Slovenian Mountain Trail

[scubajunky]

HI all,
Has anyone walked the Slovenian Mountain Trail ?

 

[KinkyOne]

HI all,
Has anyone walked the Slovenian Mountain Trail ?

Hi, @scubajunky !

I'm Slovenian and I walked most of it through the years but not in one single go. What's your specific question?

B.

 

[scubajunky]

Thank you, do you recommend it ? is it possible to do it without booking accommodation in July / August ?
Is it a social affair ? what would be a reasonable daily budget ?

 

[caminka]

I only walked small portions of it through the years, but all of it is beautiful, imo.

I would recommend calling ahead on Pohorje (the first mountain if starting from Maribor) around Rogla, and in all mountain huts in Julian Alps (the most popular part for short hiking).

also, as Kocbekov dom na Korošici has burned down last autumn and was an important (and only) stop between Robanov Kot and Kamniško Sedlo, it's probably best to head up into Logarska Dolina and from there climb to Kamniško Sedlo.

there are some serious mountain sections with rails, pegs, ladders, loose stones and steep drops. some probably cannot be avoided, so keep that in mind when planning.

there are some closed sections due to landslides etc., the list is here: https://stanje-poti.pzs.si/en.php.

planinska zveza slovenije (slovenian mountaneering organization) has a list of all mountain huts here https://en.pzs.si/koce.php. if you are a member of your home organization with a reciprocal agreement, you can get up to 50% discount on sleeping.
note that some of the huts in the south-west mountains/hills (Trnovski Gozd, Nanos etc.) are only open on weekends and perhaps an extra week day.

 

[scubajunky]

Thanks for the info, much appreciated

 

[KinkyOne]

...
also, as Kocbekov dom na Korošici has burned down last autumn and was an important (and only) stop between Robanov Kot and Kamniško Sedlo, it's probably best to head up into Logarska Dolina and from there climb to Kamniško Sedlo.
...

On this particular section is best to stay overnight in Frischaufov dom and next day continue to Kamniško sedlo.

Anyway all that are interested in Slovenian Mountain Trail (first European marked mountain trail at all) should know that despite some inclines first and last third of it could be called hiking but the middle third is on some sections very demanding mountaineering or almost climbing!!! Do a thorough research, please! If you have any questions I'll be happy to answer.

 

[caminka]

a site in slovenain and polish: http://www.pespoti.si/spp.php.
some basic info in english: https://en.pzs.si/vsebina.php?pid=58.

there is a booklet into which you can collect stamps from the huts and the summits. I've seen it in the bookshop called Knjigarna Konzorcij on Slovenska cesta in Ljubljana. when you complete the whole way (it doesn't need to be in one go), you get an honourary badge.

there is also a 'sidekick' called 'Razširjena slovenska planinska pot' (Widened Slovenian Mountain Trail) - these are climbs to all other important summits in slovenia.

if this demanding hike proves to be too much, we have plenty of less demanding walks and hikes. this is perhaps the best overview: https://obhodnice.pzs.si/.

first European marked mountain trail at all

PZS site says it's the first marked continuous trail in the world! wow.

 

[KinkyOne]

I would also suggest that you become a member of some Mountain Association/Club, maybe even Slovenian. This way you get a lot of discounts for sleeping in mountain huts.
PZS (Planinska Zveza Slovenije = Mountain Association of Slovenia) has its office very close to main train/bus station in Ljubljana, the capitol city.

 

[KinkyOne]

Finally the English version of the guide to the Slovenian Mountain Trail was published:

Slovenian Mountain Trail (Slovenska planinska pot)

Planinska zveza Slovenije (PZS) je ena največjih in ena najbolj množičnih nevladnih, prostovoljskih organizacij v Sloveniji ter je nacionalna panožna organizacija za področje planinstva (planinarjenje/gorništvo, alpinizem, športno plezanje, turno smučanje in turno kolesarjenje). Ima okoli 60.000...

www.pzs.si

Don't have a clue why they didn't translate this page into English though
But you can get all the basic info here:

https://www.pzs.si/javno/zalozba/planinski_vodniki/vodnik_ANG_del-min.pdf

 

[Freewalker]

Thank you very much indeed as invaluable ! I would never have found it. Will be in touch when I return home
You are too kind . It seems important to hike there before it becomes inundated with hikers if not already ! I'm guessing May is a good month no ? Cheers for now Mary

'

 

[stratophile]

May is excellent on the SMT. That is when I did it. Wonderful trail! As has been noted above, though, this is definitely a rugged *hiking* trail, not a Camino-style path. There were a few sections I skipped due to being more challenging than I wanted at the time (my body definitely isn't what it once was!); I found it easy to bypass those sections and continue after them.

Incredible scenery. Very friendly people. Good trail infrastructure.

 

[KinkyOne]

Thank you very much indeed as invaluable ! I would never have found it. Will be in touch when I return home
You are too kind . It seems important to hike there before it becomes inundated with hikers if not already ! I'm guessing May is a good month no ? Cheers for now Mary

'

Well it's not really inundated but it might be from June through September on certain sections. After all mountaineering is something that's buried very deep in Slovenian soul (along with alpine skiing)

 

[KinkyOne]

May is excellent on the SMT. That is when I did it. Wonderful trail! As has been noted above, though, this is definitely a rugged *hiking* trail, not a Camino-style path. There were a few sections I skipped due to being more challenging than I wanted at the time (my body definitely isn't what it once was!); I found it easy to bypass those sections and continue after them.

Incredible scenery. Very friendly people. Good trail infrastructure.

Since I walked most of the SMT over years and I'm Slovenian I must add that only parts of the middle part of it (Alps) are rugged. But it is definitely not the Camino-like in that section I agree!!!
First and third part are more or less hiking not mountaineering. And even those parts in the middle can easily be done with right equipment (which you can rent or I can help with, like helmets etc.).

Accommodation are plentiful (mountain huts mostly), most people speak English, Euro is the currency, all in all very friendly

Just a hint: if you are a member of a mountaineering organisation (or if you become one over here in Slovenia) then you have discount on sleeping and even basic food like stews etc. in mountain huts. Few years ago I calculated that if in 1 year I sleep in mountain huts for 3 nights that's my membership fee (the divergence), anything after that is really a discount.