Mykulychyn. In Flight on the Carpathian Swing. A Place Everyone Is Drawn To

Both adults and children love to swing, feeling the euphoria of flight and the sensation of free fall. Everyone tries to reach the maximum height, increasing the amplitude of their swinging as they compete with one another. A person is familiar with the effect of swinging from childhood, when a newborn is rocked in its cradle. Doctors consider the swing a therapeutic procedure, beneficial for development and health, since the back-and-forth motion soothes and lifts the mood. One of the most famous swings in Ukraine towers on a mountain slope in Mykulychyn in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, and every day crowds of tourists head here to spend a pleasant time, to feel the joy and to reach seventh heaven.

 

Mykulychyn. The great Carpathian swing

Not every car can make it up the rocky climb to the popular spot, and that is wonderful. It is far more beneficial to walk up on foot, and there is really no need to poison the air of a nature-protection zone with exhaust fumes. The distance from the car park to the site of the Mykulychyn landmark is 600 metres, as a signpost indicates.

Mykulychyn. Signpost to the swing

The route runs through the territory of the Carpathian National Park's Yamna forestry district. On the starting area next to the car park, gazebos have been built for a snack and a rest. Lovers of the original have rigged up something like an observation post out of boards set on the branches of a spruce.

 

Mykulychyn. Gazebos of the Yamna forestry district

The huge stone monoliths covered in lichen, which have rolled down the slopes of the land of Gorgany, look like true sentinels.

 

Mykulychyn. Stone boulders on the slopes of the Gorgany

The ascent, with a moderate climb along the winding road, takes about 15 minutes.

Mykulychyn. The road to the swing

The Carpathian swing stands beside private homesteads, but entry to it is free for everyone. 

Mykulychyn. The path to the swing

The story of this celebrity begins in the 1970s, when the father of the Ostapiuk family built enormous swings for his five children and the neighbours' kids. Residents of mountain villages have an innate sense of height and a desire to soar above the Carpathian peaks. In 2020, three of the Ostapiuk brothers, in memory of their childhood and to keep Hutsul traditions alive, restored the structure for the amusement of all comers with no age limit - locals, visitors, guests.

 

In accordance with safety regulations, the approved height is 8 metres.

 

Mykulychyn. The 8-metre swing

The wooden structure, shaped like a trapezoid with a seat, has become an incredible success. The swing has no backrest, so you can experiment with different movements - standing, sitting and lying down; the main thing is to keep your balance. The Hutsul swing lets you take in fantastic panoramas of the Carpathian ridges in flight and watch your own feet sticking out above the tops of the forest and mountain massifs.

 

On the area beside the swing there is children's play equipment, benches and gazebos. In the cafe, guests are offered Hutsul delicacies, ice cream, and tea made from Carpathian herbs with honey.

Mykulychyn. The swing grounds. The cafe

The national colour is heightened by Hutsul costumes, available for hire for selfies.

Mykulychyn. Hutsul clothing for a photo shoot

On 26 April 2022, one of the swing's creators, Yurii Ostapiuk, was killed in Avdiivka, Donetsk region, in the war against the Russian occupiers. A second brother was wounded. Glory to the Heroes! To the defenders' mother, Mariia Ostapiuk, and to the whole family - our condolences and our gratitude.

Coordinates of the Carpathian swing: 48°23'48"N 24°38'41"E