Читать книгу Walking in Slovenia: The Karavanke - Justi Carey - Страница 11
ОглавлениеINTRODUCTION
Imagine the Alps as they used to be: grassy meadows full of flowers, flocks of animals swinging sweet-sounding bells around their necks, old wooden herders’ buildings, enticing trails with almost no-one on them, spectacular views in all directions, huts welcoming you to eat and drink with the locals. No commercialism, no main roads, no huge ski resorts marring the landscape. This idyllic vision is, more or less, that of the Karavanke range today. For decades a sensitive border area, where even the local hunters and mushroom-pickers needed a licence to visit, the Karavanke range remains possibly one of the last unspoilt areas in the whole of the Alps. Visitors to Slovenia usually rush to the much better known Julian Alps, leaving these gems of mountains almost untouched.
This book will provide you with a taster of the Karavanke. The 23 walks described here cover all the main peaks along the full length of the range, which between them offer spectacular views, caves where Stone Age remains have been found, high pastures where cows, sheep and horses graze together in harmony, slopes so carpeted with flowers that the mountain appears covered with snow, airy ridges, shady forests and empty summits. You will discover that the range is more complex than it looks or appears from the map, a place where the views spread out without warning as you round a corner, or you suddenly emerge from the trees into open meadows where time seems to have stopped.
Dovška Baba and Kepa seen from Golica (Walk 6)
The Karavanke form the border between Slovenia and Austria with a total length of about 120km, making it one of the longest mountain ranges in Europe. It divides naturally into two sections: the Western Karavanke, as far as the Košuta ridge, is more or less a single unbroken ridge, while the Eastern Karavanke are split into several massifs. The typical pattern all along the range is of precipitous rocky faces to the northern, Austrian side, while to the southern, Slovene side there are steep grassy slopes and terraces. The ridges offer outstanding views in both directions: to the north lies the Austrian region of Kärnten, famed for its lakes and more rounded mountains, while to the south the Julian Alps drop their stark faces to the valleys; the contrast between them is part of the charm. Further east along the range views of the whole of Slovenia open up, across the Gorenjska plain to the capital, Ljubljana, and beyond to Snežnik, the ‘snowy one’, standing alone not far from the Adriatic coast.
In spite of its modern cities and excellent transport networks Slovenia still has an air of the past, when the pace of life was slower. Slovenes keep close contact with their families and their land; in some cases the same family has worked the land for hundreds of years. Much of the population still lives in villages, where almost every house has its vegetable patch; even in the cities allotments are common. The country, independent from Yugoslavia since 1991, is about the size of Wales, or half the size of Switzerland, and although only about 11% of the land area is covered by high mountains, 90% is higher than 300m above sea level, and the Slovenes proudly count themselves an Alpine nation. With a present-day population of about 2 million centred on Ljubljana, the capital city, there are only a handful of other large towns, the most important being Maribor, Celje and Kranj. Mountains have shaped the country and its culture, and it is common to see whole families out walking together, such is the Slovenes’ enthusiasm for the outdoors.
Slovenia may be only a tiny country, but within its small area lies some of the most varied and beautiful mountain scenery in the whole of Europe. From the stark heights of the Alps, through forested plateaux and rolling hill country scattered with small farmsteads, to the fascinating limestone karst areas, Slovenia has it all. This book will hopefully entice you to explore further; once you have sampled the mountains, the countryside, the old town centres and the easy-going way of life, you will want to return again and again.
Landscape and geology
Slovenia is one of the most mountainous countries in Europe and also one of the most forested, with over half the country having tree cover. In spite of its small size there are several distinct geographical regions: the Alpine area, including the Julian Alps, the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, Pohorje and the Karavanke; the foothills to the south of the Alps; the karst area south of Ljubljana towards the Italian border; the short coastline; and the flat Pannonian plain to the north-east near the border with Hungary.
Geologically, most of Slovenia, including the Karavanke, is composed of limestone. The term ‘karst’, derived from the Slovene word kras, is used all over the world to describe limestone formations, and includes such typical features as deep, steep-sided gorges and dry valleys, sinkholes, springs, water-dissolved caves and tunnels underground, and water-eroded surface rocks resulting in the formation of limestone pavements. Many of these can be seen in the Karavanke range. Glaciation has also contributed to the characteristic mountain landscape.
