Although our journey is focused on nature, its beginning may seem somewhat unusual. Close your eyes for just a moment. Imagine that the sound of the river has given way to the clang of pickaxes, the screech of mine carts and the rumble of miners at work. It’s hard to believe, but this is exactly how the history of these mines began over a hundred years ago.
You are in the Sheverovo area. To the right of the road, you can see a wayside cross. Right next to it, hidden amongst the trees, lie two old adits – underground tunnels that were dug by hand at the end of the 19th century in search of iron ore.
Their history began with the ‘Gamora’ works in the village of Dovhe. When the enterprise was on the verge of closure, its manager, Moritz Prigradni, ordered a search for new iron deposits. Soon, large deposits were discovered near Bilky and Ilnytsia, and production was revived. Hundreds of people worked here, dozens of quarries were in operation, and the railway transported ore to the works every day.
This success spurred a search for iron in these mountains too. Three adits were dug, but the expected ore reserves were never found. The mines quickly fell into disuse, and nature gradually reclaimed this corner of the land.
Look around you. The forest has almost concealed the traces of human labour, but the story doesn’t end here. The abandoned tunnels have found new masters.
People left these tunnels long ago, but nature abhors a vacuum. Today, entirely different masters reign here. Who are they? Approach the entrance to the tunnel and play the next track – it will reveal yet another secret of this underground world.