5

ica. Velika planina offers weekend huts in the summer, and during the winter, its ski slopes transform it into a tourist centre. Also in winter, Velika planina opens courses of alpine or cross-country skiing and sledding. Sight seeing Velika planina achieves 1660 m in height and has beautiful alpine pastures and grassy meadows. It is still the largest pasture in Slovenia, despite decreasing shepherds and cowherds. Centuries of tradition established the shepherd huts grouped into settlements of chalets at Velika planina, Mala planina, Gojska planina, Tiha dolina and Konjscica. These wooden huts or chalets with ovoid roofs stretching to the ground are ancient and unique to this region. They are among the best preserved original herdsmen settlements in Europe. These rearranged huts are available for weekend rentals. Also of note are Marija Snezna Chapel, herd settlements at the Preskar and the Church of St. Primoz-all offering a panorama onto the countryside. The Church of St. Primoz was once a popular pilgrim destination and its interior is rich with wonderful frescoes from the 1504. Hiking and cycling Velika planina suits both active and more leisurely pursuits. The summer and fall are the best seasons to see this area. A cableway leads visitors up to the plateau. Once there, walking paths and chair lifts allow the journeyers to go further. History enthusiasts will want to see the colonies of herders' huts. For those hikers with good stamina and in good physical condition, Velika planina offers three different hiking trails. The first is located in the village of Stahovica, passing the church of St. Primoz to Mala planina and into Velika planina. The second path begins opposite the lower cableway station leading pass the King's Hill and the mountain pasture Dol where it divides to Velika planina. The third starting point is located in Krivcevo, on the way to the village of Crnivec. Marked mountaineering footpaths suitable for longer hikes lead from the valley to the mountain pasture. For mountain bikers there are nicely kept and marked tracks, suitable for family cycling. The starting point is in the region of Zeleni Rob following the marked route which goes down via Tiha Dolina and Kranjski Rak. On Crnivec (902 m), there are two options: either the road into the valley of Kamniska Bistrica, or the one into Tuhinjska dolina, finishing in the Snovik health resort. The other marked route starting from the lower cableway station to the Korosice valley is suitable for more demanding cyclists.