Hiking Trails
Hiking Trails
High above Mozirje lies the picturesque Golte plateau. Hiking trails, karst caves, Alpine Garden… It is a paradise on Earth, where your soul can take a rest from all the hustle and bustle of the city, and your lungs can enjoy fresh mountain air. Let the hiking trails through Golte entice you – you will be able to stretch your legs in pleasant company and explore the beautiful nature of the pearl of the Savinja Valley.
While wandering around Golte, the paths will lead you by attractions such as the Ledenica cave, the landscaped Alpine Garden, the Three Plots lake with a mountain cottage where you can enjoy the local cuisine. In the summer you might even meet horses and cows that graze freely on the plateau. For safe and pleasant walking, we recommend appropriate footwear (hiking boots), a mandatory drink and, of course, a telephone or camera to capture the beautiful view of the unspoiled nature of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps. Below you can find detailed descriptions of just a few of the most popular hiking trails on Golte plateau.
A pleasant hiking trail, suitable even for the youngest
THE RABBIT TRAIL
STARTING POINT: Hotel Golte
GOAL: Hotel Golte
SUITABLE FOR: all ages (including children in baby carries and the elderly)
ESTIMATED TIME: 1 hour and 20 min
MARKINGS: well-marked
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: light hiking shoes
WHAT YOU WILL SEE: mountain cottage with lake Trije ploti, Alpine garden
The Rabbit Trail is among the easiest of the many circular trails on Golte plateau. The hiking trails are well arranged, and among the most popular for families is the Rabbit (Zajček) trail, as it is suitable for everyone – from the youngest children in baby carriers and preschool children to the oldest, and your furry friends will enjoy the trail as well.
The starting point of the Rabbit Trail is located at Hotel Golte in the immediate vicinity of our apartments – you can reach us by car from Mozirje. However, we do recommend starting your journey by enjoying the longest panoramic cable car ride in Europe, which offers magical views of Savinja Valley. When you reach the hotel, follow the signposts for the Rabbit trail that leads you across the ski slopes.
The main stop on this trail is the Trije ploti mountain cottage with the lake, where you can refresh yourself and relax on the terrace or by the lake. Above the lake, which was created years ago for the needs of making artificial snow on the ski slopes, you have a stunning view of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps. You can also take advantage of the beautiful weather by unfolding a blanket on the lawn by the lake and having a picnic. Along the lake, you and your children will be able to explore the array of flowers and diverse alpine flora. Do not be surprised if you discover a salamander lounging on the lakeside. Slightly more active toddlers and children will also be happy to find many rocks, that are perfect for honing the skills of climbing.
On the way back from the hotel, take a walk past the beautiful Alpine Garden, where you are greeted by the familiar scents of spices, herbs and a variety of alpine plants, especially in the spring and summer. In the garden, you will mostly find indigenous plants that naturally occur across the plateau. Due to its diversity and rich treasury of knowledge, the Alpine Garden is also a wonderful independent activity that will enchant both you and your little ones.
Slightly more demanding circular route across Golte plateau
THE HEATHER COCK TRAIL or THE GOLTE TRAIL
STARTING POINT: Hotel Golte
GOAL: Hotel Golte
SUITABLE FOR: older children, adults
ESTIMATED TIME: 2 hours and 40 min
MARKINGS: well-marked
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: hiking shoes
WHAT YOU WILL SEE: mountain cottage with lake Trije ploti, mountain hut Stari stani, Medvedjak peak, karst cave Ledenica, Alpine garden
The Heather Cock Trail or Golte Trail, as it was once called, is one of the longest, but at the same time one of the most popular Golte hiking trails. On the way, you will discover the most popular natural and cultural sights of Golte plateau, while enjoying the enchanting views of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps and the Savinja Valley. The circular route is a perfect summer activity in nice weather.
You start your journey at the Hotel Golte in the immediate vicinity of our apartments. If you are coming from the Mozirje valley, we recommend a panoramic cable car ride to the upper station at the Golte Hotel, which offers incredible views of the valley and the Alps.
When you reach the hotel, follow the signposts directing you along the Heather Cock Trail. Across the meadow (where you might be curiously watched by cows that graze there freely in the summer) follow the cart track to the forest road, which quickly turns right and begins to climb through the spruce forests to the crossroads in front of the three-seater chairlift. Follow the lower path to the three-seater chairlift, where you can turn left to the National Liberation War monument and the Medvedjek peak, or continue to the right and shorten your path a bit. If you decide to continue to the left, you will soon find a monument to the National Liberation War (where the 14th Division crossed the Golte plateau). Pass the monument and ascend to the right all the way to the Medvedjek lookout point, from where you have an unobstructed view of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps. The path continues along the lookout ridge and soon begins to descend all the way to the lake Trije ploti. The mountain cottage by the lake is an excellent refreshment stop, where you can enjoy the local cuisine on the terrace or unfold a blanket on the meadow by the lake and enjoy a picnic with a view of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps. The surroundings of the lake are rich in alpine flora that entice you with gentle fragrance of summer.
