Along the Paths of the XIV Division

Along the paths of the XIV Division after thorough renovation with a new guidebook.

The Connecting Mountain Trail (VPP) of the XIV Division is the second oldest circular trail in Slovenia after the Slovenian Mountain Trail, which has undergone a thorough renovation in the last decade, and to top it off, the alpine-historical guide Along the Paths of the XIV Division has been published by the PZS Alpine Publishing House; the trail can also be followed via the maPZS web application. The trail covers 181 kilometers from Sedlarjevo to Ljubenske Rastke, collecting 28 stages and 29 checkpoints. This year's hike along the VPP XIV Division and the meeting of hikers from the Savinja region will be on May 28 from Slemen to Smrekovec.

The Connecting Mountain Trail of the XIV Division is the second oldest connecting circular trail in Slovenia after the Slovenian Mountain Trail. It was established on November 9, 1958, by mountaineering societies of the Celje region on Slemen above Šoštanj, marked for the first time in spring 1959 by PD Celje Matica, and is now maintained by the mountaineering societies of the Savinja Inter-Society Board, which also renovated it between 2012 and 2020. It runs from Sedlarjevo to Ljubenske Rastke and collects 28 stages and 29 checkpoints over 181 kilometers. It is marked with red-white Knafelc marks, red alpine directional signs, and the red Roman numeral XIV at least at trail intersections. On newer directional signs for circular trails, the inscription or sticker XIV may be added in the direction of the trail.

"There are several partisan trails of the XIV Division, as the units did not march together: scouts went ahead to find a free path, protective brigades marched sideways or behind, and supply units had their own path. After the war, this led to different interpretations of where the brigade actually marched, resulting in multiple trails. To resolve misunderstandings, in 1984 Bojan Škrk and Milan Guček (Community of Fighters of the XIV Division NOV and POJ, Ljubljana), Božo Jordan (PD Polzela), Adi Vrečer and Gustav Grobelnik (PD Celje Matica) with collaborators from local mountaineering societies relocated the Connecting Mountain Trail of the XIV Division to the route of the main force's march, moving it from roads to newly marked mountain trails. It is marked with Knafelc marks, alpine directional signs, and red Roman numeral XIV in places. The other trails are now Partisan Trails of the XIV Division, marked with a red five-pointed star and usually leading between memorials of the XIV Division. They are maintained by local veterans' organizations. In some sections, these trails overlap," explained Ivan Šalamon, the leader of the renovation of the Connecting Mountain Trail of the XIV Division.

The alpine-historical guide Along the Paths of the XIV Division by photographer, publicist, and traveler Franči Horvat contains not only alpine information but also historical facts and countless stories that take the reader back to the times when fighters of the XIV Division, in harsh winter and difficult conditions, often without food, warm clothing, and ammunition, broke through enemy encirclements. A glimpse of those times could be felt by journalists on the trail section from Andrejev dom on Slemen to Žlebnikova domačija above Šoštanj, where the poet of the Fourteenth Karel Destovnik - Kajuh fell, whose 100th birth anniversary we celebrate this year. "The Connecting Mountain Trail of the XIV Division has 28 stages and 29 checkpoints where you get a stamp, and these stages form the basis of the guide. In addition to all key information such as length, elevation gain, starting point, walking time, difficulty, and others, there are descriptions of the areas where the trail passes, some added historical testimonies of fighters - quoted from the old guide - and numerous natural and cultural sights along the trail. I added value to the guide with historical testimonies, area descriptions, and sights so it wouldn't be too dry and would be interesting even for those who may no longer be able to set out on this mountain trail," said Horvat at Žlebnikova domačija in Šentvid above Zavodnje. Alongside the guide published by PZS Alpine Publishing House, edited by Andrej Mašera and Irena Mušič Habjan, PD Atomske toplice Podčetrtek has also published a Logbook for the VPP XIV Division and will keep records of completed trails.

