The Carpathian meadows are the best place to contemplate the beauty of mountain landscapes. The word polonyna in the Old Slavonic language referred to mountain plains above the forest boundary. Our meadows are analogous to alpine meadows. Local residents have long grazed animals here and harvested hay for their cattle for the winter.
Polonyna Runa is considered one of the largest meadows in the Carpathians. It stretches over a vast expanse of 15 km and is the westernmost and lowest part of the Polonynsky ridge. Its huge, almost flat peak is a great place for hiking in the Carpathians and a unique observation deck offering incredible views of the surrounding mountains and meadows. The highest points of the Runa meadow are Mount Rivna (1482 m), Mount Runa-Play (1227 m) and Mount Menchul (1494 m).
You should climb Runa Polonyna on foot in good, clear weather. Along the way, you should make stops from time to time to rest and admire the incredible scenery around you. Polonyna Runa is also accessible to people with reduced mobility. You can get to its top by car on an old concrete road. In Soviet times, this road led to the Bars radar station, which was an object of strategic importance. The fact is that it was from this station that a coded signal was used to communicate with the countries of the Warsaw Pact (a kind of anti-NATO in Soviet times). At the time of independence, all valuable equipment was stolen from the former radar station. Memorial steles commemorating the partisans of the Second World War have been preserved near the station.
In summer and autumn, Polonyna Runa is a real paradise for berry and mushroom pickers. Thousands of local residents are engaged in this trade, which becomes a great additional income for their families. For tourists, picking berries and mushrooms in Polonyna Runa is a real holiday. To visit the best places for picking berries and especially mushrooms, it is worth using the services of local guides and tour guides who will show you the best routes for quiet hunting.