Looking east from the summit of Vajnež, showing the much steeper faces on the northern, Austrian side (Walk 11)
Besides limestones, other rocks in the Karavanke include conglomerates and breccias, shale and mudstone. Many Karavanke rocks are rich in fossils and contain iron ore, on which the whole economy of the region was once based. Look up (or down!) at the red-coloured rocks and soil to see the evidence of the iron to this day. It was mined in the Karavanke hills and with plentiful wood and fast-flowing mountain streams for energy, the forges thrived. The town of Jesenice developed on the back of the iron and steel industry and, although iron is no longer mined here, the steel factory of Acroni is still one of the region’s biggest employers. In other areas of the Karavanke, mercury, lead and zinc were also mined in the past.
Climate and weather
Slovenia’s position in Central Europe means that, in spite of its small size, it has three distinct climatic zones: a Mediterranean climate by the coast, with warm sunny weather through much of the year along with mild winters; a Continental climate in eastern Slovenia, with hot summers and cold winters; and an Alpine climate in the north-west with warm summers, cold winters and abundant precipitation. The Karavanke fall into the Alpine climate area.
Tortoiseshell butterfly
Trends over the past 20 years or so suggest that the effects of global warming are beginning to be felt. Temperatures are rising, resulting in less snow in winter, and summers are hotter. Wind patterns are also changing, and long periods of drought have been followed by extensive flooding, which can be devastating in an area of steep-sided valleys and mountains.
The Wildenstein waterfall (Walk 20)
In any mountain area weather is notoriously difficult to forecast. Snow can occur at any time of year and can render a summer walking trip a disaster if you are not adequately prepared. In summer the snow does not tend to lie for long, but in some years the peaks and high-altitude paths can be snowbound from October to May. April and November are times of maximum rainfall. Thunderstorms are common in July and August, and can obviously be particularly dangerous on ridges and high-altitude routes; they can spring up out of clear air within half an hour, perhaps not leaving enough time to get to safer ground. Thunderstorms are most common in the afternoon and evening, so it is often advisable to make an early start so you have a chance of achieving your objective before a storm occurs. The mountains around the Ljubelj Pass (Walks 13–19) are particularly prone to afternoon thunderstorms.
Weather forecasts can be obtained from the local people where you are staying. There are forecasts on television (Slovenia 1) daily at 6.55pm, which cover the whole country and give a long-range forecast for about four days ahead (although it is of course in Slovene, the map symbols are universal). The tourist information office will also have a forecast. The internet site www.arso.gov.si is in Slovene only, but click on the words vremenska napoved (weather forecast) to find vremenska napoved v sliki (weather forecast in pictures); this gives a two-day forecast with symbols. Other general weather websites will give you an idea of the outlook but are unlikely to offer any detail for mountain areas. A notable exception is www.windguru.cz, which supplies a detailed forecast for parapenters (and surfers) – choose Slovenia and Julijske Alpe from the drop-down menus.
Limestone is usually white and can be extremely bright when the sun shines on it. Sunglasses are therefore a recommended piece of kit, even on a day that appears cloudy.
Environment
Fortunately both Slovenia and Austria understand how precious the Karavanke are; a joint project between Slovenia and Austria aims to make sure that development is made in keeping with the natural environment and the long heritage of the people that live there. The website www.karavanke.eu is a great resource, especially if you use a translate program on the Slovene part, as not all of it has been translated into English yet.
As a visitor to the area, it is your responsibility to make sure that this area remains unspoilt – be especially careful to keep your environmental impact to the minimum by keeping to the footpaths and taking all your litter away with you. Remember also that this is a working landscape: leave gates as you found them, keep dogs on a lead, and avoid disturbing livestock.
Wildlife and flowers
This brief section mentions just some of the key species that can be observed – it cannot do anything approaching justice to the wealth of wildlife to be found in Slovenia.
