Goodbye Slovenia

The march, which honours the Radece Commune Holiday, usually takes place on the second Sunday in September.
The starting point is a small Zagrad Village (ca. 6 km from Radece in the direction of Sopota Valley), where we turn right into the mountains. After a steep one-hour walk we arrive to the Cimerno Village and proceed in the direction of Kum Mountain. Only 200 metres along the road a signpost will lead you left to the top of the Nebeska gora (960 m), the highest peak in the Radece Commune. Just below the top of the mountain a small footpath will lead you to an exposed rock with a fine view of the Sopota Valley, Jatna Forest and Magolnik Ski Center. On a beautiful day, the hills surrounding Croatian capital Zagreb can also be observed. The top of the mountain is marked with a bronze plaque on a stone plinth; a stamp and a sign-in book should be used by all mountaineers.
The marked path of the march leads onward along the ridge and after a while descends to the Skratova dolina (Dwarf Valley). Unless you decide to ascend the Kum Mountain, the highest peak (1.219 m, 1 ½ h from here) of the whole Zasavje Region, you should keep to your right to return to the signpost and Cimerno Village. On the way back the road will lead you past the Kovacek House – the elderly lady of the house lives here alone. You would have to be either extremely unlucky or extremely quick not to meet her and taste the excellent home-made brandy she offers every single passer-by.
Do not stay too long at the Kovacek House as the march officially doesn’t end here - it ends with a typical Slovenian party with music and food, normally goulash, under a traditional corn-rack in the near-by Cimerno Village.
The walk from Zagrad Village over Nebeska gora and back to Cimerno Village should take 3 to 4 hours.
A free bus ride from the railway station to Zagrad Village is organised on the day of the march. Cimerno Village can also be reached from other directions – from Radece through Jelovo Village, from Zidani Most through Skratova dolina or even from Trbovlje over the Kum Mountain.
There is no starting fee!
Find out more about Radece at http://www.ktrc.si
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The traditional Radece Hills Trail walk, organised by the local Radece Alpine Association, takes place two times a year, at the end of the spring and in the midst of the autumn. The route is not quite the same; therefore we recommend you to take part in both the spring and the autumn walk.
Spring trail: The starting point, being also Control Point 1, is in the Zagrad Village in the Sopota Valley. The trail ascends steeply to the picturesque Svibno Village below the Castle Hill and the St. Cross’s Church and then continues past the St. John’s Church in Pristava to the top of the Magolnik Mountain – the trail’s highest point with the Control Point 2. A combination of forest paths and gravel roads then leads mainly through mighty forests to Control Point 3 in Rupa Village and further to the final Control Point 4 in Brunk Village. Then trail finally descends to the Radece Town. The whole trail is 22 kilometres long and should take about 5 hours.
Autumn trail: The starting point of the autumn trail is the small Dobrava Hill just above the city cemetery, where the Control Point 1 is also located. The trail passes the Brunk Village and ascends all the way to the Control Point 2 in Leskovec Village, being also the trail’s highest point. From there, the trail keeps descending to the Control Point 3 in Rupa Village and further to the final Control Point 4 at the famous Gasper’s Chestnut Tree. A chestnut picnic traditionally rounds up the day. The whole trail is 14 kilometres long and should take about 3-4 hours.
Drinks and traditional snacks are available at Control Points 2 and 3. There is no starting fee, transport to the starting point of the spring trail and the finishing point of the autumn trail is provided free of charge.
Additional information, especially precise dates, can by obtained by calling the stated telephone numbers.
Find out more about Radece at http://www.ktrc.si
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The traditional winter trail march to Veliko Kozje takes place every year on the 26th December. The trail is well received among the mountaineers – around 100 of them take part every year.
The starting point is in the Loka pri Zidanem mostu Village. The trail ascends to Lovrenc first, then continues to Veliko Kozje (993 m) and finally steeply descends to Gasperjeva koca, where tea, warm snacks and mulled wine can be bought.
The steep descend can become very demanding in case of harsh winter conditions and requires appropriate winter gear.
There are four control points with stamps at the start, Lovrenc, Veliko Kozje and at Gasperjeva koca. The trail should take 3 to 4 hours in normal conditions.
Find out more about Radece at http://www.ktrc.si
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St. John’s Church is located on a ridge above the Zgornje Pocakovo Village and can be easily reached by using the Svibno – Magolnik Ski Center road. The ridge offers superb views of the village of Svibno and the Castle Hill on its northeastern side and the village of Kladje and the mighty forest of Jatna on its southern side.
A small early-baroque church or a chapel with a wooden church tower, built in 1646, used to stand on its place next to the old-time presbitery in Pristava. It was a place where masses, baptisms and weddings were carried out for more than two centuries, till the spring of 1881, when the chapel was torn down. In the October of the same year the Church of St. John the Evangelist, also simply called The New Church, was already blessed on the same spot.
Looking in the west-east direction, the church is composed of a church tower, a nave and a lower and narrower presbitery with a sacristy on its northern side. The church has a simple architectural structure, its interior is vaulted. The furnishings originate from the 1880’s, except from the baroque organ and the two 17th century angels on the northern wall.
The church was designed by Janez Krstnik Molinero, an architect from Skofja Loka, and built by Vincenc Grein and Janez Gajsek from Vojnik. In 1956 the church was consecrated to become a co-parish church by Anton Vovk, an auxiliary bishop from Ljubljana.
Find out more about Radece at http://www.ktrc.si
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St. Catherine’s Church is situated near the road just above Jelovo, a small hilly village a few kilometres to the west of Radeče. The structure of the church is composed of a rectangular nave with a presbytery built as an extension, a square-planned church tower, which becomes octagonal in the second floor, and a sacristy, built as an extension too, but on the southern side of the church.
The nave and the presbytery are vaulted, while the whole interior is decorated with paintings made in 1924. The remains of frescoes from the late Gothic period can still be observed on the northern wall of the nave. The high altar dates back to the times of baroque style, while the rest of the interior equipment stems from younger periods.
The nave, which has been heightened and vaulted in the 18th century, actually dates from the times of the late Romanesque style, while the presbytery and the church tower have probably been added as extensions in the baroque period.
Find out more about Radece at http://www.ktrc.si
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