CIGLAR’S TRAIL

FROM THE DRAVA TO THE ADRIATIC - E6 SLO

THE HIKER’S GUIDE

Editor: Komisija za evropske pešpoti v Sloveniji

Publisher: Turistična zveza Slovenije

For the publisher: Damijan Jaklin

Chief Editor: Uroš Vidovič

Technical Editor: Emil Pevec

Proofreader: Viktorija Dabič

Editorial Board: Uroš Vidovič, Tone Lesnik, Janez Konečnik, Bojan Kocjan, mag. Janez Pogačnik

Authors of texts: Uroš Vidovič, Tone Lesnik, Blaž Lesnik, Damijan Jaklin

Contributors: Gorazd Mlinšek, Milan Pogorelčnik, Miha Zabret, Milan Podlogar, Borut Debevc, Franc Dejak, Bogdan Magajna

Photographs: Janez Konečnik, Uroš Vidovič

Frontispiece: Pohodniki na Evropohodu 2001 preko Slovenije (photo: Uroš Vidovič)

Printed by: Papirna galanterija Marko Ravnikar s.p., Domžale

To hikers following Ciglar’s trail from the Drava to the Adriatic

The Slovenian section of the E6, one of 11 European Footpaths, is called Ciglar's Trail from the Drava to the Adriatic. It is named after the late Dr Milan Ciglar, a forester who encouraged and promoted hiking along European Footpaths in Slovenia.

The second reprint of the hiker's guide “Ciglar’s Trail from the Drava to the Adriatic” appeared 18 years ago. There have been several changes since then. Slovenia has become an independent state and the YU symbol, denoting the state of that time, is therefore obsolete. The forestry organisation that promoted this activity along with mountaineering and tourism organisations, has now been restructured; this has affected the maintenance of European Footpaths in Slovenia. Since our Croatian neighbours showed no interest in arranging the crossing between the two states where Ciglar's trail passed from Slovenia into Croatia, we replaced the section to Kastav in Croatia in 1997 with a new section to Strunjan in Slovenia.

Organisational difficulties at the end of the last century caused a gradual deterioration in the previously well-coordinated information service for hikers following the European Footpaths in Slovenia. So interest in hiking fell. Enthusiasts who had devoted a lot of time to promoting hiking gradually left. Though we should mention the unforgettable enthusiast, Zoran Naprudnik, who set up the European Footpaths in Slovenia and represented Slovenia in the European Ramblers Association. During the last years of his life, despite serious illness, he continued to maintain contact with hikers both in Slovenia and abroad and did his best to uphold hiking along the European Footpaths in Slovenia.

In 2000 a new Commission for European Footpaths in Slovenia (KEUPS) was established on the initiative of the Forestry Institute of Slovenia. It was set up by various organisations: the Forestry Institute of Slovenia, the Alpine Association of Slovenia, the Slovenian Tourist Board and the Association of Slovenian Forest Societies. One of its priorities was to publish a new hiker's guide to Ciglar's trail. This is the present book. We hope that it will encourage renewed interest in hiking along the European Footpaths in Slovenia as being a pleasant form of recreation allowing us, through our own physical effort, to experience, discover and get to know the natural environment, the people and their creations in the cultural region through which we pass.

Walking, man's most natural form of movement, is becoming more and more popular. In its public health programme the Ministry for Health also recommends and encourages the inhabitants of Slovenia to walk. We can be certain that hiking along European Footpaths that avoid great heights but still demand physical effort and alertness, is a good investment in the culture and health of our people.

Tone Lesnik,

KEUPS Chairman

The route of Ciglar's trail and its geographical characteristics

The Slovenian part of the E6 path is approximately 315 km long and covers approximately 1/16 of the total E6 (from Finland to Greece). On average its height above sea level is 620 m, its highest point being at Veliki Snežnik (1796 m). The second and third highest points are Mala Kopa in Pohorje (1450 m) and Slavnik (1028 m). Otherwise the path circumvents higher mountains and extreme ascents or descents and mainly goes over mountain ranges of medium height.

Passability of the trail

The trail is passable for most of the year except in the highest regions of Snežnik. Alternative winter routes along more frequented roads are available in the event of snow. However they are only used as a last resort. Furthermore they are not marked. If there is snow you should ask at information centres and elsewhere on the way as to whether the path is passable.

The trail is intended for walkers, it avoids great differences in height and as a rule does not go over summits. It can easily be walked in 12 to 14 days without any particular obstacles on the way. It mainly goes through inhabited areas but avoids towns and busy roads. The only uninhabited areas are the upper parts of Pohorje, the Iška valley, Mačkovec and of course the Snežnik mountains. Here the hiker must keep to the path and not try to take shortcuts. Getting lost in the Snežnik forests can be dangerous when you are exhausted and the weather is bad, quite apart from being time-consuming and tiring.

The hiker walks along the footpath at his own risk and the founders of the trail take no responsibility.

Equipment, supplies and overnight accommodation

Special mountaineering equipment is not required. You must however take into account that the path goes through a hilly and even mountainous region, climbing to heights over 1000 metres, where even in summer there can be surprising changes in weather.

For this reason we recommend that hikers wear good, well trodden-in walking boots. They should take a light rucksack with additional underwear and clothes in case it turns cold and appropriate rain protection; also articles for personal hygiene, a small first-aid kit, a water bottle, cutlery, a notebook and pencil. There is no need to carry a lot of food, as there are shops on the way. It is also possible to eat in restaurants, mountain and forest huts or at farms.

Overnight accommodation is available in mountain and forest huts, hotels, private houses, farms etc., as listed at the end of this guide, and you may also spend the night in villages and farms not mentioned here. The trail goes through areas off the beaten tourist track so there will be fewer amenities and you may have to adapt to modest conditions. We are certain however that this will not spoil your enjoyment of the walk.

Important advice before setting off along the European Footpath E6

1. Before any tour it is vital to be both psychologically and physically fit. This applies to both adults and children. Any type of incapacity represents a risk.

2. A plan of each individual tour should be made beforehand using the hiker's guide and the relevant maps.

3. Because of sudden weather changes in the hills it is important to have good equipment, especially clothes, footwear and protection against the sun. These items should be chosen carefully.

4. Before setting off, people at home should be informed about the trip. They should know the location of the start and finish and the number of days planned. On the way you will be entering your name in registers at regular checkpoints.

5. Before starting off on individual sections you should check whether the next overnight accommodation is really available.

6. Do not overexert yourself but match your step to your own capabilities. Choose a moderate speed at the start, which can be gradually increased later on. More haste, less speed!

7. You should observe weather forecasts and if the weather deteriorates, it is better to stop the tour.

8. You should keep to the marked trail and avoid shortcuts. This is especially true in forests and woods.

9. Keep the countryside clean. Take rubbish with you and throw it into the nearest rubbish bin. Don’t make unnecessary noise. However in the vast Snežnik forests it is a good idea to sing or talk more loudly, as this is the best way to avoid meeting bears.

Enjoy your walk!

Waymarks along the trail

The whole footpath (from the Radelj crossing to Strunjan) is marked out with red and yellow waymarks (a red circle and yellow dot). Where trees and posts are thin, the waymarks may also be in the form of horizontal stripes. The path is also marked with an additional E6 waymark (red or yellow) at appropriate intervals. As a rule there are waymarks at least every hundred metres. However the interval between waymarks is greater in open country where it is impossible to mark the trail and also on roads where the direction is clear. Most of the trail is easy to follow but there are still places that are not clearly marked. Mistakes will have to be rectified later. We ask hikers for their understanding and at the same time to take great care when directions are less clear. We are grateful for any comments, warnings and advice that you can send to: Zavod za gozdove Slovenije, Komisija za evropske pešpoti v Sloveniji, Večna pot 2, 1000 Ljubljana.

Turn-off points allowing you to visit other places on the way (views, monuments, farms offering accommodation etc.) and to which you must return either by the same or a different path, are shown by waymarks in reverse (a yellow circle and red dot).

There are also triangles indicating the direction along the way (red with a yellow stripe),

Souvenir badge

The following conditions must be fulfilled to qualify for a souvenir badge:

a) Walk along the whole trail in one direction (from Radelj to Strunjan or the other way round), possibly in several stages;

b) Collect all the relevant stamps in your hike record including the date and signature of the person confirming the visit to the checkpoint;

c) Complete the card enclosed with the hike record giving your personal details and information about the walk.

If the walk is interrupted, the hiker must continue at the place where he stopped before and obtain the same stamp again with a second date and signature.

In exceptional circumstances when a stamp cannot be obtained, the hiker should provide proof that he has been to the relevant checkpoint (photographs, signatures of witnesses, stamps of nearby huts, hotels, tourist farms etc.).

When all these conditions have been met, the hiker can obtain his souvenir badge by sending his completed hike record to the Turistična zveza Slovenije, Miklošičeva 38, 1000 Ljubljana.