No discussion of the flowers of the Karavanke would be complete without mentioning the narcissi (Narcissi poeticus subsp. radiiflorus) that flower in such profusion in late spring. They are something of a national institution, and one of the symbols of the town of Jesenice. In Slovene they are called ključavnica, meaning lock – in one legend explaining the name, it is said that God warned the bees not to suck nectar on Sundays, and when they ignored the decree, God locked the nectar into the flowers. In the past the flowers were even more abundant, when the grass was mown in August. Changes in agricultural practices mean that in many places the meadows are no longer cut for hay, and woodland is taking over the flowers’ habitat. At their best they are really something to see – although Golica (Walk 6) is the most well-known area, their range extends along the ridge to Dovška Baba (Walk 4).
As might be expected in such an unspoilt landscape, the alpine flowers are a highlight of all the walks in this book, from the familiar deep blue of gentians to less well-known species such as the indigenous Zois’ bellflower (Campanula zoysii), related to the harebell. The wonderful lush growth of Alpine hay meadows needs no introduction here; the regular cut of the plants, two or three times a year, means that the hardier species do not get the chance to dominate the more delicate ones and the variety of colours is reflected in the many species of butterflies.
Zois’ bellflower (left) and gentians (right, above) are abundant on the high Karavanke slopes, while hellebores (right, below) burst from the forest floor in springtime
Given that around 53% of Slovenia is covered with forest, almost all the walks pass through sections of beautiful woodland. Spruce, beech, pine and larch are interspersed with other species in true mixed forest, which gradually changes its nature with height. The highest of all is the dwarf pine, encountered before the trees give out altogether and leave only the short grass studded with flowers among the rocks.
Many parts of the Karavanke are still worked and are used as pasture for livestock in the summer, even up to the ridges. This means there are fewer areas for the typical high-altitude mammals such as chamois, although they can be seen in some places. Slovenia supports a healthy population of predatory mammals, including wolves and European brown bears, and although no bears live in the Karavanke they have been known to pass through in isolated circumstances.
Alpine choughs, ring ouzels and ravens can all be seen in the high mountains; choughs in particular are more than happy to eat your sandwiches on the summits! In the forests listen out for the capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), a large game bird whose call when disturbed is reminiscent of the gobbling sound a turkey makes – you are more likely to hear them than to see them. The Slovenes call them mountain roosters. A common amphibian which can often be seen in the beech forests, especially on damp days, is the strange black and yellow fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra). The rarer black Alpine salamander (Salamandra atra) can sometimes be seen even on the ridges in rainy weather; interestingly, they do not spawn into water but give birth to two live young.
Black alpine salamander
The walks
The walks are arranged in order from west to east. All of them are approached from the southern, Slovene side except for Walk 12, which describes Stol from the north (from the village of Feistritz in Austria), and Walk 20, which gives an ascent of Hochobir from the Austrian village of Wildenstein, south-east of Klagenfurt.
Based in the Upper Sava valley, our journey starts with Peč (Walk 1), a symbolic mountain in many ways – not only is it the first of the Karavanke range, it is also the peak on which the three countries of Slovenia, Austria and Italy, and the three great cultural traditions and languages of Europe, Germanic, Romantic and Slavic, all meet. Walk 2 explores two little-known summits, Trupejevo poldne and Vošca, and the unbroken ridge between them, while Walks 3 and 4 visit the peaks of Kepa and Dovška Baba high above the pretty villages of Mojstrana and Dovje.
If you are able to visit this area in late May, you will be treated to an amazing sight – the slopes covered with white narcissi in unbelievable profusion. Golica (Walk 6) is the best known, and has a festival to celebrate the flowers, but they are just as good on Dovška Baba and indeed all along this section of the ridge (Walks 4–8), including Hruški vrh and Klek.
Narcissi in full bloom on the Karavanke with Triglav and the Julian Alps in the background (Walk 4)
Walks 9–12 are on and around the highest Karavanke peak, Stol (2236m); Walk 9, Ajdna, visits the archaeological site of the highest ancient village in Slovenia, while Walks 10–12 climb the mountain and its close neighbour, Vajnež, providing stunning 360-degree views.
