New Trans Karavanke touring mountain bike trail comes to life
25.09.2019
Last Saturday, September 21, the new Trans Karavanke touring mountain bike trail and the Pristava Mountain Bike Learning Center officially opened in the cycling spirit of the Alpe Adria Karavanke/Karawanken project, and as part of developing tourist offerings in the cross-border Karavanke area, the adrenaline bike trail Predigra was also opened earlier in Žirovnica.
The new Trans Karavanke touring mountain bike trail stretches from Jezersko to Tromeja or Korensko sedlo, and it is also marked and rideable in the opposite direction. It mostly runs along forest roads on the sunny slopes of the Karavanke, ascending to the ridge and the border with Austria only at its westernmost point at Peč or Tromeja. PZS markacists and other volunteers from local mountaineering societies excelled in arranging and marking the trail on the terrain. On Saturday, September 21, the new touring bike trail was opened by the president of the Alpine Association of Slovenia (PZS) Jože Rovan with a symbolic cut of a bicycle chain, while the Pristava Mountain Bike Center was opened by the mayor of Jesenice Blaž Račič. In Žirovnica, they are also rejoicing over the new adrenaline bike trail Predigra. The trio of cycling additions was created under the three-year Alpe Adria Karavanke/Karawanken project, which unites twelve partners—seven from Slovenia and five from Austria—with the main aim of developing tourist offerings in the cross-border Karavanke area, especially in hiking, cycling, and winter tourism.
"Over 132 kilometers divided into five stages, the Trans Karavanke touring mountain bike trail covers 5,500 meters of elevation gain. From Jezersko, it takes us across pastures below Košuta toward Tržič, then over Zelenica to the Završnica valley and pastures below Stol, continuing above Jesenice via Javorniški Rovt and Planina pod Golico toward Mojstrana, and in the final section along the Zgornjesavska valley to Rateče and up to Peč," describes the route by touring bike guide Andrej Remškar, who also led a two-day tour along the new trail during the opening days. The trail visits, among others, the Slovenian Mountaineering Museum in Mojstrana and several popular mountain huts: Dom na Kofcah, Planinski dom na Zelenici, Dom pri izviru Završnice, Valvasorjev dom pod Stolom, and Dom Pristava in Javorniški Rovt.
"Along the trail, we encounter numerous natural and cultural sights: toward Tržič we ride through Dovžanova soteska gorge, then through Tržič's old town center, in the Završnica valley along Završniško jezero lake, on the ascent to Zabreška planina past Turška jama cave, nearby is also the Ajdna archaeological site. Above Planina pod Golico, we can visit Savske jame caves, and in the Zgornjesavska valley, at least Zelence, where Sava Dolinka springs, deserve mention. Despite all the sights, the greatest reward for cyclists will be the magnificent views and enjoyment of pristine nature," Remškar vividly continues, also presenting the difficulty of the new trail: "The Trans Karavanke touring mountain bike trail is suitable for well-conditioned mountain bikers, as daily stages are typically 25 to 35 kilometers long, with a maximum of 1,650 meters of elevation gain in one day." For easier orientation, touring bike or multi-purpose markers and directional signs with the Trans Karavanke symbol guide cyclists, and stamp collectors will be delighted by the trail's logbook as well.
The Trans Karavanke trail is a welcome addition to the network of touring mountain bike trails in Slovenia, a significant part of which is the circular Slovenian Touring Mountain Bike Trail (STKP), which over 41 stages and 1,850 kilometers through all major mountain groups visits 112 checkpoints, including more than 50 mountain huts and numerous important mountaineering and tourist sights. "Touring cycling is a non-competitive form of mountain biking, planned rides on maintained paths in natural environments. In 2007, touring cycling was included among mountaineering activities, and the share of members of the mountaineering association who tour bike already exceeds one quarter. Mountaineers are gradually developing touring bike trails as well, starting with the OPD Koper Movraški krog trail, then the Grosuplje Mountaineering Trail, and in 2016 the Slovenian Touring Mountain Bike Trail. This year, we routed a new bike trail from Korensko sedlo to Jezersko across the southern slopes of the western Karavanke, named Trans Karavanke," describes the spread of touring cycling by PZS president Jože Rovan, the conceptual father of both STKP and Trans Karavanke.
As explained by PZS expert associate Dušan Prašnikar, the Alpe Adria Karavanke/Karawanken project is implemented under the Interreg V-A Slovenia-Austria cooperation program and co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund: "In the field of cycling, the main tourist product of the Alpe Adria Karavanke/Karawanken project is the Trans Karavanke touring mountain bike trail, which runs through the municipalities of Jezersko, Tržič, Radovljica, Žirovnica, Jesenice, and Kranjska Gora. Within the project, infrastructure and equipment are being arranged to improve offerings for hiking, cycling, and winter tourism. In addition to visible on-site investments—besides those mentioned related to cycling, also improvements to hiking trails, arrangements of some mountain huts, starting and thematic points for hiking, equipment for soft winter tourism—the project develops concrete tourist products and packages supported by promotion at various levels. Emphasis is also on education and informing target groups."
The Municipality of Jesenice, within Alpe Adria Karavanke/Karawanken, renovated the former NOB courier hut into the Pristava Mountain Bike Learning Center, where bike equipment and a wooden bike skills course are also available. The municipality will presumably issue a call for the center's operator within a month, who will run educational and touring or mountain bike programs, so the center can start operating next season.
The upcoming weekend, September 28 and 29, Tržič is preparing Vikend tržiških poti, a recreational mountain biking gathering, which will also include a guided tour from Jezersko to Tržič along part of the Trans Karavanke touring mountain bike trail, organized by the PZS Touring Cycling Commission.