Pod Peco/Koprein-Petzen - Končnikov vrh (Peca) (slovenska pot)

Access to starting point:
A) Via the border crossing Jezerski vrh or Pavličev vrh, we drive to Bela / Bad Vellach, from there we continue driving towards Železna Kapla / Bad Eisenkappel. At the beginning of Železna Kapla, we notice signs for Lepena / Leppen, which direct us to the right. Further on, we drive on a somewhat narrower asphalt road, which first leads us along the bottom of the valley, then at the hamlet Koprivna / Koprein - Sonnseite it starts to ascend more steeply. Higher up, we arrive at the hamlet Pod Peco / Koprein - Petzen, where the starting point of the path to Topica / Topitza and the inn Riepl are located. Here, we continue straight on the initially still asphalted road, which further leads past the church of all faiths. A little above the church, the asphalt ends, and the road starts to descend. After a short descent, we arrive at a smaller crossroad, where we continue right in the direction of Peca and St. Anne (straight ahead on the main road to Globasnica / Globasnitz). From the crossroad, we drive only a short time longer, then we arrive at a barrier near which we park in a suitable spot.
B) From Dravograd or Slovenj Gradec, we drive to Ravne na Koroškem, then continue driving towards the border crossing Holmec. Once we enter Austria, we first drive towards Pliberk / Bleiburg, then follow the signs for Globasnica / Globasnitz. After approximately 13 km from the border crossing Holmec, we arrive in Globasnica, from where we continue driving left towards the upper part of the settlement. From Globasnica, we continue on a narrower and ascending road towards the hamlet Pod Peco / Koprein - Petzen. Further on, we ascend alongside Globaška grapa for some time, then the road takes us to an indistinct saddle, where we arrive at a smaller crossroad. Here, where we notice signs for Peca, we continue left onto a side road, along which we quickly descend to the nearby barrier near which we park in a suitable spot.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue past the barrier and along the road in a few minutes descend to the crossroad at the edge of the mountain pasture Spodnja Luža.
Here, the marked Austrian path to Peca or to Bistriška špica branches off to the left, and we continue straight in the direction of the mountain hut on the Kumer farm. The path ahead leads us across a vast mountain pasture, then it passes along the edge of the forest and splits into two parts. We choose the lower, worse road, along which, by the edge of the forest, we descend to the state border and cross it. After a few meters of walking on the Slovenian side, we join a wider macadam road, along which we continue the descent. Somewhat lower, a marked cart track towards St. Anne branches off to the right, and we continue descending. When we have already descended by 100 elevation meters, we arrive at a somewhat larger and marked crossroad, where the road to Kumer branches off to the right, straight ahead the road continues towards Koprivna and Črna na Koroškem, and we continue sharply left onto the ascending road (at the crossroad there are also the first Slovenian signs for Peca).
We continue along the ascending macadam road, walking along it for approximately 10 minutes, then on the left side of the road we notice a direction sign for Peca, which directs us left across the meadow. On the other side of the relatively overgrown meadow, the cart track along which we continue the ascent turns left and starts to ascend transversely. Here, some view opens up from the path, and the cart track higher joins a worse forest road, which we follow to the left. The worse road, already almost a cart track, splits higher into two parts, and we continue straight along the ascending cart track, which higher turns sharply to the right. The worse cart track higher joins the next forest road, which we reach right at the bend. At the end of the bend, we leave the road and continue on the marked path, which first ascends gently, then ever more steeply through the forest. Higher, the trail turns somewhat to the right and gradually brings us to the edge of sheer cliffs, from which a nice view opens onto the Topla valley and the surrounding peaks. The path ahead leads us for some time along the edge of the cliffs, and it transitions from increasingly sparse forest into a belt of dwarf pines. Further on, we ascend along a trail that runs along the border line, and increasingly beautiful views open up from the path. Higher, the trail levels out and turns right, while the border line continues further in approximately the same direction.
When the path turns right, it returns entirely to the Slovenian side for a while, crossing the slopes of Končnikov vrh. On sections that are somewhat less trodden but well marked, the path brings us higher onto the vast summit ridge of Peca, which we reach just a little above Knipsovo sedlo.
When we reach the ridge, the path to the Topla valley and Kordeževa glava branches off to the right, straight ahead the path continues towards the Peca ski area, and we continue left in the direction of Bistriška špica / Feistritzer Spitze. The path ahead ascends a panoramic slope, then gradually transitions onto the ridge, along which we quickly ascend to the grassy Končnikov vrh.

On the way: Planina Luža (1250m)

Trip can be extended to: Feistritzer Spitze , Petzen (Kordeschkopf) (Peca (Kordeževa glava)) ( 45 min)