Late autumn is not to be a season when you have to abstain from bicycle journeys. Low temperature and short daylight hours can be compensated by warm wear and effective route planning. Even one-sided color palette of surrounding landscapes and absence of green leaves helps to see the beauty of the nature in other way. Also you have a better opportunity to view architectural and technical objects, because usually they are more hidden in warm time of the year.
That’s why on one Sunday in November eventually I decided to implement the journey through Halych Opillia planned by me long time ago.
Traditionally I get up late and start late too. The way to the left bank of the Dniester is also traditional. It goes through the picturesque villages, such as Pidluzhia, Uzyn, Hanusivka and Yezupil. Former town Yezupil can offer a lot of interesting things to the fans of history. But I didn’t stay there, but turned to the railway bridge across the Dniester. This bridge was constructed together with the first railway (from Lviv to Chernivtsy) in our land in 1864 – 1866 years. It hadn’t been ruined during both World Wars because of the strategic importance. Nowadays the bridge is not guarded. It is used by the local inhabitants and bicycle tourists as walking passage. There are reinforced concrete defensive constructions on both sides of the bridge called blockhouses. They were built before the First World War to defend the approaches to the bridge. However now they need to be defended from vandals and barbarians.
I cross the Dniester together with wind howling in bridge trusses. You have to be careful, because trains go rather fast here. Then my way goes to the left from the railway by the former riverbed and crossing. Passing the village street I find myself on the highway. Favoring wind helps me to ride quickly enough. At the railway station in Dubivtsi I see diesel-locomotive shunter hauling hardly the loaded boxcars. From the chalkstone plant and up to the open cast mine the road, surrounding trees and grass are covered with white “flour”. I make a mistake before Tustan trying to turn to Mezhyhirtsi. None the less it’s better to visit local rocks in early spring when windflower is blossoming. Being in Tustan I choose a shorter, but much more dirty way. But after that my favorite road Halych-Pidhaytsi goes. It is characterized by wonderful landscapes, interesting profile, acceptable asphalt and small amount of cars. Section before Medukha village is lined with old trees. It’s very beautiful. Actually the whole road is very nice.
At a distance of few kilometers from Tustan there is a crossroad. Main road to Pidhaytsi turns to the right, road to Bilshivtsi goes to the left, dirt road ahead passes by Euro pig farm and leads to Kukilnyky. I choose the way ahead. There is a short steep ascend that ends with a wonderful view of the wide valley of the Bybelka. This small river gives water to the big ponds with a square of many hectares each. Second half of the autumn is a time of fish intake, that’s why some ponds are drained and others are covered only with a thin water layer. The ponds, surrounding hills, fields and the sky look grey and somehow severely. And the goal of my journey is seen ahead far away.
Nowadays Kukilnyky is a common village of Opillia. But once it was a reinforced town. It was called Urbs munita on the map of Boplan. A cathedral built in baroque style remained in the village. It is dated by 18th century. This cathedral could beautify our region, but for now it is in terrible condition. If you want to know more about history of Kukilnyky and its cathedral, look though «the Castles and Temples of Ukraine». Now in the times of independence local lowbrow tore off material from the roof of the cathedral. Since that time destruction processes have quickened. Almost nothing left from frescoes, however many new inscriptions have appeared. They were made by young people who wanted to immortalize their names. But is it for a long time? Walls won’t stay long without the roof. Soon they will be destroyed. Left statue has disappeared from the belfry (right statue is still on its place but without head). Most likely the fate of the cathedral will be the same as the fate of dozens or even hundreds of lost or almost lost monuments. It happens so, because most people in our country don’t care about historical and cultural heritage. None the less the cathedral even being in such condition is full of beauty and harmony. And there is no doubt that it’s worth visiting.
The next points of my agenda are villages Narayivka and Stari Skomorokhy. I get to Narayivka (formerly called Herbutiv) by the old field road through the mountain Valyska. It is a great pleasure to ride here. The higher you are the more beautiful landscapes of Opillia appear before your eyes. Burshtynska DRES is the dominating structure of Halych and neighboring districts. It rises in western direction. A long descend leads to the valley of the river Narayivka. So I was near the embankment of former railway branch in a few minutes. The railway from Halych to Pidvysoke was constructed in 1897 year. It considerably shortened the way between Stanislawiw and Ternopil. In summer 1944 German army making a fighting retreat had completely destroyed the line. It wasn’t reconstructed during Soviet times, and it is doubtful whether it will be reconstructed in future. Nowadays only the embankment left from the railway. And also there are some drainage constructions in the form of stony bridges. Local inhabitants call them “skleplennia”. A road goes there. It is good to ride by bicycle. You can go up to Pidvysoke. In this spot the remains of old railway combines with existing railway Stryi – Ternopil. I was riding to Stari Skomorokhy, taking pictures of bridges on my way. I have found five. They are in good condition despite the lack of care. People did really good job in Cesar times.
In Stari Skomorokhy I decided to turn back near the former railroad crossing. I was riding by the same road, watching the village surroundings. I imagined a young bored lady once looking from the window of the first class train and watching the same gardens, fences, stables and houses… There is a line of ponds between Narayivka and Bilshivtsi. That’s why sometimes the road is dirty. Canes and some snags happen on the way. The sun is low and shines directly into my face. But soon the canes are left behind. I’m riding past the rubbish heap and then past the wide square. Once there was a railway station Bilshivtsi here. But now nothing remained from it. I don’t have time to see Bilshivtsi. That’s why I do only one short stop near the town gates. I want to take a picture of monastery in the light of the setting sun and a bridge across the Hnyla Lypa that looks very interesting to me. Then I move to the highway through Slobidka Bilshivetska. Strong head wind spoils my life. I am riding near Krylos in twilight. I feel the lack of one hour wasted for a sleep in the morning and the flashlight forgotten by me at home. I come to Frankivsk in total darkness.
So it took me approximately 8 hours to ride 92 kilometers at a slow pace with many stops. Some of the roads were new to me. I saw interesting architectural and engineering objects and got a great pleasure from landscapes of Oplillia in late autumn. I recommend everyone to ride in those lands :)
