Medical services
Small towns have a medical centre where GPs and dentists are based, while larger centres have a hospital; specialists are based in Ljubljana. The pharmacy is lekarna in Slovene, and is identified by a green cross. In the lekarna you will need to ask for what you require, rather than helping yourself from the shelf, but pharmacists usually speak at least some English and are very helpful. Basic medical supplies, like painkillers and plasters, are not available in supermarkets.
Hazards
There are few hazards in Slovenia, but one to mention here is the tick. In Slovenia they can carry not only Lyme’s disease, a nasty infectious illness, but also encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain which can be very serious indeed. They thrive in grassy areas and meadows on the edge of forests – fortunately they are less common the higher you go. If you find one attached, use tweezers to pull it out from as close to the skin as possible to make sure you remove the head as well as the body. Pulling from the rear of the tick carries a risk of leaving the head in situ, increasing the possibility of infection. If a rash develops around the site of the bite, consult a doctor.
There are few other biting creatures; mosquitoes are easily kept at bay with insect repellent. Snakes are common in mountain areas of Slovenia, particularly the adder, but there are no deadly ones and they pose little threat to walkers as they usually seek cover as soon as they sense danger.
Fitness
There is no doubt that, with any mountaineering holiday, it pays to get fit before you go. This applies even more in the case of multi-day treks, as there is little or no possibility of recovery before the next day looms, and stiff legs one day can be agony the next. There is no better way to get fit for walking than to walk, but there are many other possibilities, including cycling, gym workouts and jogging.
MOUNTAIN SAFETY
Check the weather forecast before you go
Study the route details beforehand, and make sure you have enough time to safely complete it
Carry enough food and liquid
Leave details of your planned route and expected time of return with a responsible person
Carry first aid equipment
Carry map and compass and know how to use them
Avoid dislodging rocks and stones – people may be below you
If in doubt, do not be afraid to turn back to shelter – but do not forget to tell people who may be expecting you elsewhere
Know the International Distress Signal – six blasts on a whistle (or torch flashes at night); the answer is three signals
In case of accident call the emergency number 112
Check your travel insurance covers what you are planning to do
Do your best to protect the fragile mountain environment
Mountain rescue
In case of an accident call the 112 emergency number; much of the area is covered by mobile phone networks. Unusually for the Alps, mountain rescue is free in Slovenia unless you are shown to have been ill-prepared or unduly negligent, in which case charges can be fearsome. Mountain rescue teams are extremely well organised. There is a network of 17 bases around Slovenia, and a helicopter, with an experienced team on board, is on duty at the airport in Brnik every weekend from June to September. Its response time is 1hr 30min on average. The box shows the signals required when contacting a helicopter pilot from the ground.
The tourist information office in Slovenj Gradec (Walk 23)
Language
Slovene (or Slovenian) is spoken throughout the country; it is a Slavic language related to Croatian, Polish and Russian. An introduction to pronunciation and useful words and phrases are given in Appendix C, but here are some basic terms which will be useful in following this guide and local maps:
dom/koča mountain hut
dolina valley
planina high alp or open area with pasture and herders’ buildings
gostilna/gostiščeeating place, usually offering local, home-cooked food
jezero lake
sedlo saddle/col/pass
vrh summit
pot path or way
slap waterfall
gora mountain
reka river
potok mountain stream
gozd forest
karst/kraslimestone formations (this Slovene word is used to describe limestone landscape the world over)
The Slovenes are the first to admit that their language is complex and difficult to learn, but they are always pleased when a visitor makes an attempt. However, foreign language learning is considered a high priority in Slovenia – it is impossible to get into any university course without passing Matura (the high-school exit exam) in a foreign language – and most Slovenes will speak at least one foreign language, and many speak four or five. English is the most commonly spoken foreign language, especially among the young, followed by German, Italian and Croatian.
The mountain greeting Dober dan is frequently heard in the hills and means simply ‘hello’.
Maps
The walks are almost all covered by three maps:
Kranjska Gora 1:30,000 (Walks 1–4)
Karavanke 1:50,000 (Walks 5–20)
Kamniško-Savinjske Alpe 1:50,000 (Walks 21–22, and part of Walk 23)
Frustratingly, the first half of Walk 23, Uršlja gora, is on a different map, Pohorje 1:50,000. The maps are published by PZS (Planinska zveza Slovenije – the Slovene Alpine Club) except for Kranjska Gora, which is published by LTO Kranjska Gora.
The Karavanke website has free maps of the range which can be printed out: go to www.karavanke.eu/en and click on Be Active. The Eastern part has the full route of Uršlja gora on it.
Note that the sketch maps that accompany the route descriptions in this guide are not intended to be used alone, but to provide orientation to the sheet map.
Waymarking
The usual waymark in Slovenia is a ‘target’ – a red circle with a white centre, and there are occasional red direction arrows. In places close to the border you will also see border waymarks: a green ring around the red and white target, which blends the Slovene waymark with the Austrian one (a green ring with a red centre). The Austrian red/white/red slash may also be seen. Signposts that give the destination and the time it will take are usually accurate for the average walker. It is the responsibility of the local Alpine Club (PD, Planinsko društvo) to maintain the paths and waymarks, and they are usually repainted every few years. Several of the walks follow paths which are not waymarked, and this is mentioned in the route description where appropriate.
Combined Austrian and Slovene waymarking
Equipment