Description of the trail

The hiker’s guide gives detailed information about the trail with diagrams on a scale of 1 : 100.000. Individual symbols are identified. The diagrams include time estimates for an average walker to complete individual sections of the trail, without taking rest periods into account. Vertical differences in the path are shown in the longitudinal profile of the path: horizontal distances are given on a scale of 1 :200.000 and heights on a scale of 1 :15.000. The diagrams are useful for identifying different features in particular sections.

The detailed descriptions in the hiker’s guide only contain condensed information about individual points on the trail, as shown in the diagrams. The hiker can use them to gain basic orientation on the way and to plan individual stages. Each point on the trail shown in the diagrams refers to a number in the description.

The European Footpath E6 SLO is included in the following maps on a scale of 1:50.000.

All the maps were issued by the Alpine Association of Slovenia and can be obtained from its office: Planinska zveza Slovenija, Dvoržakova 9, 1000 Ljubljana, tel. xx 386 1 23 12 553, fax. xx 386 1 43 22 140 (click for the latest  here!)

• Pohorje - 1 : 50.000 (1996)

• Kamniške in Savinjske Alpe - 1 : 50.000 (1998)

• Posavsko hribovje - 1 : 50.000 (2001)

• Ljubljana in okolica - 1 : 50.000 (2000)

• Snežnik - 1 : 50.000 (1999)

• Slovenska Istra, Čičarija, Brkini in Kras - 1 : 50.000 (1997)

The TZS is Slovenia’s national tourist association, it is voluntary, interest-related, non-profit-making, nongovernmental and independent.

Over 530 tourism-related groups, 30 municipal and regional associations and other public organisations, 200 tourist branches and 75 tourist information centres incorporated in the Council of Slovenian Tourist Information Centres, belong to the association which acts as a civil institution in the public interest. Over 16 collective members also play an active part.

The Slovenian Tourist Board aims to ensure that the tourist industry, including both public and private sector, participates in the tourist life of the country as an equal partner and contributor in tourist events. It therefore assists with new initiatives, activities, contents and projects to bring about the message of its slogan Tourism means people. In this way it contributes to the market effectiveness of tourism, an increase in national revenue, making people aware and promoting Slovenia as a green oasis in Europe.

The Slovenian Tourist Board works on projects. It links interested individuals – every second inhabitant in Slovenia is involved in its activities – public bodies, professional institutes, companies, local authorities, schools, other public organisations and the media.

My beautiful, hospitable country,

Care for the environment in spring,

For openness, tidiness and hospitality on entering the Republic of Slovenia,

Ecological analysis regarding tourism,

Tourist telephone 080 1900,

Tourist collection box,

Everyone can help tourism (tourism among the young),

Tourist souvenir of Slovenia,

Calendar of tourist events,

Cycling and tourism,

Forestry tourism and educational trails,

Development of tourism in the country,

Wine tourism,

Tourism and the forests,

Knowledge, the young and tourism.

The Slovenian Tourist Board is always open to new suggestions and ideas to promote tourism.

Head Office: Turistična zveza Slovenije:

1000 Ljubljana, Miklošičeva 38/VI.

http://www. turisticna-zveza.si

CIGLAR’S TRAIL FROM THE DRAVA TO THE ADRIATIC – E6 SLO (click for the blog here!)

EIBISWALD (A) – RADELJ CROSSING

The European Footpath E6 SLO starts officially at the Radelj crossing but since it is the continuation of the E6 A Footpath, we include a description of the final part of the Austrian trail. The Austrian E6 section mainly coincides with the hiker’s 05 path ending at Eibiswald. The stamp for this path and information can be obtained at the guesthouse ''Gasthaus Simperl'', Eibiswald 22, where there are buses to the railway stations at Wies (4 km) and Graz. The hiker’s E6 SLO guide can be bought at the guesthouse, which is useful for hikers continuing on to Slovenia.

From the centre of Eibiswald we go slightly uphill on the right on an asphalt road. We soon leave the town and go up past some farms, through meadows and along cart tracks to the road through the woods. From the woods we get onto the main road that after a few minutes takes us to the international crossing Radelj or Radlpass. We cross the Border Panorama Footpath Radgona – Dravograd.

1. RADELJ CROSSING – RADLJE OB DRAVI

The Slovenian section of the international E6 Footpath starts at the Radelj crossing. The yellow and red waymarks of the E6 SLO Footpath will guide us from the border crossing at Radelj until Strunjan on the Adriatic coast.

We go along the main road for at least one kilometre from the border crossing towards Radlje ob Dravi. At the former Strmšnik farm our trail turns left by the stable onto a path through the woods. We go downhill, mainly through woods, to below the Ternik farm where the old road branches off to the Zohar restaurant at the address Št. Janž pri Radljah 87. Stamp and register. The restaurant sells drinks and hot food from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Our path goes behind the restaurant through the woods and then to the former picturesque forester’s house Majerhof, Št. Janž pri Radljah. The trail crosses the road here and takes us again into the woods. A little further on the E6 Footpath joins the Stari grad woodland educational trail. The road through the woods branches off to the right towards Stari grad, from where there is a beautiful view of Radlje and nearby Pohorje (250 m from the trail). The Radlje Dominican monastery can be seen under the castle ruins.

The main E6 trail goes along the wooded side of the hill past Huda Luknja with its entrance to an underground Karst cave. A little further on the E6 leaves the Stari grad woodland educational trail and continues left towards Radlje.

2. RADLJE OB DRAVI – MALA KOPA

The town of Radlje is the centre of the Radlje ob Dravi district. The stamp and register are at the Kozjak Hotel, which provides accommodation. In Radlje there are several restaurants and grocer’s shops. Buses go from Radlje to Maribor, Dravograd and Vuhred where there are railway stations ( Maribor – Prevalje – Bleiburg line). Information can be obtained at the Information Office of the Radlje Tourist Association and at the Radlje Local Sector of the Slovenian Forestry Institute.

The Radlje settlement was first mentioned in 1139 and its market in 1268. It is worth visiting Mary’s sign in the Main Square, St. Michael’s parish church with a Gothic star-shaped arched presbytery and Spodnji grad with its English park.

The E6 trail goes from the Kozjak Hotel past the stadium along the local road over Radeljsko polje to the bridge over the River Drava and to Vuhred, the village on the right bank of the Drava. Here is the Church of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of boatmen. Near the railway station there is a shop where food and drink can be bought. The restaurants Markač and Lovec serve meals. The Markač restaurant also has 15 beds.

100 metres from the Lovec restaurant our trail turns right off the Vuhred – Ribnica road along the cart track into the hills past the Kovač farm. We then climb, following the woodland path past the Krefl, Kolman and Kovač farms. At the Vetrih farm (Sveti Anton 7) there is a turning off the woodland trail to the hunting lodge LD Orlica (200 m from the trail) which offers a place to rest. There is always someone in charge at the lodge at weekends (drinks).

From the Vetrih hunting lodge turn-off, the waymarks go along the woodland road past picturesque farms: Mrak (Sveti Anton 40), Glažar (Sveti Anton 42), Smodej (Sveti Anton 47) and Malej (Sveti Anton 49). At the shrine there is a turning to the Church of St Anthony from where there is a view of the peaks of Pohorje and over the Drava valley. Visits to the church can be arranged at the local community office in Sveti Anton.

From the turn-off at the Koprivska shrine the trail continues to the right along the woodland path to the Kovc farm. We go straight ahead along the woodland path to the Čavk crossroads. Here we turn right and going along the ridge we pass the Čavk and Lešnik huts (Sveti Anton 107) and the Lesnik and Hribernik farms (Sveti Anton 110) to the Kramljak farm (Sveti Anton 114). There is a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside from Kramljak. The trail takes us further along the ridge past a turn-off to the left to the Osrednik farm. From here the trail continues along the main woodland road past the Antonski Kopnik farm (Sveti Anton 127). We climb up along the woodland path to the Kaštivnik ski slope (lift). We cross the wide ski slope on the western incline of Mala Kopa and through the woods reach the Slovenian Alpine Trail no. 1. We turn left onto it until we reach the hostel Partizanski dom at Mala Kopa.

3. MALA KOPA – SLOVENJ GRADEC AIRPORT

Winter sports centre. The stamp and register are at the Partizanski dom where overnight accommodation and a hot meal can be obtained. It takes 10 minutes from the Partizanski dom to the top of Mala Kopa. When the hostel is closed, there is accommodation at the Grmovškov dom under Velika Kopa, 45 minutes away on foot.
There is a beautiful view from Mala Kopa onto the Mislinja valley, the Drava valley and Kozjak.

The E6 Footpath continues from the Partizanski dom on the macadam road to the Leniše crossroads (the old road to Partizanka). After 500 m we turn right off the woodland road onto the woodland path. This takes us to a monument to the National Liberation War. We follow the road past the Zakršnik farm and 100 m further on to the left past the Turičnik farm. Our trail crosses an unmetalled road and takes us to the Slovenj Gradec – Kopa asphalt road. We then go down along an old cart track to the Žegel and Pridigar farms. The waymarks now point us along the woodland path to the Tomažič and Perše farms. At the waymark before the Perše farm there is a turning-off to the old St Magdalene Church with its distinctive pointed bell tower on the roof.