The valley base now moves to Tržič, a small town below the road pass of Ljubelj which crosses into Austria. Walk 13, Dobrča, is a mostly forested hill, an outlier of the main range, but it boasts a viewpoint which gives terrific views into the next section of the Karavanke above and around the Ljubelj Pass. This area is covered by Walks 14–19, with grassy planinas (high-alp or open areas with pasture and, on most of them, herders’ buildings) and shepherds’ huts giving way to the dramatic ridges falling steeply away to the north.
After Košuta (Walk 19) the main ridge of the Karavanke begins to break up, and the final walks stand alone in great massifs, typically with an east–west orientation. Walk 20 is something of an anomaly – Hochobir is the only major peak of the Karavanke to lie entirely in Austria. It is perhaps a little bit harder to get to, but you will be amply rewarded by the beautiful waterfall on the lower part of the walk and the different perspective from the summit. Walks 21 and 22, Olševa and Peca, visit less well-known mountain areas of Slovenia and are worth savouring over two or three days. Olševa is near the stunning Logarska dolina mountain valley, one of the true highlights of Slovenia, and could be visited during a trip to that area. Peca is somewhat off the main tourist routes but this beautiful mountain and the protected Topla Valley are worth the effort of getting there. Walk 23, Uršlja gora, with its pretty summit church, is the last peak of the Karavanke – or is it the first?
When to go
The main walking season is from mid-June to the end of September, when most of the walks are snow-free and the weather is generally stable. The high mountain huts are usually open from July to September, but the lower ones may be open for longer or even all year round – see www.pzs.si. The Karavanke, being south-facing and with a highest summit of only 2236m, can be walked outside this main season, but earlier than the beginning of May or later than the end of October the weather becomes unsettled and snow is likely, while many tourist facilities will already be closed. Winter is not appropriate for mountain walking in Slovenia, although you will be welcome for the skiing, snowshoeing and ski-touring!
Slovenia is criss-crossed by beautiful woodland trails (Walk 14)
Getting there
Most travel information is out of date almost as soon as it gets into print, particularly in these days of online bookings, so only a rough guide is given here – shop around and check for up-to-date information through tourist agencies or on the internet before you go.
Red tape
Citizens of most European countries, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US do not require a visa to visit Slovenia for up to 90 days. Slovenia has had open borders with the 25 countries of the Schengen Agreement since 2007.
By air
Several airlines, including the budget carriers Easyjet and Wizz Air, fly into Jože Pučnik International Airport at Brnik, 23km north of the capital Ljubljana. Adrija Airways is the national carrier (www.adria-airways.com), with flights to Brnik from most major European cities, and especially the European hubs of Frankfurt and Munich. The budget airline Easyjet (www.easyjet.com) flies to Ljubljana from London Stansted, while Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com) flies from London Luton to Ljubljana. Flights from the US require a change somewhere in Europe. Another possibility for air connections, especially for the two walks that start in Austria, is Klagenfurt in Austria, served by the budget airline Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) and also by Air Berlin (www.airberlin.com).
By train
International railway stations with links to northern and southern Europe include Ljubljana and Jesenice – the latter is particularly convenient for most of the Karavanke walks. Trains run to Villach in Austria from Ljubljana via Jesenice; there you can change for Klagenfurt. The website www.slo-zeleznice.si gives train timetables within Slovenia, and www.oebb.at is the Austrian rail site.
Travelling within Slovenia
By car
Slovenia has a good road transport network, with motorways linking all the major centres. Some of the walks are difficult to access by public transport and a car makes life a lot easier in the rural areas described here; cars can be hired at the airports and in reasonably sized towns.
Public transport
Slovenia has a modern and efficient system of public transport by train and bus, which serves most, but not all, of the rural villages adequately or even well. For bus timetables www.vozni-red.si will help you, although its English translation is a little shaky at times. Enter the start point and the destination to get the timetable, but remember that it is a good idea to check the times with the local tourist information office or on the timetable displayed at all bus stops. For trains use www.slo-zeleznice.si, which has an English version, but again, check before you travel. Generally, in Slovenia it is cheaper to take the train than the bus.
