Velika Planina
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 8.07 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,919 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Easy
- Elevation loss
- 1,919 ft
- Max elevation
- 5,471 ft
- TrailRank
- 52
- Min elevation
- 4,577 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Time
- 5 hours 28 minutes
- Coordinates
- 1332
- Uploaded
- August 11, 2015
- Recorded
- August 2015
near Dol, Kamnik (Slovenija)
Viewed 2978 times, downloaded 184 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
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Velika Planina Means in Slovenian mountain pastures. It is the largest grazing area in Slovenia and, as they tell us, one of the largest and oldest settlements of shepherds all over Europe. Although they currently graze in this valley more than 300 heads of cattle, the cows In fact, they live in the area freely between the many visitors that we have come to spend the day.
It has an average height of 1600 meters and is accessed from the north of Kamnik with a cable car that was built in 1963 and will take us in a few minutes from Kamniska Bistrica to the summit Simnovec (1407 meters).
Leaving Kamnik you have to head towards Kamniska Bistrica- Gornji Grad after 6km to the city of Stahovica, take a turnoff on the left and in 4km on the left you will find the signal that indicates the cable car station , next to a campsite and a restaurant with terrace. Now in summer the cable car ran continuously from 8 in the morning until 8 in the evening, but it is worthwhile arriving early to be able to leave the car easily in the car park that is on the road and next of the ski slopes.
After completing this impressive journey that exceeds an unevenness of 859 meters in 5 minutes, we continue on foot to Gradisce peak (1666 meters) but you can also take a chairlift, an option also highly recommended if you want to get more rested.
When the show arrives, it is idyllic: in front of us, a large valley dotted with cows and shepherd's huts opens. The huts do not have running water or electricity and small ponds serve as trough for cows and reflect the mountains of the Kamnik alps in such clear hues that they seem snowy. The peaks of Plantava (2394 meters) or Ojstrica (2350 meters) for example are some of the most representative.
We can see, then, up to 63 pastoral huts scattered here and there. Although the original constructions were destroyed during World War II, they soon rebuilt them following the type of traditional architecture characteristic of the area. Since the 60s, constructions for pastors who still carry their livestock from June to September, with others being rented for internal tourism, live in the area.
The houses have oval roofs, covered with pine bark, a fenced in front and a large entrance to be able to stack the animals at dusk. Some are small mountain huts where you can taste typical dishes, in some pastors they make cheese that they sell to visitors. There is one that has been reconstructed with full respect of the original model and where there is now a museum. The utensils and wardrobe typical of the shepherds who inhabited the area were exhibited in the XlX century.
The truth is that once we have reached the valley, we have done away with plans and itineraries and we have been walking in the middle of the settlement until reaching the low Preskarjeva museum, going through the parliament building where shepherds gather at dusk, a cottage for doing dances ... Later on we went to the Marija Snežna chapel dedicated to the virgin of the Neus, it is slightly distant and higher than the rest of the whole, with good views over the whole and very busy.
After visiting the chapel, a path allows you to move eastward and walk around the so-called Mala Planina and enjoy its views and meadows. On the way back we find the Gostilna full of visitors, tasting cheese soups and some kind of pork sausages and take the path that will turn us back to the cable car.
We found this mountain trip to be very nice, surrounded by many Slovenian families that go to the Velika Planina to walk, taste typical products, buy cheeses and spend the day. The environment combines the natural wealth with the human landscape and it is at the pleasant time, and interesting and very aesthetic. The routes are not too marked, they are not very demanding and quite intuitive, it is about walking around the area and enjoying the landscape.
It has an average height of 1600 meters and is accessed from the north of Kamnik with a cable car that was built in 1963 and will take us in a few minutes from Kamniska Bistrica to the summit Simnovec (1407 meters).
Leaving Kamnik you have to head towards Kamniska Bistrica- Gornji Grad after 6km to the city of Stahovica, take a turnoff on the left and in 4km on the left you will find the signal that indicates the cable car station , next to a campsite and a restaurant with terrace. Now in summer the cable car ran continuously from 8 in the morning until 8 in the evening, but it is worthwhile arriving early to be able to leave the car easily in the car park that is on the road and next of the ski slopes.
After completing this impressive journey that exceeds an unevenness of 859 meters in 5 minutes, we continue on foot to Gradisce peak (1666 meters) but you can also take a chairlift, an option also highly recommended if you want to get more rested.
When the show arrives, it is idyllic: in front of us, a large valley dotted with cows and shepherd's huts opens. The huts do not have running water or electricity and small ponds serve as trough for cows and reflect the mountains of the Kamnik alps in such clear hues that they seem snowy. The peaks of Plantava (2394 meters) or Ojstrica (2350 meters) for example are some of the most representative.
We can see, then, up to 63 pastoral huts scattered here and there. Although the original constructions were destroyed during World War II, they soon rebuilt them following the type of traditional architecture characteristic of the area. Since the 60s, constructions for pastors who still carry their livestock from June to September, with others being rented for internal tourism, live in the area.
The houses have oval roofs, covered with pine bark, a fenced in front and a large entrance to be able to stack the animals at dusk. Some are small mountain huts where you can taste typical dishes, in some pastors they make cheese that they sell to visitors. There is one that has been reconstructed with full respect of the original model and where there is now a museum. The utensils and wardrobe typical of the shepherds who inhabited the area were exhibited in the XlX century.
The truth is that once we have reached the valley, we have done away with plans and itineraries and we have been walking in the middle of the settlement until reaching the low Preskarjeva museum, going through the parliament building where shepherds gather at dusk, a cottage for doing dances ... Later on we went to the Marija Snežna chapel dedicated to the virgin of the Neus, it is slightly distant and higher than the rest of the whole, with good views over the whole and very busy.
After visiting the chapel, a path allows you to move eastward and walk around the so-called Mala Planina and enjoy its views and meadows. On the way back we find the Gostilna full of visitors, tasting cheese soups and some kind of pork sausages and take the path that will turn us back to the cable car.
We found this mountain trip to be very nice, surrounded by many Slovenian families that go to the Velika Planina to walk, taste typical products, buy cheeses and spend the day. The environment combines the natural wealth with the human landscape and it is at the pleasant time, and interesting and very aesthetic. The routes are not too marked, they are not very demanding and quite intuitive, it is about walking around the area and enjoying the landscape.
Waypoints
Information point
4,593 ft
Intersection
Waypoint
Religious site
Panorama
Provisioning
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