Continue your journey on a circular hiking trail that leads you to a small hill, from where you continue from the top on the left, over pasture meadows to a new vantage point, where you can relax on a wooden bench. From here, a slightly less visible path leads you to a cart track, which descends all the way to the shepherd’s hut called Stari stani, where you can rest again and enjoy the alpine air. From the hut, continue to the right over pastures, where cows often graze in nice weather, and then the signposts will soon direct you to the left path. The trail will lead you through a sparse forest past electric poles up a meadow, and then slightly left along a forest clearing, which will turn into a cart track after a few steps, along which you descend to a crossroad where you take a left. Follow the path to the mountain, where you follow the signs towards Mozirska koča or Ledenica cave. The path will lead you down to the right all the way to the mountain cottage, where you will turn left just before the reaching the cottage and go down again, following the signposts all the way to Ledenica cave. Due to the ever-present snow at the bottom, the cave served as a natural cooler for shepherds, but today it serves as a natural landmark and inspires visitors all-year-round.
From there, the path rejoins the cart track that will lead you all the way to Mozirska koča. Unfortunately, the popular old Mozirska koča cottage is still being renovated after a devastating fire, but you can enjoy some refreshment not far away in a temporary wooden log cabin, located in the immediate vicinity. There, a friendly caretaker will serve you a stew, cold cuts or famous desserts like “štruklji” and strudel. After a great meal, you can start on your way back towards the Alpine Garden.
The Alpine Garden is definitely a unique experience, as it is the highest mountain garden in Europe. Here you will be able to admire over 100 different indigenous alpine plants. We recommend that you take at least an hour to visit the Alpine Garden and get to know the alpine flora that thrives in these relentless mountain conditions.
From the Alpine Garden, a 10-minute walk will take you back to the apartments, where you can enjoy a well-deserved rest and gather strength for new hiking adventures. The Golte hiking trails are among the most beautiful in the Slovenian Alps!
A slightly longer route to the top of Boskovec
PATH TO BOSKOVEC
STARTING POINT: The lower station of the cable car Žekovec
GOAL: Hotel Golte
SUITABLE FOR: older children and adults
ESTIMATED TIME: 3 hours and 20 min
MARKINGS: well-marked
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: hiking shoes
WHAT YOU WILL SEE: Mozirska koča
The path to Boskovec starts at the lower station of the cable car. If you are starting your journey from our apartments, you can get there by car or take a panoramic cable car ride to the valley.
At the bus station, turn onto a one-way road that leads you down to the left side, over Zagradiška puša, then soon turns left and joins the road that leads past the holiday homes. Go past the Kugler’s farm and follow the path to the cross on your right, where the roads leads you left, into the forest. At the cross, you will find a well with drinking water where you can refill your bottles and prepare for the climb. The path leads you all the way to the second cross, where you will cross the meadow by the road and continue your journey through the forest on the left. From where you follow the road until you reach the sign for Sv. Radegunda. Follow the road pass the Kebr’s farm on the left and cross the meadow on the right, and then continue through a sparse forest a little further up. Here, too, you will find a well with drinking water that will refresh you in the summer and fill you with energy for the ascent. A little higher on the pasture, take a right onto the path that leads past the National Liberation War monument, and then continue left along the road that leads to Golte, all the way to Planinska ravna. Follow the road to the ravine on the right, where you will notice traces of a landslide, and there turn into the forest on the right, from where the path leads you to a crossroad. At the crossroad, you can follow a steep path to the left or a slightly gentler one to the right, but after a few minutes both paths will merge into a forest path. After a short ascent, you will reach a beautiful viewpoint with a bench. From there, a 10-minute moderate walk will take you to Mozirska koča (the cottage burned down in February 2021, but currently operates from a nearby wooden log cabin). There you can enjoy the local delicacies such as stews, sausages, “štruklji” and strudel.
If you have a chance, we also recommend taking some time to visit the highest mountain Alpine garden in Europe. It’s located near Mozirska koča, and you will be able to enjoy the indigenous alpine flora.
From the cottage, continue along the road to a nearby chapel, from where clearly visible markings will direct you through the forest, along the Severjeva path, where you’ll first cross a pasture fence and then climb through the forest all the way to a forest road. Follow the path to the crossroad, from where you continue to the left, until you reach a turn with signs for Boskovec. Clearly placed markings will lead you along the forest road to the clearing just below the top. Continue through the forest and turn right at the crossroad towards Boskovec. From here you will quickly climb to the top of the lookout tower on Boskovec with beautiful views of the surrounding peaks and the Savinja Valley.
You can return to the valley down the same path or follow Severjeva path to Mozirska koča and to our Golte apartments. The hiking trails on Golte are circular, which means you can always return to your starting point.
