Deravá skala

Deravá skala is a cave and natural monument located within the cadastral territory of the village of Plavecký Mikuláš, on the right side of Mokrá dolina valley in the Malé Karpaty mountains. It sits at an elevation of 460 metres, is 26 metres long and 15 metres high. Its name and open, light-filled space make it an interesting destination for nature lovers and history buffs alike.

The cave spaces formed along a tectonic fissure through the action of groundwater and were widened by seeping water enriched with carbon dioxide, as well as by frost weathering. This process gave Deravá skala its characteristic shape. But the site is exceptional above all for its past.

The cave was inhabited as early as the Palaeolithic, later in the Neolithic and Middle Ages, and is one of the region's significant archaeological sites. The oldest finds date to the Palaeolithic – mammoth-ivory points, jasper and flint knives, scrapers, and bone points of the Mladeč type. Neolithic finds include pottery fragments, bone awls and knives, polished stone axes, and even a grave containing a child's skeleton in a crouched position. Deravá skala is also an important palaeontological site, making it a unique window into the distant past.

Deravá skala pairs wonderfully with other natural attractions nearby – just about 130 metres across from it lies another important cave, Tmavá skala. A trip to this part of the Malé Karpaty will delight both hiking and history enthusiasts, and with accommodation nearby you can comfortably tick off several close destinations during a single stay.