If you are a fan of hiking, beautiful nature and breathtaking views, you should definitely go to the north of the Trenčín region. The Protected Landscape Area (PLC) of Kysuce offers just such attractions.

The greater part of the territory lies with our neighbors in Žilina, but it also partially extends into the Považskobystrické and Púchovské districts, where it offers ideal conditions for all lovers of mountains and traditional folk architecture. The Kysuce PLA covers an area of 65,462 hectares. It consists of two separate units - the western Beskydy and the eastern Javornice region. The area of Javorník extends into the Trenčín region, which consists of a belt of hills, naturally copying the Slovakian-Czech border. The western edge is represented by the Makyta massif, from there it continues through Lazy pod Makytou, Horná Mariková and Papradno towards the Žilina region.

If you take a closer look at the logo of the CHKO Kysuce, you will find in it the protected fern of the variegated rib, which inherently belongs to shady and moist forests. This already indicates what type of vegetation thrives better in this area. The cold climate and the influence of the oceanic climate mean that several rare plants reach the eastern limit of their distribution here. Within the Carpathian arc, this is an area with marginal occurrence of large beasts, including lynx, wolf and bear.

Many municipalities receive the epithet "impressive". However, if this really applies to some within the Trenčia region, then they are those located in the PLA Kysuce. To this day, the influence of Wallachian, Horal and Kopaničiar colonization can still be felt in them, in the area of culture, customs and architecture. Scattered settlements in which well-preserved log houses still stand today are characteristic of this entire region. You can follow them thanks to several hiking trails used by hikers, cyclists and cross-country skiers.

From a landscape point of view, the PLA Kysuce represents a unique mosaic landscape with forests, fields, meadows and pastures with biotopes of national and European importance. Within the entire area, there are 22 small protected areas and 25 areas of the NATURA 2000 network.

photo: CHKO Kysuce website, Peter Drengubiak