Lake Synevyr is the largest mountain lake in the Ukrainian Carpathians, a dark, deep pool surrounded by spruce forest at about a thousand metres, formed thousands of years ago when a landslide blocked a valley. It is called the sea eye, and on a calm day, it reflects the trees and the sky like a mirror. A sad legend tells of a count's daughter, Syn, who fell in love with a shepherd, Vyr; the count had the young man killed, and the girl wept so much that her tears formed the lake. The lake is the centrepiece of the Synevyr National Park, which protects a large area of old forests in Zakarpattia, and nearby there is a rehabilitation centre for brown bears rescued from captivity, where you can see them in large forest enclosures.
Vilshany is a village in the valley of the Tereblia river below the lake, and the area around it, with Kolochava and Synevyrska Polyana, is a world of wooden houses, haystacks, orchards and Orthodox and Greek Catholic churches. Kolochava has turned itself into a village of museums, with an open-air museum of traditional life, a museum of the Soviet era and others, a curious and charming place. The people of these mountains are Ukrainians and Rusyns, and they keep many traditions: woodworking, weaving, folk music and seasonal festivals.
The riding is rough and beautiful. The roads from Mizhhirya to Synevyr and Kolochava climb through narrow valleys along rivers, with forests on both sides, and the surface ranges from decent asphalt to broken, potholed tarmac and gravel. Expect livestock, horse-drawn carts, logging trucks and pedestrians on the road. The scenery is spectacular, with mountains, meadows and villages, and in autumn the colours are intense.
The weather in the Carpathians is changeable, with heavy rain possible at any time and snow in winter. Summer and early autumn are the best seasons.
Mizhhirya, about twenty kilometres away, has fuel, shops and simple restaurants; the villages have small shops. Try banosh, a rich cornmeal porridge cooked with sour cream and served with cheese and crackling. Ukraine is at war, and although Zakarpattia is far from the front lines, check the current official travel advice very carefully before considering any trip, and follow local instructions.