The trail takes us from Perše along the ridge past the Pegan and Ledinek farms in Zgornja Brda on the old road to the Mislinja valley. To the right of the trail is Turnerjev kugl with its ruins of a medieval defence column destroyed by the Turks. The marked trail leads us onto an asphalt road taking us over the River Mislinja into Turiška vas. On the way is the Marovšek farm, renowned for its double corn drying-frame (there are only three of this type known in the world)

In Turiška vas we cross the main Dravograd – Velenje road where there are buses to Velenje and Slovenj Gradec. We go through the Metuljev kugl village. At the top of the slope a path branches off to the right to Slovenj Gradec Airport.

4. SLOVENJ GRADEC AIRPORT– RAZBOR

The airport includes a sports centre and restaurant where the stamp and register are kept. The trail takes us from the airport along flat land back to the road. We go past a former manor house and farm building (we turn left) and at the left edge of the local rubbish tip we come through the Dobrava lowland woods to the village of Šmiklavž. The road to the right at the crossroads branches off to the Bučinek restaurant (100 m) which houses Tisnikar’s room with an exhibition of works by the artist Jože Tisnikar.

From the crossroads our trail takes us straight along the local road. After 10 minutes’ walk we turn right at the crossroads into the valley of the Burčnica stream and we continue on to the Marovšek farm (Vodriž 20). Immediately after the farm the trail turns to the right. We climb along the ridge to the recently repaired ruins of Vodriž castle. The woodland path takes us from the ruins past the Kokolje shrine to the Strgar farm. After the farm we go onto a woodland path that the E6 Footpath then follows for some time. Not far from the farm we are joined from the left by the waymarks of the Šalek Alpine Path that will accompany us until Razbor (white and red waymark).

This road with a fine view takes us to the Rdečnik farm (Spodnji Razbor 26), which offers food and drinks. A few minutes’ walk from Rdečnik is Rdeči vrh with a fine view. We continue along the road to the Kavnik farm (Spodnji Razbor 35) and then past the Ledinek, Epšek, Podvajšek farms (Spodnji Razbor 25) to the Rone farm. On the way we have a beautiful view towards the centre of the village Razbor in the hills with its Church of St Daniel and the Pečolar Restaurant.

5. RAZBOR – SLEME

The E6 stamp and register are in the pleasant restaurant Pečolar (Zgornji Razbor 7), which offers hot meals and accommodation. A new primary school is next to the restaurant.

Our waymarks direct us from the centre of Razbor along the road to the Prevalnik farm where the roads cross. We turn left and follow the woodland road to the Kočnik and Skobir farms (Zgornji Razbor 25). The trail then takes us past the Spodnji Kotnik farm and further on to the abandoned Zgornji Kotnik farm from where we continue along the woodland road up to Ciganija (1030 m). Watershed between the Javor stream and Velunja. The national border between Styria and Carinthia used to run along here. We turn left at the crossroads taking the road to the St. Vid shrine. We continue 300 m along the old road and then return to the main road and we are already on the Sleme (1081 m) pass. The hut, Andrejev dom, on the Sleme is a few minutes’ walk away.

6. SLEME – GREBENŠEK

The Andrejev dom on the Sleme is open all year round offering meals and accommodation. The stamp and register are at the hut.

Our waymarks direct us from the mountain hut past the car park and the former dom Slovenija to the woodland road. This takes us down to a house at Orl with an enormous ash tree in front. Local people will also show you the way through the woods to see the view over the Šaleška valley. The E6 trail takes us from Orl along the edge of the woods and along a steep path to the Radman corner. We cross the main road here and go down the woodland path to Žlebnik.

Many people visit Žlebnik. The poet, Karel Destovnik Kajuh, fell here. There is an enormous lime tree and a monument to the National Liberation War in front of the house.

We continue along the road from Žlebnik down towards Bank. When the woods begin on the lower side of the road, after about 100 m, we turn down onto the woodland path to the right. The path first goes down by the stream and then up a steep slope. At the Turk ruins we come onto the Grebenšek – Slanica woodland road at the bottom of the valley. We go left along the road for 2 km to the Grebenšek restaurant. On the way the archaeological site Mornova Zijalka is worth a visit.

7. GREBENŠEK – MOZIRJE

The stamp and register are kept at the Grebenšek restaurant.

Leaving the Grebenšek restaurant we continue along the main road towards Šoštanj to Mostnar (almost one km). Here we turn right onto the road towards Lepa Njiva and after a few metres we follow the waymarks uphill to the left in the direction of Turinek. We continue along the cart track to Sedovšek. At Aravs we turn right onto the cart track, then we continue across the meadow into the woods. When we come again into a meadow, we can see the Presečnik farm. We go along the woodland path past the corn drying-frame (beautiful view of Gora Oljka and Skorna) and then past a weekend cottage. We reach the Korper farm through the woods. Our waymarks direct us from the farm into a ravine and over a footbridge to the crossroads in Lepa Njiva. There is a church and school nearby. We turn left at the crossroads, soon arriving above the small village of Ržiše. The path goes on past the Završe village and along the woodland track to the Kolovratnik farm. We go along the road to the village of Kolovrat, then along the path across a meadow and orchard to Ljubija. We cross the footbridge in Ljubija onto the Lepa Njiva – Mozirje road. Our waymarks now take us directly to Mozirski gaj. There are many sights to see in Mozirje.

8. MOZIRJE – MARIJA ČRETA

After crossing the Šentrupert – Logarska dolina road we go to Mozirski gaj. The stamp and register are at the Gaj restaurant. Nearby Mozirje is the centre of the district with shops, a bank, school, medical centre, post office and police station. Many private houses and tourist farms in the area offer beds. Mozirje was first mentioned in 1146. It gained market rights in 1318 and again in 1581, being at the head of the Upper Savinja valley. Several fires destroyed Mozirje between the 16^th and 18^th century, so few old buildings remain. There is a large square in the centre where markets were held. There are interesting porches and benches carved from greenish volcanic tuff. The parish church of St George was surrounded by a wall. There is a plaque to the historian Ignac Orožen at the priest’s house.

Horticultural and flower shows are held throughout the year in Mozirski gaj, which was set up in 1978 by local people with the help of horticulturists. It covers 6 hectares. Characteristic buildings from the area are displayed in the park, e.g. a mill, a peasant’s house, a granary and blacksmith’s. A fisherman’s home is by the artificial lake.

The trail continues south from the Gaj restaurant to Dobrovlje. We go over the bridge, past the Zgornji Kokal farm and through the woods. After the Žagar ditch we climb steeply to the Nazarje – Dobrovlje asphalt road. We cross the road and after passing through a pine and beech wood we reach the Končnik farm (670 m) where there is a beautiful view. From Končnik we continue towards Čreta mainly through woods and past individual farms. The Končka shrine stands by the path in the middle of the woods. A little further on, by the remains of the Buče farm, we can enjoy the view over the Savinja and Zadrečka valley and the surrounding mountains (Menina, Raduha and Savinja Alps).

Our waymarks direct us now past the well-kept farms of Predovnik and Paragojnik. The woodland road takes us past Križnik to Destovska shrine. A monument to those fallen in the National Liberation War stands by the path. We then descend to the Jugovnik farm and take the woodland track to the Marija Čreta church (825 m) with a beautiful view of the surroundings.

9. MARIJA ČRETA – SVETI JOŠT

Close by the pilgrim Church of Our Lady we turn left down to the mountain hut that offers food and accommodation. From the hut in Čreta our trail takes us past the small church of St Katherine, which is older than the previous church and built in Gothic style. Nearby is the underground cave called Jesohov brlog. The trail takes us along the ridge with a fine view, past many Karst sinkhole features and over the Ropas cliff from where there is a beautiful view over Vransko and the Savinja valley. The waymarks take us then past the secluded Ručiga house (Jeronim 15) where we turn left to the St Jošt Church. The stamp and register are in a small chest located on the corn drying-frame of the Mežnar farm (Rovt pod Menino 38). In 1971 frescoes were found in the pilgrim church of St Jošt dating from the 14^th and 15^th century. A pulpit with the coat of arms of the Žovnek and Celje Counts can be seen on the wall. A marked path down to the left branches off to Vransko where there are regular buses to Ljubljana and Celje.

10. SV. JOŠT - MOTNIK

Our trail goes from the church along a grassy incline to the shrine of St Gervasi and Protasi. A 15 minutes’ walk takes us to the Lipa pass.

The Lipa pass has a shrine and old lime trees and it marks the crossing from the Savinja into the Zadrečka valley.

From the Lipa pass the waymarks direct us to the Jeseničnik farm (Jeronim 55). Just before it we turn left. A little further on we reach the abandoned farm Planinc on the ridge with a beautiful view of the surroundings. The border between Styria and Carniola used to pass nearby. The trail continues along the only woodland path or track down towards Srebotno.
Beyond the former border we arrive at the village of Srebotno where we turn down steeply below the Srebotnik farm (Zgornji Motnik) through the orchard towards the Podbregar farm (Zgornji Motnik 11). Below the farm we descend steeply along the macadam road towards Motnik.

