Outdoor Slovenia - Slovenia - page 50

HIKING & WALKING
Hiking is a national pastime. The country has an excellent system of well-marked trails that
run to a total length of nearly 10,000km. Most trails are marked by a red circle with a white
centre, with periodic updater signs along the way indicating distances and walking times.
In addition, most regional tourist offices and bookshops stock a comprehensive selection of
hiking maps.
The most popular areas for hikes include the Julian Alps and the Kamnik-Savinja Alps in
Gorenjska as well as the Pohorje Massif in Štajerska & Koroška, but there are wonderful
trails in all of the country's regions. Some of the best of these are linked with less obvi-
ously salubrious activities like wine drinking.
Many trails can also be cycled, with the notable exception being the trails in the Triglav
National Park. Maps usually indicate which trails are suitable for cycling with a bicycle
sign.
Great Slovenian Hikes
» The Slovenian Mountain Trail runs for 500km from Maribor to Ankaran on the coast
via the Pohorje Massif, the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, the Julian Alps and the Cerkno and Idrija
hills. It was opened back in 1953 and was the first such national trail in Europe.
» The 470km-long Sub-Alpine Trail covers Slovenia's hill country - from Cerkno and
Idrija to Posavje via Notranjska - and is for less-ambitious, but equally keen, walkers and
hikers.
» A great 'wine trail' is the Jeruzalem-Ljutomer wine road in Štajerska & Koroška,
which begins at Ormož and continues for 18km north to Ljutomer, via the hilltop village of
Jeruzalem. There are many wine cellars along the way, and this road can also be biked.
» The Haloze Highlands Trail is a lovely wine-oriented footpath that takes in the gentle
landscape of the Haloze Hills wine region. It is accessible from near Štatenberg.
Major European Trails
» The 350km E6 European Hiking Trail runs from the Baltic to the Adriatic Seas and
enters Slovenia at Radlje ob Dravi in Koroška. It continues on to a point south of Snežnik
in Notranjska.
» The 600km E7 European Hiking Trail connects the Atlantic with the Black Sea. It
crosses into Slovenia at Robič in Primorska and runs along the Soča Valley. From here, it