Podkraj / Unterort - Wackendorfer Spitze (on path P7)

Access to starting point:
a) Over the border crossing Jezerski Vrh we drive into Austria, and after approximately 6 km at Železna Kapla / Bad Eisenkappel we turn right towards Velikovec / Völkermarkt (also possible via the border crossing Ljubelj). We follow the main road towards Velikovec for 2 km, and then we again turn right, this time in the direction of the settlement Pliberk / Bleiburg. Further, we drive through the valley of Podjuna, and then at the next larger crossroad we turn right towards Pliberk. The road ahead leads through some roundabout, and we follow it further in the direction of the ski slope Peca / Petzen. Further, we drive through Bistrica pri Pliberku / Feistritz ob Bleiburg to a large parking lot at the bottom station of the cableway on Peca. From the border crossing Jezerski vrh to the starting point, there is approximately 40 km.
b) From Slovenj Gradec we drive to Ravne na Koroškem, and then we continue driving towards the border crossing Holmec. When we drive into Austria we at first drive towards Pliberk / Bleiburg, and then we follow the signs for ski slope Peca / Petzen. Further, we drive through few villages, and we follow the road to a large parking lot at the bottom station of the cableway on Peca. From the border crossing Holmec to the starting point, there is approximately 8 km.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we walk to the bottom cableway station on Peca, then turn left onto the path marked with signs for P3, P6, P7 and P8; just a little further ahead the path splits.
We choose the right branch, marked for P3, P7 and P8. At first we still walk along the road, which after crossing the cycling track turns into a cart track that brings us to the edge of the ski slope. A few minutes we ascend along the edge of the ski slope (or below the gondola lift), then turn right into the forest where the path flattens before gradually descending to a macadam road on which we continue the ascent.
The path ahead follows the macadam road, which has several junctions further on; we continue to follow the signs for P7 (P3 has by now already branched off left uphill). Next comes some more diagonal ascent, at first also a short descent to the right, after which the road begins to climb in longer switchbacks while the marked path takes a few marked shortcuts.
At an altitude of approximately 1300 metres we reach a small saddle and behind it a slightly wider macadam road. We continue the diagonal ascent to the right; when the road later makes a sharp left turn, the marked path from Globasnica / Globasnitz and Večna vas / Wackendorf joins from the right.
Here we leave the road and continue on the footpath, which gradually starts to climb more steeply. Higher up we return to the road and follow it to Veška planina / Wackendorfer Alm, only a few minutes away.
From the mountain pasture we continue between the chapel and the hut on the marked path that branches slightly right off the road. It first climbs across a grassy slope, then through sparse coniferous forest where we follow the blazes. Higher up, at a bend we reach a poorer road that quickly brings us to a small junction. We go slightly right onto a cart track that leads us to the saddle just south of Feuersberger Spitze.
From here we continue slightly to the right of the road, which makes one more switchback. We ascend diagonally across a grassy slope and at the watering trough rejoin the road (which has already ended a little lower down). Here the path turns slightly left and leads us along the right side of a small valley. Higher up we cross the valley and climb to the hunting observatory, where the path through the grass begins to disappear. A steeper ascent in an approximately easterly direction follows; we follow the blazes on the rocks. When the slope flattens again, the footpath reappears. We continue climbing along the footpath through dwarf pines and soon reach the pyramid that marks Veška kopa; the true highest point of the summit is just a little further ahead.
The starting point - Veška planina 3:30, Veška planina - Veška kopa 1:35.
Description refers to conditions in July 2025; photos are from July 2024 and July 2025.

On the way: Wackendorfer Alm (1568m)