11. MOTNIK - TROJANE

We can rest in the ancient village of Motnik after walking across Dobrovlje and the Lipa pass. The stamp and register are in the Anice Grabnar Restaurant (Motnik 12) where we can also stay overnight (15 beds). Buses go from here to Kamnik and Celje.

Motnik was first mentioned in 1135 and the castle (burnt down in the 18^th century) in 1248. The village belongs to the district of Kamnik. The French joined it to Carniola and the Illyrian provinces. The Church of St George was built in 1360 and later renovated in Baroque style.

We go uphill from the centre of Motnik along the new asphalt road to Strmec 900 m away. A shrine stands at the top of the hill. The road now goes down a little to Bela (1 km). At the crossroads at the bottom of the valley we go straight ahead towards the abandoned Žibert farm (Bela 31). Just before the farm we turn left uphill along a woodland track. The trail leads us to the abandoned Lebenice farm and just before the top of Lipovšek (747 m) to the village of Lipovšek. The settlements of Zapleš and a little further on Hribi are situated on the ridge with a fine view. Very near to the present Ljubljana - Celje main road our trail joins the remains of the earlier Vienna – Trieste road. We turn here to go to the town of Trojane.

12. TROJANE - LIMBARSKA GORA

The restaurant Gostišče pri Konšku is situated on the crossing between Ljubljana and Maribor. It is well known for its Trojane doughnuts and excellent cuisine. The Garni hotel Trojane which offers accommodation is near to the restaurant in the direction of Zagorje. There are many buses from Trojane to Ljubljana, Celje and Zagorje ob Savi.

The Romans established a municipality in Trojane on the Emona – Celeia road with a post station called Atrans that was later destroyed by Atila. The crossing is the watershed between the Sava and the Savinja.

Our trail then goes almost a kilometre along the main road that is still very busy. We walk on the left side of the road by the metal fence. As a new motorway tunnel is being built under our feet, the present traffic will soon be a thing of the past.

At the bend before the village of Učak our waymark directs us left uphill along the road towards the Dolinar farm. Stamp and register. The guesthouse Balohova hiša offers ten beds and provides meals and drinks.

From Doline the trail climbs towards the nearby hill. After the woods we reach the scree ridges with clumps of pine trees. We cross these and are again in woods. We follow a steep footpath to a wooden sign where we turn sharp right. We now go along the road towards the village of Borje. There is a short ascent to Golčaj. Our trail leads us over the Planjava hill. We walk through the woods to the Moravče - Limbarska gora road. We go uphill along the road towards the village of Pristava and in front of us we can see the Church of St Valentine. Centuries-old lime trees accompany us on the way.

13. LIMBARSKA GORA - MORAVČE

The church on the top of Limbarska gora has always been a popular destination for pilgrims. The restaurant next to the church, Gostišče Urankar, keeps the stamp and register. The church, designed before 1735 by the architect, Gregor Maček, is an imposing building with a well-lit interior and separate bell-tower intended as a defence tower.

Our waymarks take us from Limbarska gora along the road towards the village of Serjuče. We first walk on a macadam road, which we leave turning left onto a grassy ridge and go through the village of Vodice. We reach Serjuče on the path and take the local road to nearby Moravče.

14. MORAVČE - MIKLAVŽ

Moravče is situated in the Moravška valley. The stamp and register are at the restaurant Pri Jurku. The town was mentioned in historical documents and Moravče was already a parish in the 13^th century. There is a regular bus service between Moravče and Ljubljana, Domžale and Zagorje ob Savi. In 1906 a statue was put up in the square to Jurij Vega (1754 – 1802), a mathematician and founder of scientific ballistics.

We leave the imposing Church of St Martin which is worth a visit and go past the restaurant Gostilna Kavka along the asphalt road towards Zagorje. After the Nissan garage we come to a crossroads. We leave the main road and go straight ahead along the asphalt road uphill towards Grmače. In the village of Podbrdo we turn left uphill into the woods. The path takes us to the small village of Grmače (580 m) on the watershed ridge above the valley of the River Sava. National Liberation War monument. We join the road and turn right in the direction of the village Katarija towards the Mežnar farm.

15. MIKLAVŽ - JANČE

The E6 Footpath stamp and register are kept at the pleasant, welcoming Mežnar farm (Kocjančič Ivanka, Katarija 7).

We leave the farm and go up the hill to the Church of St Nicholas (741 m), the patron saint of the Sava raftsmen. There is a splendid view from here over the Sava valley, Janče, Slivna with GEOSS (geometrical center of Slovenia) and even the Kamnik-Savinja Alps.

The waymarks take us from the church over the meadow into the woods where we descend obliquely along the ridge into Velika vas. We follow the road for some time and then through orchards below the village and then descend along the woodland path into the village of Senožeti. We cross the main Ljubljana - Litija road (with a bus service) and then the covered bridge over the River Sava. On the right bank we go through the passage under the Ljubljana - Zidani Most railway line to the village of Jevnica where there are frequent trains to Ljubljana, Dobova and Maribor.

We follow the local road from the railway station to the primary school, where our waymarks take us between the houses along a narrow path across a meadow uphill into the woods. The path and cart track take us alternately through woods and along open grassy ledges with farms, for example the farms of Balantin (Jevnica 42) and Manožnik (next to the shrine). A little higher up we come out of the woods onto the road taking us to Janče. It takes one and a half hours to walk from Jevnica to Janče.

16. JANČE – TREBELJEVO

The village of Janče with its Church of St Nicholas is situated on a plateau. The mountain hut where the E6 Footpath stamp and register are kept, is next to the church.

Our trail takes us down from Janče past the church and through the woods, then through meadows and partly along the road to the village of Volovlje. We join the local road under the Rojevec farm (Volovlje 30). Soon afterwards our trail turns left off the road and takes us to the Church of St Margaret in the village of Prežganje. It is one hour’s walk from Janče. Immediately after the priest’s house we turn left along a narrow path to the macadam road which bends to the left at the shrine, while we go straight ahead along the cart track. At the transformer station we get back onto the road taking us through several crossroads into Trebeljevo.

17. TREBELJEVO - GROSUPLJE

The stamp and register in this village with a church are kept at the Lončar farm (Karel Mlakar, Trebeljevo 6), which offers food and beds.

We leave Trebeljevo along the road for some time, then we turn left into the woods. After walking 15 minutes we again come to the road. Before reaching the village of Leskovec on a gentle ridge, our trail branches off to the right towards Kucelj. It takes one hour to walk from Trebeljevo to the top of the grassy viewpoint Kucelj (748 m).

We follow the cart track from Kucelj, which soon turns into a winding macadam road until the village of Blečji vrh. There are plantations of fruit trees near the village with its small Church of St Benedict. We go through Blečji vrh on the asphalt road to the village of Polica. We have walked for one hour from Kucelj.

We turn left in the village of Polica by the shop of Vrhovec Štefka to the bridge under the Ljubljana – Novo mesto motorway. Then we go right to the turn-off for Zgornje Duplice. As there are several roads, we have to look out for our waymarks.

Near to the village of Zgornje Duplice (420 m) we cross under the old Ljubljana – Višnja Gora fast road, which is now part of the motorway. We immediately turn right after the tunnel onto the asphalt road to Jerova vas where there is a turn-off at the Garvas car scrap-yard to the Grosuplje motel (500 m). We have walked one and a half hours from Kucelj.

18. GROSUPLJE – TABORSKA JAMA

Grosuplje is the centre of the district and offers many places to eat, sleep and shop. The stamp and register are at the restaurant Gostilna Vodičar, Adamičeva ulica 30. There are frequent buses to Ljubljana and Novo mesto and trains to Ljubljana, Novo mesto and Sevnica.

Grosuplje is situated on the edge of the Karst Grosuplje polje, 40 – 50 m above the Ljubljana marsh. It may be flooded after a lot of rain. The town was first mentioned in 1137 as being the property of the Šentvid church, later it belonged to the Stična monastery.

We go 100 m from the Krpan restaurant along the Krka road, then cross the Ljubljana – Novo mesto railway line and to the right past the cemetery on the macadam road to the village of Spodnja Slivnica. Nearby is the Radensko polje with the ruins of Boštanj castle and the secluded Kopanj. In the centre of Spodnja Slivnica, which is situated above the Grosuplje – Kočevje railway line, we turn right through marshy meadows. We turn left near the Trontelj fish farm up along the woodland path. Our trail takes us to the village of Cerovo. We turn left at the shrine along the edge of the woods and then into the woods. Just before the fortified village of Tabor with its Church of St Nicholas surrounded by a wall, we go up onto the road that takes us to the cave called Taborska or Županova jama.

19. TABORSKA JAMA – TURJAK

Taborska or Županova jama is a tourist attraction with visits organised at weekends and on national holidays. The restaurant in front of the cave is not open at present. The cave was discovered in 1926 by J. Perme, a priest at Ponova vas. 610 m of the cave have been investigated. In 1927 it was ready for visitors and was supplied with electricity after the 2^nd World War. Visits last one hour.