In most cases you will fly to the international airport at Brnik; buses run every hour from here to the main bus and train station in Ljubljana. Onward buses leave from outside the train station. If you are taking a train, note that it is a good five-minute walk from the ticket office to most of the platforms.
Addresses
In towns, the streets have names (ulica and cesta for street and road), with the number following the street name (for example, Prešernova ulica 23), but in villages the houses tend to be identified simply with the name of the village and a number.
Accommodation
The large towns of Slovenia have the full range of accommodation, from five-star hotels to cheap hostels, and prices are generally reasonable compared to other European countries. A small tourist tax is payable for each night, and proprietors of all types of accommodation will need to see your passport. Information and booking can be found in the tourist information office or on the town’s website.
Dom na Zelenici (Walk 16)
Mountain huts are called dom or koča in Slovene – a dom is usually larger but otherwise there is no difference in the type of facilities available. Mountain huts are ubiquitous in Slovenia and are part of the country’s culture. They are divided into categories depending on their proximity to the nearest road, and the prices of both meals and accommodation are fixed by this. Sleeping accommodation is in dormitories or rooms, with rooms being more expensive. Bedding, including blankets, sheets and pillowcases, is provided, so there is no need to carry a sleeping bag. Prices are cheaper if you are a member of the Slovene Alpine Club PZS (Planinska zveza Slovenije), and there are reciprocal agreements with the alpine clubs of some other countries. The lower huts usually have running water and often showers, but the higher huts have no water except rainwater, which means limited washing facilities. The high huts may be busy in good weather in July and August, and it is a good idea to book in advance. However, you will never be turned away in bad weather, even if you have to sleep on the floor.
Staying in Slovene mountain huts can be a delight or a necessary evil, depending on when you go, where you are, and luck. Also one person’s delight can be another’s nightmare: whether you are a party animal and it is very quiet, or you are shattered and looking forward to a peaceful early night and a large group arrive wanting to party. On a sunny evening, after a good day on the hill, it is a joy to sit outside with a beer and watch the sun set.
Hut opening times can be checked on the Slovene Alpine Club’s website: www.pzs.si – this is in Slovene only, but from the homepage click the tab Planinske koče and then Karavanke; this leads to a full and up-to-date list of all the huts and their phone numbers. The Delovni čas column shows whether or not the hut is open at the moment; thus, the high-level huts are shown as being closed in the winter-time. Odprt/Odprta/Odprto is open, zaprt/zaprta/zaprto is closed, OS means it is permanently open, and OSNP means it is open on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Razen means ‘except’. Take care to look for the full name of the hut, for example Koča na Golici, not Golica koča.
Huts serve basic, reasonably priced meals even if you are not staying the night there. There is no problem with eating food you have brought with you in the huts (for example, sandwiches), but there are no facilities for self-catering. The food in the huts is filling and nutritious, but somewhat repetitive. Vegetarians will manage (with even more repetition), but vegans will struggle.
Cattle graze the high Karavanke pastures
Water, in this primarily limestone environment, can be a major problem. The higher level huts do not have running water, which means not only no showers, but no washing at all, and every drop of drinking water must be bought and not cheaply, as the huts are often supplied by helicopter. Make use of any springs for drinking that you find en route – some of them are mentioned in the text and marked on the local maps.
In villages accommodation can be found in ‘private rooms’ (sobe) – the equivalent of bed and breakfast, or in a penzion or gostilna/gostišče, eating places which also offer accommodation, like a small guest house or inn. Tourist farms (turistična kmetija) offer comfortable rooms and excellent home-cooked and home-produced food.
Food and drink
Food
Large towns and villages will have a variety of eating places, called gostilna, which provide excellent home-cooked food. Prices are reasonable and portions large – there seems to be an almost pathological fear that you might go home hungry! Many hotels and pensions also have restaurants which are open to non-residents.
Mountain hut food is filling and cheap, so sausages (klobasa) and thick soups and stews with hunks of bread prevail. Typical dishes include:
jota – stew with sauerkraut, served with or without meat (meso)
ričet – barley stew, again served with or without meat
golaž – goulash, not normally spicy in Slovenia
vampi – tripe
žganci – hard boiled corn mush (much tastier than it sounds!)
