on the cliffs of Bliznica in searching of edelweisses...
    Comfortable paths and roads conduct on Bliznicy. It made mountain favorite resting-place participants of pedestrian and mountain-skier hikes. Rising on Bliznica in summer, you will visit on mountain valleys - mountain meadows, covered with the bright carpet of flowers. In winter you will be subdued by the fairly-fantastic dressing of snow-bound mountains.
    In the forests of Svidoveckij mountain range, as well as in all Carpathians, bears, wild boars, lynxes, deers and roe deers are led. Many birds dwell: black grouse, wood grouses, partridges, pheasants, jays, hawks, storks arrives in summer. There is a salamander in the shaded places, in lakes there are tritons.
    On the slopes of Bliznica brooks take beginning - Svidovec, Kosovka, Stanislav, which fall into Tisa. In the rivers the iridescent is led and brookish trout and grayling.
    The winter here usually soft, snowy, middle temperature hesitates from - 3� to - 5�C. Mountain slopes are of different steepness and length, therefore very comfortable for skiing. Besides, tourists do not have to rise uphill. To their services are a few lifts.
    Tourists rise on Bliznica at any time of year, except for the small period of the winter, when nipping frosts, bad visibility or icing comes.