Leaving Taborska jama we go 300 m along the road as far as the crossroads in Velike Lipljane, where we turn sharp right along the road past deer pens. After one kilometre we turn left along the woodland road towards Medvedjica. We come to a refurbished forester’s house with a forestry plantation kept by a retired forester. In front of the forester’s house our trail leads us to the right along the road into the woods. At the junction in the woods we turn left and we are soon at the point where we must choose between two routes of the E6 SLO path.

For Option A we turn left and go through Turjak to Mačkovec. Turning right takes us on Option B, which goes through Želimlje, Iški vintgar and Krvava peč to Mačkovec. Both options meet again in Mačkovec and both are marked with E Footpath waymarks.

If we go via Turjak we turn left towards the village of Mali Ločnik. The village is spread out over the ridge with a fine view; an old church, St Ahac, stands in the woods at the top of the hill. We reach the main Ljubljana – Kočevje road not far from the village. We follow it about 1 km to the left. We can already see the imposing Turjak Castle in front of us.

20. TURJAK – MAČKOVEC

Turjak Castle is situated near the village but our trail does not go past it. The stamp and register are at the restaurant Gostišče Rozamunda. There is a regular bus service between Turjak and Ljubljana and Kočevje.

It is worth visiting Turjak Castle, which was first mentioned in 1220. It used to be lower down but was set on fire during battle. The newly built castle was then damaged during an earthquake at the beginning of the 16^th century. It was later rebuilt and made larger and larger. The castle was built in the style of fortress-type Renaissance architecture, with defence towers at the corners to protect the courtyard. There is a chapel in the castle and the Turjak coat of arms at the entrance symbolising the power of the Turjak family.

Our waymarks take us from Turjak about 300 m along the Kočevje road. We turn right off the main road to the National Liberation War monument following a walled signpost. A woodland road leads to the monument. We continue along the woodland path along the edge of a ridge to a meadow and then turn right along an asphalt road to the village of Mali Osolnik. From here we have a beautiful view of the Krim and Mokrc mountains and the Želimlje valley.

There is an old church just after the village. Our waymarks take us along the asphalt road through the village, then along a track past the small church between meadows to the woods. From here we go along the path through the woods to an asphalt road where we turn right towards Veliki Osolnik. A high plateau with a church overlooks Veliki Osolnik.

Our trail takes us along the asphalt road from where we have a beautiful view of the surrounding hills. We are soon in the village of Laze, which is situated on a ridge with a fine view. We continue along the road to an isolated farm. Then at the left bend we turn right along a macadam road and a little further on we continue on the path through the woods to a former quarry. After the quarry our waymarks take us along a track through the woods to Osredek.

From Osredek (651 m) we continue along an asphalt road to the village of Centa (10 minutes’ walk). On entering the village we go past a small, renovated shrine. We leave the village going downhill through a meadow and then through woods down to the stream Štefinka. We go over the wooden footbridge to the old mill. We now go uphill through the woods and then across a meadow to the village of Pečke where they make wooden objects (such as spoons) and breed sheep which you can buy here. We leave Pečke along the asphalt road and after about 300 m reach the junction with the Rob - Krvava peč road. We go along the asphalt road towards the village of Strletje.

We leave the village with its beautiful houses and weekend cottages in the hills along the asphalt road climbing steeply to the village of Mački in the foothills of the Mačkovec plateau. Memorial tablet to the National Liberation War. Our trail now takes us up along the road through the woods to the crossroads. We cross the road and then make our way through a complex of state woods along the cart track and path to Predgozd (Mačkovec).

Option B: TABORSKA JAMA – ŽELIMLJE

We turn right at the crossroads near Medvedjica along the marked path towards the village of Veliki Ločnik (600 m). The village is situated under Gora (748 m) and the Church of St Ahac. Our trail continues to the village of Vrh where numerous holiday homes have been built in recent years. The small Church of St Peter is on top of the overgrown grassy hill above the village from where there is a beautiful view over the surrounding countryside.

We cross the main Ljubljana – Kočevje road not far from the village of Vrh from where there are regular buses to Ljubljana and Kočevje. After the main road we go down along the path through the woods to Želimlje.

21. ŽELIMLJE – IŠKA

There is a church, grammar school and the St Francis Saleški Seminary in Želimlje. The stamp and register are at the guesthouse Gostišče Piškur where there are beds for up to 4 people.

After the church our waymarks take us through woods. Our trail goes from the woods onto flat land to a shrine at the crossroads. We are in the village of Klada, situated on a plateau surrounded by numerous old orchards with a fine view. After the houses we go through overgrown grass into the woods. A little further on we cross two ravines with mountain streams. When we leave the woods we are in the village of Škrilje, where we join the Ig – Golo road. We follow it for 100 m and still in the village we turn off to the right. After 1 km along the road we can visit the restaurant Gostilna pri Jagru.

We are on the way to the Karst valley of Mokro. At the top of the hill we turn right. As the land is quite flat, we must look out for the waymarks. Our trail now takes us onto the Grmada plateau with its Karst sinkhole landscape and covered in fir and beech woods. Here we make our way into the Iška valley. We go down from Grmada into the village of Iška with its small church and numerous holiday houses. Just before the church our path joins the road and we walk along it past the Šala farm. We go now towards the church where we turn right over the River Iška to the road going to the mountain hut in Iška. We turn left and in 20 minutes we arrive at the hut.

22. IŠKA – MAČKOVEC

The mountain hut in Iška keeps the E6 stamp and register. The hut is open every day from 11 o’clock onwards except on Mondays. At the weekend it is open from 10 o’clock onwards. It is possible to eat and sleep at the hut.

We can walk across the River Iška when the water is low. 100 m further on towards Grabljice there is also a footbridge to cross onto the right bank of the River Iška. Grabljice, where the Iški Vintgar ravine starts, can also be reached through the woods on the left bank of the Iška or along the path on the right bank. There is a pleasant river pool for bathing in Grabljice, which we leave on the path through the woods on the right bank of the Iška.

The name Grabljice originates from the wooden poles or rakes driven into the bed of the river. Wood collected behind these poles and was then pulled onto the land and taken away. The Iški Vintgar ravine starts here. The woods on the right bank of the Iška have been proclaimed as a forest reserve with an area of 281,46 ha. The ravine is beautiful and contains a wide variety of flora and fauna. The native Austrian pine (Pinus nigra) and a special type of oak tree (Quercus petraea) grow here. There is a permanent population of chamois in the ravine and on its edges, which is rare for this region.

A small path branches off the marked trail to the right to Vrbica about 300 m away. From here we can continue along the right side of the Iška about 50m upstream, then we turn sharp left along the uphill path following white and blue waymarks (along the Roman wall). These waymarks accompany us to the villages of Krvava peč and Predgozda.

The boundaries of the four districts of Cerknica, Brezovica, Ig and Velike Lašče meet at Vrbica in the Iška ravine at the confluence of the Iška and Zala. To mark the meeting-place a tablet has been set in a needle-shaped erosive rock which because of its shape people call the ''rock man'', standing just before the Zala joins the Iška and reminding us of this geographical point of interest. A near-by border-stone standing at a location belonging both to the left bank of the Zala and the left bank of the Iška, marks the exact meeting-point. The position of the border–stone is defined with geographical coordinates: latitude 45° 52' 57'', longitude 14° 29' 44'' and its height of 424 m above sea-level.

Here we also see the waymarks marking the trail visiting Roman wall remains on Slovenian territory. The waymark is a blue and white rectangle. The border-stone and waymarks were set up by the project group 'Zid'.

23. MAČKOVEC – MRAMOROVO

Predgozd or Mačkovec (844 m) is the meeting-place of the European Footpaths E6 and E7, which is marked by a wooden signpost in several languages. We are in front of a former forester’s house where the stamp and register are kept and where food and drink are available. A wooden bivouac providing accommodation for 4-5 people is situated 100 m away in the direction of the village Selo. The key can be obtained from Silva Kraševec, Selo pri Robu 14.

The E6 waymarks take us from Mačkovec along an asphalt road past the wooden bivouac to the crossroads. We turn right past the Roman wall remains and go straight ahead to the village of Selo pri Robu. The village with a shrine is the highest settlement on the Rutar plateau. Wooden articles are carved in the village. We continue along the macadam road past the village of Rupe, where we go straight on to the village of Mohorje. The local shop and café belonging to the Škulj family from Selo pri Robu is situated in the former primary school. They are only open a few hours a day. The academic artist, Marko Jakše, has a studio in the same building. We can visit the 6 m high tufa waterfall below the village of Mohorje following the waymarks along the track through the woods (15 minutes’ walk from Mohorje).

Our trail continues from Mohorje straight on to the village of Boštetje. Now we turn left along the local macadam road. After walking about one kilometre we turn right into the woods near some weekend houses. We follow the path through woods and at the turn-off for the village of Laze we go back onto the local road. We go on the macadam and then the asphalt road to the Church of St Oswald which is on the left side on the way to Lužarji. There is a beautiful view towards Karlovica and the Mišja dolina valley and over Bloke towards the Notranjska region. In good weather it is possible to see Notranjski Snežnik.