špageti, njoki – pasta (spaghetti and gnocchi)
Some huts, especially lower ones frequented by locals, will serve local specialities.
Sweets include palačinke (pancakes), štruklji (dumplings, often with cream cheese), and zavitek (strudel).
Drinks
Slovenia produces several beers (pivo), of which the most popular are Union and Laško. Laško’s Zlatorog is a lager-type beer, which holds up its head, as it were, with the best beers in Europe. Slovenia’s climate also provides the raw materials for some excellent wines – the white wines are particularly good. Radler, a shandy of lager and lemon or grapefruit is very thirst-quenching.
All bars, and mountain huts, serve not only alcoholic drinks but also tea, coffee and hot chocolate. If you ask for čaj (tea) you will get a fruit tea without milk – for tea UK-style ask for angleški or črni (black) tea with milk (z mlekom), but not all places stock it, and mountain huts usually do not – there, you can ask for hot water (vroča voda) and bring your own teabags. Coffee (kava) is usually served black unless you ask for milk (z mlekom) – bela kava is coffee made with milk. Hot chocolate is kakav.
Money and shopping
The currency in Slovenia is the euro. All large towns and many tourist centres have banks and ATMs are common; depending on your card, you may be able to draw money directly from your bank account. Banks are usually open 8am–12 noon and 2–5pm on weekdays only.
Be aware that mountain huts take cash only, so take plenty of cash with you. Allow around €50 per person per day for accommodation, food and drink in the huts (more if you like a few beers). Membership of the Slovene Alpine Club, and national Alpine Clubs with reciprocal rights, gives a substantial discount for accommodation but not food. It is cheaper to sleep in the dormitory (skupna ležišča) than in a room (soba) – price details can be found on the the Slovene Alpine Club’s website (www.pzs.si); click the tab Koče in poti and then Cene in popusti v kočah to find tables for accommodation and meals – član means member.
A typical planina farmstead that offers delicious home-cooked food (Walk 18)
Opening hours
Shop opening hours are long in Slovenia, from early in the morning until 6 or 7pm, with no break for lunch. At weekends, most shops are open on Saturday mornings only, although they may be open for longer during the main tourist seasons. Some supermarkets are open on Sunday mornings. Post offices usually keep shop hours during the week and Saturday mornings.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
Most shops and banks will be closed on the following days:
Jan 1 and 2 (New Year)
Feb 8 (France Prešeren Day – national poet of Slovenia)
Easter Monday
April 27 (Insurrection Day)
May 1 and 2 (Labour Days)
June 25 (National Day)
August 15 (Assumption Day)
October 31 (Reformation Day)
November 1 (All Saints’ Day)
December 25 (Christmas Day)
December 26 (Independence Day)
Communications
Slovenia has one of the highest rates of mobile phone ownership in Europe, and various networks serve both the local population and visitors. Coverage is high even in mountain areas, but you may lose the signal in dense forest or in certain locations – this is more common in the Karavanke which are not so frequented as the Julian Alps. The international prefix for Slovenia is +386. The emergency services number is 112 and the police number is 113.
Internet access is increasingly available in hotels and cafés.
Slovenia is in the CET zone (Central European Time), which is one hour ahead of GMT.
Health and hazards
Slovenia is generally a healthy place to be, but as with any foreign travel situation, it pays to plan ahead. No specific vaccinations are required for the short-term visitor, but it is as well to make sure that routine vaccinations such as polio and tetanus are up to date. Tap water is safe to drink throughout the country.
EU citizens should carry a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) at all times, then medical care should be free at source (those from the UK should see www.ehic.org.uk). Travel insurance is a sensible precaution for anyone travelling outside their own country. Visitors from outside Europe will need medical insurance; check to see if your travel insurance covers you for mountain activities.
Medical services
Small towns have a medical centre where GPs and dentists are based, while larger centres have a hospital; specialists are based in Ljubljana. The pharmacy is lekarna in Slovene, and is identified by a green cross. In the lekarna you will need to ask for what you require, rather than helping yourself from the shelf, but pharmacists usually speak at least some English and are very helpful. Basic medical supplies, like painkillers and plasters, are not available in supermarkets.