The Mountain Trail of the XIV Division has 28 stages and 29 stamps. The first stage starts in Sedlarjevo, where the first checkpoint is, and the last ends in Ljubenske Rastke. Stages can be hiked individually or combined depending on our physical fitness and weather, advises author Horvat: "I advise hikers to choose stages according to their abilities. Some will literally run the entire trail, others will choose individual stages or combine a few. Logistics or hiking can be facilitated by two cars, so we don't have to walk to the starting point. The trail is intended for everyone who likes to walk, whether families with children, adults, or seniors, as it is an easy trail, but we must not underestimate it because some distances are quite long. Since there are not many mountain huts on the trail, you need to bring sufficient food and drink supplies. Also, plan in advance at home where we will sleep if we plan to hike the entire trail and not just individual stages."

As explained by Manja Rajh, president of the Savinja Inter-Society Board of Mountaineering Societies (SMDO PD), 18 mountaineering societies and their markers take care of preserving and visibility of the trail on the ground, who took over the care for the renovation of the XIV Division trail from PD Celje Matica in 2011. Between 2012 and 2020, markers from Savinja mountaineering societies, with volunteer work and financial assistance from PZS and SMDO member societies, thoroughly renovated the trail section along the route Sedlarjevo-Koča na Bohorju-Lisca-Vrh nad Laškim-Opoka-Stolpnik-Paški Kozjak-Graška Gora-Andrejev dom na Slemenu-Smrekovec-Komen-Ljubenske Rastke. In addition to markings, they installed metal directional signs and poles and thoroughly cleaned the trail.

"We started the renovation in 2012 from Sedlarjevo to Dom na Bohorju, the next year to Tončkov dom on Lisca, and then further. Other Savinja mountaineering societies also helped the societies along the trail. For the renovation of the XIV Division mountain trail, markers performed over 300 hours of volunteer work annually, totaling around 3000 volunteer hours, and spent just under 100,000 euros in total. Some funds were added annually by Savinja MDO, we applied to tenders of the PZS Trail Commission for metal poles and directional signs, and mountaineering societies financed materials, excavation, and work for sign installation, as well as transports and marker expenses," outlined the nearly decade-long renovation by renovation leader Ivan Šalamon, adding that they also helped societies with designing directional signs and arranging trail route changes. He himself recorded the renovated trail with a satellite recorder and entered the route into the PlanGIS database, from which the maPZS application draws data, so you can set out on the VPP XIV Division with the help of an online map as well.

Šalamon participated in the first hike along the VPP XIV Division in 1960 as a member of the mountaineering circle at OŠ Gustava Šiliha Velenje between Pako pri Velenju and Šoštanj, which he still remembers well: "I remember the trail was long. We walked through dark forests and beautiful panoramic paths. Some students separately carried Kuričkova pošta along the Path of Couriers and Signallers. I also remember the shooting as a simulation of a German attack on us and the little couriers carrying Kuričkova pošta, and that surviving fighters along the trail told little stories, and also celebrations at Žlebnikova domačija."

More than sixty years have passed since then and a good decade since the beginning of the trail's revival, which, with the support of the mountaineering organization and local community, has also received its literary monument. "The idea at the beginning of 2020 to give the renovated trail a solemn conclusion with the publication of an alpine guide along the connecting trail of the XIV Division and to bring it closer to everyone interested in more than just mountaineering was supported by Bojan Rotovnik, head of the PZS Publishing and Information Board. I proposed local Franči Horvat, a well-known alpine writer and esteemed photographer, as the author of the guide. We might not have the guide in our hands today if renovation leader Ivan Šalamon hadn't held all the threads of the renovation. We are greatly pleased that all municipalities through which the trail passes have financially supported the publication of the guide, as has the League of Associations of Fighters for the Values of NOB Slovenia. The Museum of Recent History of Slovenia has contributed original photographs of the XIV Division free of charge," highlighted SMDO president Manja Rajh.

Rajh also said that in thanks to the markers for their volunteer work on the trail renovation, every year since 2012 (except 2020 due to covid restrictions) they hiked the renovated section of the trail and combined it with a hikers' meeting, where they explored remote corners and spiced it up with an occasional cultural program. "The traditional meeting of hikers from the Savinja region is every year on the last Saturday in May in collaboration with the mountaineering society that maintains the trail we hike. This year it is PD Šoštanj. The hike on Saturday, May 28, will run from Andrejev dom on Slemen to Dom na Smrekovcu. The invitation applies to all hikers from the Savinja region, of course, hikers from other areas are also welcome, but they must register on time due to transport organization."