The village of Lužarji is a few minutes’ walk away from the church. At the end of the village the road meets the Velike Lašče - Nova vas road. There is a painted signpost at the crossroads saying “Lužarji, košček slovenske dežele” (“Lužarji, a tiny piece of Slovenia”).

24. MRAMOROVO – NOVA VAS

The stamp and register are at the Turk house, Mramorovo 4. Our trail takes us from this village over the Bloke plateau (Bloška planota) towards the village of Volčje. We first walk along a cart track and then a path. Just before the village of Volčje we go past a small lake, Bloško jezerce, surrounded by holiday houses. Bathing is possible in the summer. At the church before the village we join the local road taking us to Novo vas.

25. NOVA VAS – STARI TRG

Nova vas is at the centre of the Bloke plateau. The stamp and information are available at the house of Malka Simčič, Nova vas 52. If the house is closed, you can go to the nearby shop. Food and accommodation can be found at the guesthouses Gostišče Domin Lužar, Gostišče Slamar and Gostišče Limon. Larger groups should go to nearby Velike Bloke (20 minutes’ walk away) where there are the restaurants Miklavčič and Jerič.

Our trail takes us from Nova vas to nearby Fare. We go through the village with a church and further on along the field road in open country where we should look out for our waymarks. The road takes us to the village of Metulje. After this village our path goes up into woods. After a time we arrive on the saddle-shaped plateau between the wooded peaks of Blošček and Zupanšček, where there is a lookout. Our waymarks take us mainly through woods to the Loški potok – Stari trg road. We turn right along the road to the village of Markovec. After the village we continue along the road to nearby Stari trg.

26. STARI TRG – SNEŽNIK CASTLE

Stari trg together with neighbouring Lož form the centre of the Lož valley and are at the same time new districts. The stamp and register are at the Turist Hotel. Private guesthouses also offer beds. The forestry office provides information about crossing Snežnik Mountain in winter.

At the crossroads our waymarks take us from Stari trg to the right to the village of Nadlesk. An asphalt road leads us to this village with its notable Church of St Jedert and frescoes. In Nadlesk we turn left off the road onto a road through fields taking us to a bridge over the Obrh stream. The stream floods during times of abundant rain. If this is the case, we leave Stari trg by the road to Snežnik Castle through Pudob and Kozarišče.

Soon after the bridge over the Obrh our trail turns left off the road. Our waymarks take us over flat land towards the village of Šmarata. The village with its Church of St Margaret and open bell-tower is to our left. A little further on our trail takes us to Snežnik Castle.

27. SNEŽNIK CASTLE – MAŠUN

The museum in Snežnik Castle is worth a visit. A restaurant in front of the castle keeps the stamp and register. A hunting museum portraying the local custom of dormouse hunting has been set up in a nearby farm. The restaurant will provide information about accommodation.

Our path rises steeply into the woods after the restaurant. We walk through the splendid Snežnik Forests towards Luizin kamen (768 m). A stone bears the inscription Luisen–Stein, which used to be a destination for those taking a walk from the castle. We follow the path to the road through the forest where we turn right towards Bički lazi. We need to watch out for the turn-off from the road to the left. Extensive hay-producing fields are situated in Bički lazi in the middle of vast forests. View onto Veliki Snežnik. Some years ago you could turn off here to go to Kastav in Croatia but this is no longer possible because of the state boundary.

From Bički lazi we go towards Bičke gore. We go past boundary stones between the former Kingdoms of Yugoslavia and Italy. Our waymarks take us now towards Vratca (1002 m), a saddle-shaped plateau with remains of military buildings. Our trail turns left off the forest road. We must look out carefully for the waymarks as the forest is vast.

Our trail takes us through forests until we reach Mašun. First we go past the uninhabited forester’s house Leskov grm. A hunting monument stands nearby. We will go past another, but less well-preserved, hunting monument before coming to the Leskova dolina – Mašun road. On reaching the road, we turn right. We are in Mašun in a few minutes.

28. MAŠUN – VELIKI SNEŽNIK

The well-maintained Gozdarski dom (Forestry Hostel) in the forestry and hunting centre of Mašun is open throughout the year and offers hot meals and beds in pleasant rooms. The stamp and register are kept at the Hostel. The Mašun Forest educational path, 1700 m long, is nearby, taking us through meadows and woods to Ana’s rock (Anina skala) from where there is a beautiful view of the mountain Veliki Snežnik. We return to Mašun past the former hunting lodge.

From Mašun our waymarks take us along the road. At Vrata our path branches off to the right towards Škrila where we rejoin the road. After following the road for a short time (watch out for the turn-off to the left), we climb steeply onto the ridge. There is a log cabin nearby. We climb to a junction of forest roads, known as Vrh Pekla (Hell’s Peak) (1372 m), where there is a forestry workers’ house. We continue along the road through the forest descending into the cold region of Pekel (Hell). Our trail then climbs steeply onto the Mali Snežnik ridge. We go over the top covered in dwarf pine (Pinus mugo) and continue to Veliki Snežnik (1797 m).

29. VELIKI SNEŽNIK – SVIŠČAKI

A mountain hut named after Drago Karolin from Ilirska Bistrica who for many years was the president of the Snežnik Alpine Society, is situated at the top of Veliki Snežnik. The hut is open on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays from 15^th June to 15^th October and every day in August. The stamp and register are kept in a chest on the top of the Veliki Snežnik Mountain from where there is an impressive view of the surrounding countryside.

The E6 section from Veliki Snežnik to Strunjan was marked out in 1997 as the continuation of the present European Footpath. The section towards Opatija was therefore abandoned.

Our trail takes us from the peak towards Sviščaki. A well-marked, often used path takes us first to the southern ridge of Mali Snežnik. We descend onto the saddle among dwarf pine trees where there is a winding forest road. We go 600 m along it, then along a path through the forest to the road, so cutting out the bend. At the Captain’s Hut (Kapitanova bajta) we cross the road and continue on the track used by tractors through the beech forest. At the St Gabriel shrine our trail joins the forest road. We go along it until the road turns off for Padežnica. We continue straight ahead and immediately after the junction we turn sharply right along the forest path. We pass by some holiday houses and then reach Sviščaki.

30. SVIŠČAKI – KOZLEK

Sviščaki is an extensive clearing where the Snežnik Alpine Society maintains a mountain hut (Planinski dom PD Snežnik). This popular place for excursions including a recreation centre can be reached by car from Ilirska Bistrica. The stamp and register are kept at the mountain hut, which is open every day all year round except on Tuesdays. During the week it works from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and at the weekend from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The hut has 15 beds and a dormitory accommodation for 8.

From Sviščaki we first go along the road towards Ilirska Bistrica. After passing the shrine to Our Lady we come to the forestry house where we turn left. After 50 m we take a sharp right turn along a tractor track through the forest. The waymarks for the Messenger and TV Signal Corps Trail (Pot kurirjev in vezistov TV) also go this way. They take us to the long-distance transmitter, where we turn onto the track on the left. A little further on our waymarks direct us along the left-hand track through a narrow gap in the rocks. Afterwards we come onto a seldom used road through the forest which we follow until joining the road where we turn left. At the top of the slope, 600 m from the junction, we turn right onto the track through the forest. When we reach the meadow, we turn left onto a path through the meadow and further on through woods, taking us back to a meadow. We walk past a group of fir trees surrounding a Karst sinkhole in the middle of the meadow. On the other side of the meadow our path descends through pine-tree woods. We are soon on a ridge from where we have a view over the Karst plateau – Kuteževski dol, Kozlek, and the River Reka valley and Brkini. We turn right and then southwards through meadows and pine groves.

When we come to the old cart track with roadside stone no. 3, we turn left after it. After 50 m we make a sharp right turn along the track through the pinewoods. After walking a few minutes we have a beautiful view of the Kozlek hill. We continue along the track through the meadows to the foot of the hill. At the foot of Kozlek we turn left. On our left there are meadows and on our right a stone wall and a wood of Austrian pine.

At the end of the stone wall the mountain path branches sharply to the right off the track along the edge of a slope. After a few steps we arrive at the Kozlek mountain hut.

31. KOZLEK – ILIRSKA BISTRICA

The Kozlek mountain hut stands on the sheltered side right under the Kozlek peak on the southern slope of the high Snežnik plateau. Kozlek is the highest peak on this side. Its slope descends steeply into Podgora. The hut was built by alpinists of the Podgora Alpine Club, which is active within the Snežnik Alpine Society in Ilirska Bistrica. The hut is open on Sundays from 1^st May to 15^th October (overnight accommodation for 10). The stamp and register are in a chest in front of the hut.

From Kozlek there is a beautiful view far and wide: the Čičarija peaks with Učka, Brkini and the Slavnik Mountains seem close-by and in the South-East the Kvarner Bay glistens with the islands of Cres, Krk and Rab.

