Mountain Biking in Slovenia

Julian Alps - Gorenjska and Soca Valley, South, Central and North East

By Rob Houghton

ISBN

9781852848088

Availability

Published

3 Mar 2017

Edition

First

Pages

208

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.20cm

Weight

230g

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Guidebook to 35 full-day and half-day mountain biking routes in Slovenia. The routes, which are graded, range from 12 to 59km, taking in Gorenjska, Soca Valley, the South, as well as Central and North East Slovenia. Includes a Slovenian glossary plus all you need to know about getting there, getting about, bikes, equipment and accommodation.

Seasons

most of the routes can be tackled from Spring to Autumn; a few in the more clement south could be tackled in Winter

Centres

Bled and Bohinj; Bovec, Kobarid and Tolmin; Ajdovščina; Postojna; Kamnik; Maribor; Doljenske Toplice

Difficulty

vast majority of routes technically require only a reasonable amount of competence to complete; however, they often require a good level of fitness as most will include a climb that can go from stiff to brutal; there are also rides included that anyone should be able to complete and a few with a higher technical grade

Must See

Lakes Bled and Bohinj; the high Alpine pastures of the Julian Alps; beautiful River Soča; caves of the limestone Karst; Predjama Grad - the castle in a cave; vineyards of the South and East; historical sites from both world wars

ISBN

9781852848088

Availability

Published

3 Mar 2017

Edition

First

Pages

208

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.20cm

Weight

230g

Overview

Guidebook to 35 full and half day mountain biking routes in Slovenia. The graded routes, which range from technically not difficult but requiring a reasonable level of fitness to highly technical, requiring a high level of fitness and confident bike handling skills, vary in length from 12km to 59km. Routes are located in Gorenjska, Soca Valley, the South, as well as Central and North Eastern Slovenia.

Full route descriptions are accompanied by gradient profiles and 1:75,000 mapping, together with practical information such as getting to and around Slovenia, travelling with the bike, arranging accommodation and dealing with emergency situations. A handy Slovenian language glossary is also included.

Showcasing a remarkably diverse landscape, Slovenia is an idyllic mountain biking destination. From the towering peaks of Gorenjska and the stunning riverside trails of the Soca Valley to the tremendous limestone caves of the Karst region and the forests of the Nanos plateau in the country's south, there is endless opportunity for tough climbs, long descents and technical trails - as well as slow, scenic trips lakeside and through vineyard-laced landscapes - making it a perfect travel destination for the avid mountain biker.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Emergencies

Map key

Overview map

Route summary table

Introduction

Getting there

Getting around

When to go

Accommodation

Food and drink

Language

Money

Equipment

Waymarking

Maps

Emergency situations

Using this guide

Gorenjska

Route 1 The high alpine at Uskovnica

Route 2 In the foothills of Črna Prst

Route 3 Across the Jelovica Plateau

Route 4 To the Crone’s Tooth

Route 5 Grahovše circular

Route 6 Lake Zgornje

Route 7 Peč and the three borders

Route 8 Kranjska Gora circular

The Soča Valley

Route 9 Kobarid and the River Soča

Route 10 Stol epic

Route 11 Kobarid and the River Nadiža

Route 12 Stol and the long descent

Route 13 Planina Razor

Route 14 Most na Soči Široko

Route 15 The war memorial at Trnovo

Route 16 The dark forests of Trnovo

The South

Route 17 The industrial heritage of Črni Vrh

Route 18 Javornik

Route 19 The Wine Region of Kras

Route 20 Komen and its surrounds

Route 21 Postojna classic

Route 22 Lake Cerkno and the caves of Rakov Škocja

Route 23 Lake Cerknica circular

Route 24 Dolenjske Toplice and the Partisans’ forest

Route 25 Dolenjske Toplice and Soteska

Central and North-East

Route 26 Velika Planina

Route 27 Menina Planina

Route 28 Jesenovo and Krvavica

Route 29 The churches of Čreta

Route 30 The nature reserve of Pohorje

Route 31 Maribor and its surroundings

Route 32 The Maribor downhill park

Route 33 The Najevnik Linden Tree

Route 34 The three valleys route

Route 35 Peca

Appendices

Appendix A Slovenian language

Appendix B Accommodation

Appendix C Useful information

Maps

Maps

The maps in this book have all been provided by Kartografija and are extracts of their series of 1:75,000 scale maps, reproduced at a scale of 1:50,000 for ease of use. When a map is referenced at the beginning of each route, it is the Kartografija 1:75,000 that is being named. These are the maps I would recommend that you carry, and there are only eight of them to cover the entire country. However, there are also 1:50,000 and 1:25,000 scale maps available from both Kartografija and from Geodetski Zavod Slovenije (the national geological survey). All of these can be bought from Amazon or a specialist map shop such as Stanfords (www.stanfords.co.uk).

In addition, you might want to go paper-free and use your smartphone for additional navigational help. There are a number of apps available for this purpose but, in most cases, you will have to buy the map of Slovenia from the service provider. One example is ViewRanger GPS (iOS and android); the app shows you in real time (on very clear maps) where you are and you can create routes. The whole of Slovenia can be bought at 1:50,000 for US$42.99.

Updates

We do not yet have any updates available for this book

We are always grateful to readers for information about any discrepancies between a guidebook and the facts on the ground. If you would like to send some information to us then please use our contact form. They will be published here following review by the author(s).

Reviews

[The author's] enthusiasm for the activity permeates every one of the 208pp. While there are innumerable spots all around Europe that might be deemed suitable for the cycling community, Slovenia has a particular relevance to mountain bikers, mainly because of its outstanding mix of biking routes, some of which are truly Alpine spectacular.

Having read all about it, now I want to try it personally and this practical guide will accompany me.

Iain Robertson

Mountain Biking in Slovenia retails at £16.95 and you may well come to know a new fact about Slovenia for every penny spent on the book. Furthermore, Rob Houghton has led expeditions on five continents and has been a keen cyclist for a decade, so you will be guided expertly to a different and perhaps more untouched part of Europe.

Ranjit Recommends, B-C-Ing U Magazine

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Rob Houghton

Rob Houghton has been an outdoor instructor, leader and educator for more years than he cares to remember and he has led educational expeditions on five continents. For as long as he can remember, Rob has always been a cyclist and his first bike was a Raleigh Striker back when they had fake suspension forks on the front. He only took up mountain biking ten years ago after a friend first took him around a trail centre in Wales. He was hooked.

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