Hazards
There are few hazards in Slovenia, but one to mention here is the tick. In Slovenia they can carry not only Lyme’s disease, a nasty infectious illness, but also encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain which can be very serious indeed. They thrive in grassy areas and meadows on the edge of forests – fortunately they are less common the higher you go. If you find one attached, use tweezers to pull it out from as close to the skin as possible to make sure you remove the head as well as the body. Pulling from the rear of the tick carries a risk of leaving the head in situ, increasing the possibility of infection. If a rash develops around the site of the bite, consult a doctor.
There are few other biting creatures; mosquitoes are easily kept at bay with insect repellent. Snakes are common in mountain areas of Slovenia, particularly the adder, but there are no deadly ones and they pose little threat to walkers as they usually seek cover as soon as they sense danger.
Fitness
There is no doubt that, with any mountaineering holiday, it pays to get fit before you go. This applies even more in the case of multi-day treks, as there is little or no possibility of recovery before the next day looms, and stiff legs one day can be agony the next. There is no better way to get fit for walking than to walk, but there are many other possibilities, including cycling, gym workouts and jogging.
MOUNTAIN SAFETY
Check the weather forecast before you go
Study the route details beforehand, and make sure you have enough time to safely complete it
Carry enough food and liquid
Leave details of your planned route and expected time of return with a responsible person
Carry first aid equipment
Carry map and compass and know how to use them
Avoid dislodging rocks and stones – people may be below you
If in doubt, do not be afraid to turn back to shelter – but do not forget to tell people who may be expecting you elsewhere
Know the International Distress Signal – six blasts on a whistle (or torch flashes at night); the answer is three signals
In case of accident call the emergency number 112
Check your travel insurance covers what you are planning to do
Do your best to protect the fragile mountain environment
Mountain rescue
In case of an accident call the 112 emergency number; much of the area is covered by mobile phone networks. Unusually for the Alps, mountain rescue is free in Slovenia unless you are shown to have been ill-prepared or unduly negligent, in which case charges can be fearsome. Mountain rescue teams are extremely well organised. There is a network of 17 bases around Slovenia, and a helicopter, with an experienced team on board, is on duty at the airport in Brnik every weekend from June to September. Its response time is 1hr 30min on average. The box shows the signals required when contacting a helicopter pilot from the ground.
The tourist information office in Slovenj Gradec (Walk 23)
Language
Slovene (or Slovenian) is spoken throughout the country; it is a Slavic language related to Croatian, Polish and Russian. An introduction to pronunciation and useful words and phrases are given in Appendix C, but here are some basic terms which will be useful in following this guide and local maps:
dom/koča mountain hut
dolina valley
planina high alp or open area with pasture and herders’ buildings
gostilna/gostiščeeating place, usually offering local, home-cooked food
jezero lake
sedlo saddle/col/pass
vrh summit
pot path or way
slap waterfall
gora mountain
reka river
potok mountain stream
gozd forest
karst/kraslimestone formations (this Slovene word is used to describe limestone landscape the world over)
The Slovenes are the first to admit that their language is complex and difficult to learn, but they are always pleased when a visitor makes an attempt. However, foreign language learning is considered a high priority in Slovenia – it is impossible to get into any university course without passing Matura (the high-school exit exam) in a foreign language – and most Slovenes will speak at least one foreign language, and many speak four or five. English is the most commonly spoken foreign language, especially among the young, followed by German, Italian and Croatian.
The mountain greeting Dober dan is frequently heard in the hills and means simply ‘hello’.
Maps
The walks are almost all covered by three maps:
Kranjska Gora 1:30,000 (Walks 1–4)
Karavanke 1:50,000 (Walks 5–20)
Kamniško-Savinjske Alpe 1:50,000 (Walks 21–22, and part of Walk 23)
Frustratingly, the first half of Walk 23, Uršlja gora, is on a different map, Pohorje 1:50,000. The maps are published by PZS (Planinska zveza Slovenije – the Slovene Alpine Club) except for Kranjska Gora, which is published by LTO Kranjska Gora.