We descend from the mountain hut onto the saddle between Kozlek and Srednji vrh. Following the alpine waymarks we go onto Srednji vrh and from there along the ridge to the Kozlek – Vrbiški dol forest road. 250 m before the junction with the Ilirska Bistrica – Sviščaki road we turn left onto the forest path and walk through the pine forest to the junction with the forest road going to Vrbovo. We cross it and continue along the forest road under the Ahac hill until the main Ilirska Bistrica – Sviščaki road.

We go down the main road to the turn-off to the right on a macadam road towards Črne njive. We can see a hunting lodge on the right. Nearby there is a recreational firing-range where movement is restricted. The lodge is open from 11 o’clock onwards every day except Mondays. Drinks are available.

We continue and soon turn left onto a cart track. We descend to the village of Gabrje. An asphalt road takes us from the village to the centre of Ilirska Bistrica.

32. ILIRSKA BISTRICA – PREGARJE

The stamp and register are at the Turist Hotel in the road Gregorčičeva cesta. There are many restaurants and food shops in Ilirska Bistrica.

Ilirska Bistrica is the administrative, economic and cultural centre of the upper region of the River Reka. It is worth visiting the preserved old town centre Gorenje, the municipal building in Venetian style and the Church of St George from 1752 with Baroque altars and fretted pews.

The beautiful Sušec waterfall with water springing from the interior of the Snežnik plateau, is 10 minutes from the old town centre.

From Ilirska Bistrica we go from the Turist Hotel along the road ulica Toneta Tomšiča to the nearby railway station where there are connections with Pivka, Sežana and Reka. The Messenger and Signal Corps Trail will accompany us from here to Rjavče. At the railway station we turn right along Vojkov drevored to the regional Ilirska Bistrica – Podgrad road. We continue along this road over the railway line and the River Reka to the junction. We turn right towards Zarečje.

Our waymarks take us through the village towards the crossroads where the Brce road turns off to the right, but we turn left along the asphalt road to the Bubec farm in the valley of the Posrtev stream. 100 m on there is a natural source of drinking water in the tufa rock.

The Bubec farm is a popular tourist farm with a fish farm and wild animal pen. It is possible to eat here and their fresh stream trout can be especially recommended.

We continue along the narrow secluded valley of the Posrtev stream between the Brkini ridges covered in deciduous forests. Our trail takes us a little on flat land, past the Krt farm and a little through deciduous woods. Towards the end of the Posrtev valley we go past the Urh farm. At the last inhabited farm, Dekleva, we turn sharp left and go up the path, soon joining a wider track. This takes us to the first house in Pregarje.

33. PREGARJE – DIMNICE

In Pregarje (704 m) we stop at house no. 91 and the welcoming Kapelj family provide us with the stamp and register.

Pregarje is the centre of the Brkini region. The village extends along the ridge east of Karlovica on the Harije – Tatre road. To the west of the village the road crosses the regional Prem – Obrov road. Its parish Church of St Lawrence in Jezero was built in 1648. There is a monument by the road to fallen soldiers and victims of fascist violence.

From Pregarje we follow the asphalt road going along the central, highest Brkini ridge. We go past the group of houses in the village of Gabrk (740 m) with its small Church of the Holy Trinity at its Eastern end. From Gabrk we go along the road on the ridge to Rjavče. A monument to 12 fallen soldiers stands in the village.

From Rjavče we continue on the road along the ridge, then we turn left onto a macadam road to Brezovo Brdo, a small village with fewer and fewer inhabitants on the Brkini ridge. There is an interesting little church of St Peter in the village. 300 m from the village we turn left onto an unmetalled road taking us through meadows and fields towards the top of the Brezovo hill. After walking a good half-hour we come to a meadow on the right and we go down it to the cart track. This takes us into woods and over a footbridge to the secluded Krkavc farm. Here we can refresh ourselves at the small spring and prepare for the gentle climb by the edge of the trees to the track running between the Flysch and Karst rock formations. We have a beautiful view from here of the Flysch Brkini landscape on the right with small hills and gullies covered in woods and of the stony Karst landscape with Karst flora, sinkholes and caves on the left. The stony track takes us to an asphalt road leading to the village of Ritomeče. The village stands between Brkini and the valley of Matarsko podolje.

At the end of the village we turn right onto a cart track that first goes over a partially overgrown plateau, then through woods and a meadow to an asphalt road. We cross the road and continue along a path to the right through the woods. The transmission line is our orientation. We must follow the waymarks carefully as there are large Karst sinkholes. Our trail takes us to the Dimnice cave.

34. DIMNICE – SLAVNIK

Tourists can visit the Dimnice cave, which received its name meaning “smokehouse” from the steam rising out of it in winter. The stamp and register are kept in a chest on a concrete block.

In Dimnice our trail joins the asphalt road going to the village of Markovščina. From here our trails join the waymarks of the Slovenian Alpine Trail no. 1 to Slavnik. On arriving in Markovščina, we pass by the Church of St Anthony of Padua and go left through the village to the main Trieste – Kozina – Rijeka road.

The houses in Markovščina (567 m) are concentrated on either side of the road. There are frequent Karst depressions in the surroundings: Drsnica, the caves of Mačinovske jame and Jama pod Mavrovcem. On the left is a restaurant. Accommodation can be found in Materija (3 km away in the direction of Kozina).

We carefully cross the road and continue our way past an abandoned well to the cart track. This takes us over the plateau covered in pine trees, junipers and undergrowth to the Markovščina – Skandanščina asphalt road. We go along the road until a path branches off on the right taking us along the telephone lines onto the Rožce hill with the Church of St Rok. We go past it to the group of houses in Skandanščina. We have a beautiful view from the church of the Karst landscape of the valley Matarsko podolje and Brkini above it, on the other side are the Slavnik and Čičarija mountains.

From Skandanščina we continue on the stony village track to Slavnik. For some time the path is quite flat and there is Karst landscape on either side with fields and meadows. Then the path starts climbing gently between hazel and juniper trees and later through woods with different types of trees. After a time we come to a relatively flat area, a plateau covered in bushes. The water in the well on the way is rainwater (not for drinking). The track now begins to climb through beautiful beech woods taking us to a road through the woods, which we cross and continue our trail going uphill. The track finishes at the edge of the woods. Our waymarks take us along the mountain path to the top of the mountain Slavnik with an RTV tower and the hut Tumova koča.

35. SLAVNIK – HRASTOVLJE

Slavnik (1.028 m) is the highest peak in the Slovenian part of the Čičarija Mountains. Woods and bushes grow on it up to a height of 850 m and its peaks are covered in mountain pastures. Characteristic Alpine plants on Slavnik are the pale yellow Pedicularis or whorled lousewort, the common peony, Pulsatilla or meadow anemone, French Linum or flax, the Trieste gentian, narcissi, the Illyrian iris, Lilium Carniolicum or Carniolan lily and others. There is a splendid view from Slavnik. The stamp and register are kept in the hostel Tumova koča, open from Friday afternoon to Sunday evening. It was built in 1957 by the Koper-based Obalna Alpine Society. There are 8 beds in rooms and 20 dormitory places.

From the Tumova koča at the top of Slavnik we go down towards the West. We first go across a meadow and soon reach the forest edge. The easier descent follows the forest track, gradually going down to the village of Podgorje. Our trail goes through protective forests of black beech and small ash trees. Lower down the path is quite flat and leads up along the ridge. We soon reach the first houses. We join the asphalt road by the shrine and turn left to the restaurant Pod Slavnikom at the railway station. At present they serve excellent meals and will soon be offering beds. The village of Podgorje is a cluster of houses at the foot of Slavnik. The shallow soil on the rocky ground is fertile. Until the 1^st World War the village was known for breeding sheep and manufacturing coats and tarpaulin; the cloth was woven and rolled in Rižana and later Buzet. The village symbol with 15^th century fresco remains can be seen at the Polič house.

From the restaurant Gostilna pod Slavnikom we continue through an old pine wood along the corridor cleared to prevent fires. After half an hour we come to the Pulj – Divača railway line. The path turns right to go through the underpass towards Praproče but we continue to follow the railway line for some time, then we join the path going from Podpeč to Kojnik. We turn right to go to Podpeč. Care must be taken crossing the railway line. Now we start going slowly downhill. Our trail takes us past reservoirs and almost without noticing it we have gone over the edge of the Karst region. We go down through pine woods to the asphalt road that takes us to Podpeč.

Podpeč with its concentration of houses is the highest village situated under the Karst edge. There are many old porches in the village. Due to the risk of avalanche, frescoes dating from 1489 have been removed from the Church of St Helen and taken to Loka. An impressive well-preserved tower from Venetian times, standing on top of a cliff high above the village, can be seen from afar. There is a natural cave, Grad, under it in the cliff, which provided refuge for people in the time of Turkish attacks. There is a path to the tower and cave at the entrance to the village. We stop at the bottom of the steep cliffs where there is drinking water.

At the drinking-water trough we cross the road and go down between the houses to the passage under the Prešnica – Koper railway line. There is a museum (open on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to midday, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.) on the left side before the passage. On the left side after the passage we continue downhill to the right to Hrastovlje. The small path takes us between terraces and fields, then we turn left and go along a narrow path, by the gully, through deciduous woods downhill to the underpass under the Prešnica – Koper railway line. Before the underpass we have joined the path that goes up to the abandoned village of Zanigrad, where there is the small Church of Stephen with 15^th century frescoes and a Romanesque bell-tower and porch bearing the year 1521.

