48327. To the north of the village Grahovo, just slightly to the west, below the mountain, near this chapel, the trail to the saddle between Velika Slivnica and Medvednica begins.
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48327. To the north of the village Grahovo, just slightly to the west, below the mountain, near this chapel, the trail to the saddle between Velika Slivnica and Medvednica begins.
48328. The chapel was erected in 1781, renovated in 1939, and evidently also at some recent date.
48326. Yet the best trail uphill is not the one extensively signposted at the crossroads just west of the chapel, which is also marked by blazes of white in red circle on trees, but the unmarked old trail which forks off the road 40 steps to the east of the chapel; it is shown here. This trail is gentle, made for easy walk, while the official, marked route is in places very steep and slippery. It was obviously tracked so that it would pass the ruins of the church of sv. Miklavž / St. Nicholas, just below the saddle. Yet, if you take the old trail and would also like to visit the ruin, it is only a 5 minute detour from the saddle, well marked.
48305. The author last took this route over 50 years ago, very likely in June or July of 1964. It was during his time in Grahovo, helping Irene and Thomas Winner during their sabbatical year, targeted at writing a book on the nearby village Žerovnica (published in 1971). So we followed the widest route, forest tracks dug into the hillside with heavy machinery, one is depicted here. They end about two thirds of the ascent, and the rest is the official, marked trail, in places overgrown and very steep.
48306. Just below the saddle (where the road to Slivnica winds) there are the ruins of St. Nicholas church. It was built in the late 15th century, first mentioned in 1526, closed after the reforms of Joseph II in 1789, reopened again soon thereafter but neglected again. During the WWII Italian artillery broke it with several direct hits.
48307. 1665 - inscription above the gate
48308. Floral ornament on the side column
48309. Southern window of the sacristy
48313. The trail to Medvednica passes the house of the Grahovo hunting lodge, with a large open space for outdoor meetings.
48312. Hunting scene on a lake, a painting on the wall of the covered lodge platform
48314. On top of Medvednica there is a large meadow, still in use.
48319. The peak is hidden among these beech trees.
48315. View north, towards Krim and Mokrc hills - left and right on the horizon
48316. View south, across Žerovnica and Lipsenj villages, to Snežnik, 1796 m
48317. View southwest, to Cerkniško jezero plain
48318. View west, to Velika Slivnica, 1114 m
48322. The forest track winds gently down the NW slope of Medvednica ...
48323. ... and soon reaches the saddle, here seen against the late afternoon sun.
48325. Willow gentian, Gentiana asclepiadea, svečnik in Slovenian
Related posts:
Mala Karlovica Cave, September 16
Višarje and Pokljuka, September 19
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