Zdravo,
I have already been in Hrastnik for two months and have one new story to share with you. This time it is about hiking. Before coming to Slovenia I read that hiking is a popular way to explore surroundings. As I am new here, I appreciate all help and suggestions from the locals. In regards to hiking, I contacted Planinsko Društvo and became a member of this club. I have already had several trips with them. First time we walked the path along the wire in Ljubljana, which was a nice walk, with a lot of positive energy, laugh and fun.
Last weekend, the 3rd of June, I was invited to join Planinsko Drustvo for a one day trip here in Zasavje. I was not aware of what is waiting for me, but I knew that we will reach Kum, and I definitely wanted to get there one day. So I signed up for that. On Saturday morning, Vojko, Zvonka and Olga waited for me at Tržnica at 6.50, from here we went by car to the starting place in Podkraj. Other people were waiting near Steklarna, in total we were 11 people. We started at 7am. It was a sunny and warm day. We reached Kum in app. 2 hours in between taking short breaks. In this story not so many facts and details can be shared, as I just enjoyed the views of surroundings and just followed the guide. That’s why it is mostly my own reflection of the day.
At the peak of KUM, we had a 30 minutes rest and lunch time. We all brought some food from home, and ordered drinks at the cafe. Of course, a fridge full of cakes caught my eye and so I ate chocolate cake at Kum. It was delicious. I also got a stamp book, and a first stamp in it, which proves my visit of 1219 m Zasavje’s Triglav. Yes, I made it!
The next part of the trip was a little bit more difficult, as we went downhill to Podkum. It was a rocky terrain, so I took my time, while all other members were almost running in front. After some time, I got it, why they were so fast, they looked forward for Gostilna PR ČOP! We got the best welcome ever over there. The staff served traditional smoked salami and bread on the house account. It is a great food after the hike. I have to say we also do love salami in Lithuania. After we took some rest, the owner showed us around as the restaurant’s interior is like a museum, with stuffed animals and other vintage stuff. The woman also explained that all the glasses for drinks are diverse and unique, as many visitors brought those as a gift , and now those are used for setting dinning tables.
After this pleasant break we continued our trip towards Ostrež. We saw horses farms with beautiful horses running freely in the nature. Later I and Irena picked sweet cherries and I have to reveal the owner was not happy about it, an apologize, but it was just a few, not such a big loss. We went further ahead and saw many chapels built across the path.
Finally we went up to the Ostrež. Actually, only 5 of the group accomplished this part, while others decided to take a rest. First we got up to the small church on a hill. Later, we walked up to the highest spot, took some photos, and had to run down, as it started raining. After hiding for a bit from the rain, we went down to the rest of the group, got the stamps confirming our visit and moved ahead to Renke. In total we spent more than 8 hours and made 24 kilometres. In Renke, we enjoyed our final drinks and were picked later by family members, who brought us back to Hrastnik.
At the end, I have to say, that I was the youngest participant in the team. Despite that, all were keeping a nice pace and staying in a good mood, even if a little bit tired at some points. Beyond that, I face the fact here in Hrastnik for older generation it can be hard sometimes to talk in English. This day many tried to talk with me in English, so I had a chance to get to know them better. For example, Irena shared her knowledge about the herbs, which are good for healing, Vojko told me about the route. I can learn a lot about hiking, Hrastnik and Slovenia just by walking together with them. I am looking forward for other trips with these great people!
Justina Šakinskaitė
Zdravo!
Zdaj bo že dva meseca odkar sem v Hrastniku in imam še eno novo zgodbo za vas, tokrat o pohodništvu. Pred prihodom v Slovenijo sem prebrala, da je pohodništvo pri vas priljubljen način raziskovanja okolice. Ker sem tukaj nova, sem stopila v stik s Planinskim društvom Hrastnik in postala članica le tega. Z njimi sem se že udeležila nekaj pohodov. Prvič smo se odpravili na pohod ob žici v Ljubljani, ki je bil lep sprehod, z veliko pozitivne energije, smeha in zabave.
