Walking in Slovenia: The Karavanke. Justi Carey
farm for accommodation.
Walks 9–11: These three walks are accessed from Žirovnica, a village 8km to the east of Jesenice. There are no tourist services there, however, so it is best to stay in the Upper Sava valley and get to the start point by bus – buses from Kranjska Gora that continue on beyond Jesenice will stop here.
Walk 12: This walk is accessed from Feistritz, a village on the 85 road, which runs below the Karavanke to the north. If you are based in Slovenia, it can be reached by the Korensko sedlo (Wurzenpass) from Kranjska Gora, by the Ljubelj Pass (Loiblpass) if you are staying in Tržič, or by the Karavanke Tunnel. From Austria it is easily reached from Klagenfurt or Villach.
Walks 13–19: Tržič (515m) is a small town on the way to the Ljubelj Pass, which, somewhat surprisingly given the quite phenomenal scope of mountain walking in its immediate surroundings, has not been developed in anything like the way Kranjska Gora has as a centre for mountaineering and outdoor activities. In 2012 there was nowhere at all for visitors to stay in the town itself. Fortunately, there are options in the surrounding area: near the top of the Ljubelj Pass, ideally situated for Walks 16–19, is the Sport Hotel Koren, which offers very good food as well as a place to stay (www.koren-sports.si); there is a campsite in the village of Podljubelj; and a gostilna offering rooms at Retnje, about 3km south of Tržič.
Tržič has a very good tourist information centre which will help you; the website is www.trzic.si. The town has a good range of shops and supermarkets for its size, and various places to eat.
Tržič can be reached by bus from Ljubljana, via Kranj. There is one bus a day further up the valley to Podljubelj, and a taxi service can be arranged.
WALK 1
Peč (Tromeja)
| Start/finish | Rateče bus stop |
| Distance | 7km |
| Total ascent/descent | 640m |
| Grade | 1 |
| Time | 3hr 30min–4hr |
| Maps | Kranjska Gora 1:30,000 |
| Access | The walk starts in Rateče, 5.5km west of Kranjska Gora. It can be reached by an hourly bus from Kranjska Gora, or you can walk to it along the cycle track which starts just past the ski slopes in about 1hr 15min. |
This unassuming forested hill, named Peč and marked on the map as such, is known locally and on all the signposts as Tromeja, which translates as ‘Three Borders’ in Slovene. Its summit has the distinction of marking the point where the borders of Slovenia, Austria and Italy meet. It is also the most westerly peak of the Karavanke chain, and thus the start of our journey along the frontier between Slovenia and Austria. On its top meet not only the borders of Slovenia, Italy and Austria, but also the three great linguistic traditions and cultures of Europe – the Germanic, Romance and Slavic. It was here in 2004 that representatives of the three governments of Italy, Austria and Slovenia met to welcome Slovenia into the European Union.
From the bus stop/car park in Rateče, walk along the road past the small Mercator supermarket and the ancient church of St Thomas. Continue on to the village centre with its café, and then turn right, seeing ahead of you a building with a sign on it saying ‘Tromeja, 2hr’. Walk up this lane and cross a little river just before arriving at a track heading off right between two houses, signed Tromeja. Walk between farm outbuildings to a fork where you follow the stony right-hand path, again signed Tromeja. Walk up the tree-lined track for about 10min, to emerge on a forest road opposite a field. Turn right, and follow the gravel forest road as it ascends for about 2km.
Looking south to the western peaks of the Julian Alps from the forest break line
After about 2km, notice a sign for Dom Tromeja (1145m) 250m pointing to the right – a small diversion for rest and refreshments. The route continues up the forest road, and very soon reaches a sharp right-hand bend. A sign directs you onto a path climbing into the forest – this is the Krajša pot, which you should follow.
Alternative
It is also possible to continue up the road on the Daljša pot; this way is less steep but also less interesting. To follow this route, simply walk up the forest road, and take the left, upper fork after about 600m. Continue up this forest road for a further 2.5km or so to the summit.
The final section of the Krajša pot is quite steep, zigzagging up through the forest just to the right of a break line of open land about 30m wide, which marks the border between Slovenia and Italy. The path weaves in and out of the forest, so at each alternating hairpin you see more and more of the stupendous view of the western Julian Alps opening out behind you.
Arrive at a small locked wooden hut next to a large antenna mast. Benches and a relief map of the Julian Alps stand just outside. A short walk from the hut brings you to the summit of Peč/Tromeja (1508m) just a few metres beyond a wooden fence line. A set of signposts covered with a wooden shingle roof marks the top. The forest which covers the Slovene side has given way to the small ski resort of Dreiländereck, near Arnoldstein– on the Austrian side.
Looking east along the Karavanke from the summit of Peč in winter
The Karavanke mountain chain stretches away to the east and the view into Austria is extensive. Directly opposite is Dobratsch (2166m) with its 165m high TV transmitter close to its summit. Wörthersee, a lake near Klagenfurt, is visible in the distance about 30km away. There is a very marked difference between the high but comparatively rounded hills of this part of Austria and the steep bare limestone peaks of the Julian Alps.
The return route takes the same path.
Haflinger ponies grazing the summit slopes of Peč at sunrise
MONUMENT OF PEACE
There is a monument just below the summit on the Slovenian side with text in Italian, Slovene and German, built in 1994. It says:
TROMEJA
The Mountain of Peace by Šri Činmoj
Mountains are a symbol of peace, tranquillity and inner depth. Mankind needs all these virtues on its way to growing worldwide harmony.
“FINDING ONE’S INNER PEACE IS MAN’S GREATEST NEED.”
May this monument to understanding and friendship among nations be erected at this important meeting point of three great language groups and cultures.
Tromeja has become a link in the chain of several hundred different monuments dedicated to peace. There are buildings, mountains, bridges, cities, parks and natural phenomena which should encourage harmonious co-existence of people and nations, improve harmony and help to overcome both inner and outer borders.
PEACE DOES NOT ONLY MEAN NO WAR. PEACE MEANS THE RULE OF HARMONY, LOVE, SATISFACTION AND UNITY.
(Šri Činmoj, translated by Rosvita Veselic)
WALK 2
Trupejevo poldne and Vošca
| Start/finish | Tourist information office, Kranjska Gora |
| Distance | From Kranjska Gora 21km; from Srednji Vrh 12km |
| Total ascent/descent | 1315m |
| Grade | 2 |
| Time | 7–8hr |
| Maps | Kranjska Gora 1:30,000 |
These two hills give an exhilarating walk along a quieter section of the Western Karavanke, less frequented than the more popular summits of Stol, Vajnež and Golica above Jesenice. If you have a car, an hour or so can be saved at the start and finish of the walk by driving up to the hamlet of Srednji Vrh. If starting from Kranjska Gora the two hills combined give a long trek, so make sure your fitness is not in question. Either hill can be done