The Karavanke website has free maps of the range which can be printed out: go to www.karavanke.eu/en and click on Be Active. The Eastern part has the full route of Uršlja gora on it.
Note that the sketch maps that accompany the route descriptions in this guide are not intended to be used alone, but to provide orientation to the sheet map.
Waymarking
The usual waymark in Slovenia is a ‘target’ – a red circle with a white centre, and there are occasional red direction arrows. In places close to the border you will also see border waymarks: a green ring around the red and white target, which blends the Slovene waymark with the Austrian one (a green ring with a red centre). The Austrian red/white/red slash may also be seen. Signposts that give the destination and the time it will take are usually accurate for the average walker. It is the responsibility of the local Alpine Club (PD, Planinsko društvo) to maintain the paths and waymarks, and they are usually repainted every few years. Several of the walks follow paths which are not waymarked, and this is mentioned in the route description where appropriate.
Combined Austrian and Slovene waymarking
Equipment
Weather conditions in the mountains are notoriously changeable, and while you may spend your entire holiday in T-shirts and shorts on these mostly south-facing slopes, it is important to carry appropriate equipment and clothing in case of need, especially on a route that takes more than one day. This equipment list is by no means comprehensive but is offered as a guide; obviously you will need to be selective depending on weather conditions and route choice.
CLOTHING
Walking boots that are comfortable, support the ankle and have good mid-soles
Windproof and waterproof jacket
Sunhat or cap
Light gloves
Fleece or warm sweater
Thermal wicking shirts and T-shirts
Long trousers (not jeans) – the kind with zip-off legs to convert them to shorts are particularly useful
Loop-stitched socks
Miscellaneous equipment
Comfortable roomy rucksack
Bivvy bag for emergencies
Water bottle (essential)
Trekking poles (essential once you have tried them!)
Headtorch and batteries
Sunglasses/suncream/lipsalve (essential – limestone reflects like snow)
First aid kit
Map and compass (GPS if you have it)
Whistle
Guidebook
Camera
Binoculars
Passport or identity card
Moist tissues/wet wipes – great if staying in a hut overnight
Using this guide
The walks in this book are of differing standards of difficulty, but most should be accessible to any reasonably fit person with mountain walking experience. Some have sections of scrambling or via ferrata, and this is mentioned in the text where appropriate. Consider the length, grade and description of your chosen walk before setting out.
Each walk starts with a short introduction, giving the highlights and ‘feel’ of the route, and an information box with the start and finish points, distance, grade and height gained and lost, along with an estimation of how long it will take to complete.
Walk information
The distance is given in kilometres and is taken from the relevant sheet map, taking no account of the extra distance walked on steep terrain. Distance becomes less useful in mountain country; on difficult ground it could take many hours to cover a small number of kilometres. Consider the distances in conjunction with the time given in the information box.
The heights gained and lost are also taken from the map and are an approximation only.
Each walk has been given a grade from 1 to 3, to give an indication of length and difficulty as given below. This is necessarily subjective and again is intended as a guide only – it does not correspond directly to international grading systems. Some walks are easier or more difficult than others even within the same grade; any particular points to note are mentioned in individual walks. The grades are as follows:
1 – Mostly on tracks or forest roads, with some height gain and loss but no technical difficulty or very steep ground – although the walk may be long and tiring.
2 – A walk with significant height gain or loss, rough ground and maybe some steep sections with easy scrambling.
3 – A serious, high route, long and strenuous, often exposed and usually with sections of fixed protection such as steel pegs and cables.
The time given for each walk is offered as a guide only, and takes no account of stops to rest, admire the view, take photographs and so on. Usually the timings recorded while researching this guide coincided with those suggested by signposts; in the few instances where this is not the case it says so in the route description.
Language
In order to avoid confusion, the guide uses the language you are likely to see on signs – Slovene when you are in Slovenia, German when you are in Austria. The German names of the main peaks are given in Appendix B.
The summit of Hochobir, showing its steep rocky western aspect (Walk 20)
