We met our friendly Slovakian man of the mountains today. He took great pleasure in telling us of all the things that are forbidden in Slovakia. A lot of the mountain trails are forbidden, we walked them. Picking wild fruit is forbidden, we picked it. Wild camping is forbidden, we camped.

Lukaš was the best guide we could have wished for, tailoring the mountain climbing to our needs… mainly our need to stop and photograph the vistas. Our second day took us to the top of Jahňací štít (2229 m) in the high Tatras. Illicitly we set up a discreet camp of sleeping bags and roll mats, shared a chocolate bar as the clouds rolled in and the sun set. From our clandestine vantage point we had a view of Slovakia on one side, and Poland on the other.

Words: Hugo Pullen | Photos: Dora Damian