Prejšnji vikend, 3. junija, sem bila povabljena s strani Planinskega društva, da se udeležim enodnevnega izleta tukaj v Zasavju. Čakal me je vzpon na Kum, kamor sem si vsekakor želela priti en dan, zato sem se tudi prijavila za ta pohod. V soboto dopoldne so me Vojko, Zvonka in Olga čakali na tržnici ob 6.50, od koder smo se odpravili z avtom do štartnega mesta v Podkraju, kjer so nas drugi pohodniki že čakali v bližini Steklarne. Skupaj nas je bilo 11. ? Štartali smo ob 7. uri in Kum dosegli v približno dveh urah z vmesnimi kratkimi odmori. V tem mojem članku ni toliko dejstev in podrobnosti, saj sem le uživala v lepotah okolice in sledila skupini.
Na vrhu Kuma smo si privoščili pol ure počitka za malico. S seboj smo imeli nekaj hrane in si naročili pijačo v planinski koči. Nisem mogla mimo hladilnika polnega slaščic, ki so zbadale moje oči, zato sem si privoščila čokoladno torto, ki je bila slastna. V Planinski koči na Kumu sem dobila knjižico za zbiranje žigov in prvi žig v njej, kar dokazuje moj obisk Zasavskega Triglava na 1219 m nadmorske više.
Naslednji del poti, ko smo šli navzdol do Podkuma, je bil zame nekoliko težji. Teren je namreč kamnit, tako da sem počasi hodila, medtem ko so ostali člani skoraj tekli v ospredju. Čez nekaj časa, sem ugotovila zakaj so pospešili, saj so se veselili obiska Gostilne PR ČOP! Za dobrodošlico so nam postregli s tradicionalno prekajeno salamo in kruhom. Odlično se je prilegla po dolgem pohodu. Moram reči, da tudi v Litvi radi jemo prekajene salame. Ko smo se okrepčali nam je lastnik razkazal notranjost restavracije, ki je obdana z nagačenimi živalmi in urejena kot muzej. Gostitelji so nam povedali, da so vsi kozarci v gostilni različni in unikatni, saj so večino prinesli obiskovalci za darilo in jih uporabljajo vsakodnevno pri postrežbi obiskovalcev.
Po prijetnem postanku smo nadaljevali pot proti Ostrežu. Videli smo kmetijo z lepimi konji, ki prosto tečejo v naravi. Kasneje sva z Ireno nabirale češnje in moram povedati da lastnik ni bil ravno zadovoljen, zato se mu opravičujem, vendar je bilo le nekaj češenj, zaradi katerih mislim, da ni imel velike izgube. Odpravili smo se naprej in po poti videli številne kapelice.
Na koncu smo le prišli do Ostreža. Pravzaprav, le 5 članov skupine je doseglo ta del, medtem ko se je ostali del odločil za počitek. Najprej smo prišli do cerkvice na hribu in se kasneje, povzpeli do najvišje točke, kjer smo posneli nekaj fotografij. Nazaj smo tekli saj nas je ujel dež. Za nekaj minutk smo se celo skrili pred ploho in se kasneje pridružili drugemu delu skupine, ki je počival. Požigosali smo kartico v potrditev, da smo tu bili in se odpravili naprej do Renk. V Renkah, smo si privoščili še zadnjo pijačo medtem, ko smo čakali na prevoz do Hrastnika. V celoti smo porabili več kot 8 ur za prehojenih 24 kilometrov.
Za konec moram povedati, da sem bila najmlajša udeleženka v skupini. Kljub temu, smo vsi skupaj držali lep tempo in dobro voljo, četudi smo proti koncu že bili malce utrujeni. Pri tem, sem se soočila z dejstvom, da je tukaj v Hrastniku včasih težko komunicirati v angleščini s starejšo generacijo. Ta dan so vsi pohodniki poskušali govoriti z menoj v angleščini, tako da sem imela priložnost, da jih bolje spoznam. Irena je z menoj delila svoje znanje o zeliščih, ki so dobra za zdravljenje medtem ko mi je Vojko razlagal o poti, ki smo jo ta dan prehodili. Mislim, da se z udeležbo pohodov lahko veliko naučim o pohodništvu, Hrastniku in spoznam Slovenijo. Veselim se že drugih izletov s temi izjemnimi ljudmi!