The Golte Plateau, also known by some as the Mozirska Planina, is located in the heart of the Savinjska Valley. Golte landscape park is one of the most popular mountain resorts in Slovenia. In winter, guests are attracted by the ski resort and more than 12 kilometers of ski tracks, while in summer, Golte offer many opportunities for hiking, cycling and relaxing in nature.
It is an area of cultivated nature, where elements of natural and cultural heritage intertwine. The purpose of landscape parks is the preservation of nature and its ecological, biotic or landscape value, as well as the high-quality and long-term intertwining of man with nature.
In the past, the Golte Mountains were torn from the Kamniško-Savinjske Alps and pushed onto today’s territory. It is a typical example of isolated karst, as it has a wider rim of impermeable volcanic rocks. The central part consists of pure Triassic limestones, and on it we can find typical karst phenomena such as sinkholes, deep chasms, dry valleys, underground caves, etc. The most famous one is the Ledenica cave. Snow remains at its bottom throughout the year, so it once served as a natural cooler.
When was the Golte landscape park created?
The Golte Landscape Park was declared in 1987. The park covers an area of 1,223 hectares. The area is also considered a natural value of national importance and part of the Ecologically Important Area of the Kamniško-Savinjske Alpe, and is also included in the Natura 2000 network.
They say that Golte plateau was formed by the extinct Smrekovec volcano. The volcano was active during the Tertiary period (23 million years ago) and lay under the sea. At that time, large amounts of volcanic ash, dust and lava erupted several times in a row. Today, the extinguished volcano is 1,577 meters high, and on it, we find many rare flowers and a large habitat area of heather cock.
The plateau, where the Golte landscape park is located, got their name “Golte” or “Golčka planina” in the past, because due to their karst composition, they “swallow” all the water that falls. (in Slovenia “goltati” means “to swallow” or “to pop”)
Where are Golte located?
The Golte plateau is located in the heart of the Kamiško-Savinjske Alps. It is a mountain group with many protected nature areas. The mountain ambience is an excellent destination for trips to the hills and lovers of hiking and mountaineering. The area is also known for its beautiful valleys, such as Logarska dolina (where you will also find the Rinka waterfall) and Kamniška Bistrica. There are also many ski centers – in addition to the Golte ski resort, you’ll also find Krvavec and Velika planina ski resorts. The Kamniško-Savinjske Alps are also very popular among mountaineers because of their peaks. The highest peaks reach over 2,500 meters, and the highest among them is the 2,558-meter-high Grintovec.
What to do in Golte?
Both in winter and in summer, Golte offers its visitors many opportunities to relax in nature. In winter, there are more than 12 kilometers of ski trails available, and in summer, many hiking and cycling trails, where you will discover the hidden beauties of the mountain world. You can read more ideas for what to do at Golte HERE.
