Hike! landscapes
Nika and Blaž, the designers of Hike! are both climbers and outdoor people who enjoy discovering hidden places in nature. When we started designing Hike! we thought it would be a cool idea to use the landscape cards to showcase some of the real landscapes of Slovenia, our home country. So we connected with different places and organizations, and asked them to show us a photo for inspiration, and tell us a little about its background. And it has been a pleasure to meet everybody, and hear their stories.
So today, we are kindly inviting you on a little journey through the Hike! landscapes.
Kredarica
Kredarica hut is the highest mountain hut in the Slovenian Alps, located below Mount Triglav and in the immediate vicinity of the largest glacier in Slovenia. Its convenient location makes it a popular and excellent choice for hikers planning multi-day hikes in the Julian Alps.
The team at Hiking Slovenian Alps knows all about the hikes in the area.
Soča Valley
The Soča Valley is paradise for hiking and exploring. Everywhere is heavenly, from the river’s banks up into the green forests, and beyond up to the mountains’ peaks. Experience everything the valley has to offer, from its lowest point in the Tolmin Gorges to the highest-lying beach atop Mt. Kanin. Go with the flow, let the river Soča accompany you.
Cerknica lake
Cerknica lake is Europe's largest intermittent lake. It is located on a karst plain, and it usually has watter 8 months a year and for the rest 4 months, it is dry. The area is home to 276 bird species, 45 mammal species, 125 butterfly species and 15 amphibian species, which makes it truly exceptional from the biodiversity perspective.
Golte
Golte is a high karst plateau in the heart of Savinja valley and a popular destination for outdoor activities. From skiing and snowboarding in winter, to hiking, (e)-biking, climbing, zip-lining and supping in the summer. They also organise Bushcraft – a unique course about surviving in wilderness. Check it out here.
Okrešelj
This is the view of the mountains above Okrešelj, the most beautiful Slovene glacial cirque. It's location above the Logar valley and the relative short approach make it a popular hiking spot. In 2019, the mountain hut on Okrešelj burned to the ground in a wildfire, and Planinsko društvo Celje Matica is currently undertaking a huge project of building a new, modern and eco-efficient hut in the harsh alpine environment.
Zasavje
The Sava river was an important transportation route in Celtic and Roman times. Near Hrastnik, the hometown of SnowBoardGames, the waters were especially treacherous, and 20 – 30 pairs of oxen were used to pull the rafts upstream over the river rapids. The path they used was carved into the rock, and can still be seen today.
Zelenica
Aerial view of Zelenica, a popular ski-touring area. And for all of the mountain bike enthusiasts that want to confront winter under their own terms, one of the spots where you can test Hillstrike Snowtrike. It is a high-end snowtrike developed by a passionate Slovenian team of extreme athletes and engineers.
Pokljuka
The high karst plateau Pokljuka is of glacial origin and is the largest forest area in the Triglav National Park. It is covered mostly by spruce forest, which stretches from 1,000 to 1,500 m above sea level. Today it is known for world biathlon competitions. You can find more information about it here.
Mojstrana
Mojstrana is a village at the foot of the Julian Alps and a gateway to Triglav, Slovenia's highest mountain. It is also the home of Slovenian Alpine Museum, the world’s first gamified museum, where you can experience the past and present of Slovene mountaineering, take a VR zip-line from the top of Triglav, or escape to a legendary bivouac to find shelter from the storm.
The new landscape illustration
Now you are probably curious what the new illustration will look like! We talked to a team from a tourist center in Ravne in Carinthia region, and we were looking through all of the amazing photos we could use. And Nika mentioned 'I really wish we could add a photo in the pink palette to Hike!' And they answered: 'Well, why didn't you say so?'
So here it is, the new landscape illustration in gorgeous pink sunset colours:
Uršlja gora
Uršlja gora, also known as Plešivec is a 1699 m high mountain in Carinthia region and the eastern-most peak in Karavanke mountain range. It is named by the church of st. Uršula, the highest lying church in Slovenia, located just below the mountain top. It is the most popular mountain in Carinthia, and it offers spectacular views of the surrounding area. Along with the highest lying church, Uršlja gora is also the home of Slovenia's highest lying apiary.