We go through the underpass, then along the track past enclosed fields, meadows and a transformer station and further on to the village of Hrastovlje.

36. HRASTOVLJE – KUBED

The densely populated village of Hrastovlje is situated in the valley of the fast-moving Rižana stream very close to the Karst edge. Standing on a limestone elevation above the village are fortification walls from the end of the 16^th century that surround the 12^th century Romanesque Church of the Trinity with a tripartite nave. The church is one of the oldest in Istria and contains frescoes by Janez from Kastav dating from 1490, which were discovered by a local sculptor, Jože Pohlen, in 1951. The frescoes show the Creation, Expulsion from Eden, scenes from the Passion and the Dance of Death. The stamp and register are at the nearby restaurant Jakomin.

We continue past the restaurant along the track into the valley with the Lačna hill on the left and Vrh on the right. After walking about 30 minutes we come to a meadow which we cross, and we go across the gully and through the woods to the main Rižana – Sočerga road. We cross the road and turn right past a reservoir climbing slightly on the limestone hill and we soon turn left onto a path towards the village road taking us to the impressive Kubed church and encampment. There are some pine trees in front of the church offering a welcome rest.

37. KUBED – POMJAN

The rather elongated village of Kubed is situated on a small Karst plateau next to a steep rocky hill, Grad. The old medieval Church of St Martin stands on the hill with a pentagonal bell-tower. In 1870 Franjo Ravnik, the Istrian campaigner for national awareness, addressed a mass meeting here, the only one in this part of Slovenia.

Our waymarks take us from the church down into the village, down steps and a steep road. When the path first turns sharp right, we go a few metres from it to the left. We are then among flowerbeds, above which arches the steep limestone rock of the Kubed encampment. Here we can see close at hand Flysch strata with thick layers of limestone superimposed.

We go down a steep, narrow road to the Koper – Buzet road and turn right onto the asphalt road to the village. We go through the village and past the village lime tree where we take the cart track to the top of Varde into Flysch landscape with pine trees. We are soon on the Sv. Anton – Sočerga asphalt road taking us towards the former rubbish dump. Before we get there, we turn off along the macadam road to the small village of Kocjančiči on the southern slope of the hill called Jazbine. Our trail takes us through the village and past olive and fruit tree plantations. On the left we can see the woods above the swift mountain stream Rokava. We join the Sv. Anton road. After 30 m we turn left off it into the village of Dolane at the end of which we have a fine view of St Anton, Vanganel and the Koper bay. We walk along the track between orchards and vineyards. After a time we go through pine and oak woods until we reach an asphalt road. We go straight along the road to Marezige.

The houses in the village are typically Mediterranean. The communal centre, church and school are in the centre. There are several springs under the village. The countryside in the Marezige region and neighbouring villages mainly reflects the hilly Flysch land of Slovenian Istria.

From Marezige we go on the road along the ridge to the crossroads with Babiče and Koper on the right and Boršt on the left, but we go straight ahead through the village of Rojci to Pomjan.

38. POMJAN – STRUNJAN

At the church in Pomjan we turn left to the restaurant with an Istrian cellar. The restaurant serves excellent food and also keeps the stamp and register. Accommodation is available, if booked in advance.

Pomjan is an important market town. The Church of St Mary contains remains of 15^th century frescoes. Near to the town there are remains of a prehistorical fort, a Roman settlement and a Roman church.

Near the end of the village we turn right along a path downhill towards Manžan. After 100 m we turn left onto a path through the woods. We follow our waymarks through the woods to Šmarje. It is also possible to get here along the asphalt road that climbs from Pomjan and takes us back to the marked trail.

The village of Šmarje extends along the Dragonja – Koper ridge. There is a beautiful view of Koper and surroundings. The area is a popular hunting resort. Before the war there was an olive oil press at the end of the village. There are several shops and restaurants in Šmarje. The place used to be an important administrative centre. In 1860 the first Slovenian primary school in Istria was opened here.

We go from Šmarje to the junction of the main Koper – Dragonja road, which we cross and turn to go to Gažon along an asphalt road. Gažon is a compact village under the top of a hill, above the Koper – Dragonja road. In the Church of St Peter there is a text written in Glagolitic script dating from 1470.

When we leave the village, we can see the Koper bay and surroundings on our right. We continue past the football ground along the macadam road to Baredi with a beautiful view of the Izola bay. Baredi is a village with houses scattered on the southern slope of the Malija plateau. The farmers who were living here until the end of the 2^nd World War nearly all moved to live in Italy. We can turn here to go to the tourist farm in the direction of Limnjan.

We now continue on our way along the asphalt road to the Baredi signpost, we turn left and go straight ahead. Before the bend in the road, we turn right onto the macadam road taking us past weekend cottages on the right then to the Izola – Šared road. We cross this road and further on after the bridge we turn right onto the Jagodje road. We walk about 30 minutes to Jagodje.

The houses are scattered around Jagodje. The gentle climate means vegetables ripen early. Strawberries are a particularly successful crop. At the junction we go across the road onto the cart track until the turn-off to the right. Our waymarks lead us past houses and olive tree plantations to an asphalt road. Then we go past the church in Dobrava until the turning-point. We cross the main road and go to the Belvedere tourist complex.

The hotel complex with campsite (open from mid-May to the end of September) is a popular destination for excursions with its splendid view of the sea. We go past the campsite on the asphalt road to the Ronek farm. Before it our trail takes us to cypress trees where we descend by the stream between fields and vineyards. Before our road goes down into the valley, we turn off right onto a well-trodden path. We are above the bay of Sv. Križ and our waymarks direct us towards the Strunjan promontory. After walking a few minutes there is a turn-off to the left after the pine-tree plantation, which leads to the Church of St Mary. Our trail continues beside the stream amongst Mediterranean vegetation, high above the sea. After the large cross in the heart of Strunjan’s Landscape Park we go down along the mountain path to the Strunjan health resort Zdravilišče Strunjan. The stamp and register are at the reception for the last checkpoint of the E6 SLO European Footpath. Strunjan is a popular seaside resort where there are many places for sleeping, entertainment and eating. Close by is the main Koper – Portorož road providing bus services to central Slovenia. It is also possible to take the train from Koper to Ljubljana and the rest of Europe.

It is planned to extend the E6 SLO trail soon to the Croatian border. Until then we can make our way to Trieste and from here there are boats to Greece. The E6 European Footpath in fact continues in Igoumenitsa in Greece but the European Ramblers Association hopes that in the near future the trail will be overland.

List of stamps (click for the latest here!)

1. Radelj Crossing

2. Radlje ob Dravi

3. Mala Kopa

4. Slovenj Gradec Airport

5. Razbor

6. Sleme

7. Grebenšek

8. Mozirje

9. Marija Čreta

10. Sv. Jošt

11. Motnik

12. Trojane

13. Limbarska gora

14. Moravče

15. Miklavž

16. Janče

17. Trebeljevo

18. Grosuplje

19. Taborska (Županova) jama

20. Turjak

21. Želimlje

22. Iška

23. Mačkovec

24. Mramorovo

25. Nova vas

26. Stari trg

27. Snežnik Castle

28. Mašun

29. Veliki Snežnik

30. Sviščaki

31. Kozlek

32. Ilirska Bistrica

33. Pregarje

34. Dimnice

35. Slavnik

36. Hrastovlje

37. Kubed

38. Pomjan

39. Strunjan

ACCOMMODATION AND GUESTHOUSES (click for the latest here!)

This chapter lists the guesthouses and other places for overnight stays along the trail for which we managed to obtain exact details. The places providing accommodation are listed in the order in which they appear along the trail (from North to South). The information is given with the name of the establishment first, then the name of the contact person (if not evident from the name of the guesthouse), the address, contact details (tel., fax and e-mail if available). Advance bookings are always welcome, especially if it’s a large group. If it is stated that advance booking is required, then it is necessary, otherwise we may find the doors are closed. Finally details are given about the type of service offered at each location. Accommodation and a hot meal are usually available but at three locations only information about the trail is provided.

It may happen that when you follow the trail, some detail is no longer correct. We would be grateful if you would let us know of any changes.

Do you know the European Footpaths?

At present 11 different European Footpaths wind their way around Europe linking countries of the old continent. They introduce hikers to a variety of natural, cultural and historical features of the regions they pass through. All the organisations of individual countries involved in maintaining European Footpaths are affiliated with the European Ramblers Association (EWV, FERP, ERA) with its Head Office in Prague (http://www.era-ewv-ferp.org/). Its current president is Jan Havelka.

All the European Footpaths are shown clearly on the website: http://www.era-ewv-ferp.org/index.php?Epaths.

The E6 and E7 European Footpaths pass through Slovenia. The E6, described in this hiker’s guide, runs from the North to the South-East of the country and the E7 from the West to the North-East of the country.

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