Velika Planina | Planina Dol

North of the medieval trading town of Kamnik (German: Stein in Oberkrain), a mountain area called Velika planina, which means something like large alpine pasture, rises on the border with Austria. The highest elevation is Mount Gradišče at 1,667 meters. Even in the stone Age, Velika planina was used as a pasture by shepherds, and not much has changed to this day: cows graze on the alpine meadows, and cheese is made and sold in the villages and farms.

One of these high alpine pastures is called Planina dol and can be reached via a gravel road. The start of this off-road fun is at the Volovijek Pass on road no. 924 between Kalise and Podvolovjek. From the first meter, the wheels roll over fine gravel, the path is wide and in good condition. Now and then you bump over fine transverse gullies, otherwise the route is not difficult.

You will soon be at the Rakove Ravni fork, where you have two options: the first leads to Planina dol, the second to the Dom na Kisovcu mountain hut. Since both detours are absolutely worthwhile in terms of driving and scenery, the approach is clear: first up to the mountain hut, then up to the highlight Planina dol.

Turning left, the route first leads through deciduous and coniferous forest, then crosses a few clearings to reach the Dom na Kisovcu mountain hut at an altitude of 1,243 meters. It is located in a small clearing and offers food and drink as well as overnight accommodation.
Back at the fork, keep right and drive uphill on wide, fine gravel. There is little forest, but wonderful views of the valley and the opposite mountain slopes. After about five kilometers, the path reaches the Planina dol plateau. It turns out to be an idyll that couldn't be better portrayed in a local film: romantic farms and mountain huts are everywhere, free-roaming cows and horses graze on green meadows. The path meanders along pastures for a while until it finally ends in front of a forest.