Did you know that charcoal is cooked? An experienced guide will teach you all about making charcoal piles and the centuries old tradition of charcoal burning in the area.
Itinerary:
- Hike along the marked Charcoal Trail, which starts at the hunting lodge in Kal, leads through the forest and meadows past the charcoal piles and homesteads;
- Visit the Brinovec Charcoal Burner Homestead or a different charcoal homestead;
- Descent to the Ben waterfall, where you can refresh yourself with clear water;
- By prior arrangement, lunch or dinner at the Pr ‘Krjan Tourist Farm, located at a beautiful vantage point;
- Visit a handicraft workshop and learn about woodworking.
The hike start at the hunting lodge in Kal and follows the Charcoal Trail. Spend the beginning of the day in the embrace of the forest and flowering meadows, surrounded by the characteristic smell of smoke from the coal mines and the friendly locals. You will learn why wood is so important to these places and how it is processed into charcoal.
At the Brinovec Charcoal Burner Homestead, get to know the charcoal burner profession and the activity of charcoal cooking, in which the whole family is able to participate. Try your hand at assembling a charcoal pile and drawing with charcoal on paper. A housewife will serve house delicacies and the brick oven will bring about the smell of delicious black charcoal bread.
While walking through the varied karst landscape with many ravines and mighty forests, enjoy the fresh air and the smell of pine trees. The guide will take you to the Ben waterfall, where you will be able to refresh yourself with clear water.
Taste local delicacies, fresh from the brick oven at the Pr ‘Krjan Tourist Farm and enjoy beautiful views on all sides of the sky – the Alps, the Posavje hills and the Dolenjska hills.
In the Charcoal Land, wood is used not only for cooking charcoal, it is also shaped into unique wooden products. At the end, visit a local artisan and bring home a special wooden souvenir.
When to visit: Spring – Fall, Brinovec Charcoal Burner Homestead and Pr’ Krjan Tourism Farm are opened on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays
Distance from Ljubljana: 70 km
Distance from Litija: 26 km
Starting/finishing point: hunting lodge in Kal (N 46°03’56”, E 15°01’59”)
Number of participants: minimum of 10
Duration: whole-day trip (10 hours)
Foreign language: English
Length: 12,5 km
Route difficulty: the route is more demanding and is suitable for active recreationists
Recommendations: comfortable hiking shoes, trekking poles
Price per person: 138.00 EUR (2-4 persons), 84.00 EUR (5-8 persons), 68.00 EUR (9-20 persons) the price differs according to the number of excursionistst
The price includes: guidance and the organization of the programme, an organized tour of the Charcoal Trail, visit of the Brinovec Charcoal Burner Homestead, warm lunch at the Pr’ Krjan, a tour of the production of the wooden products and, a souvenir.
Along the way, visit:
- Valvasors hunting lodge in Zavrhu, a cultural monument from the time of nobles;
- Butchers shop Vresk v Berinjeku, where you can buy dry-cured meats;
- Musical Instruments Museum in Dole pri Litiji.
In the vicinity, visit:
- Sitarjevec mine with the fastest growing stalactites in the world and a great mineral and ore wealth (27 km);
- City Museum Litijawith all the information on the history of Litija (26 km);
- Adventure Park Geoss in Spodnja Slivna, with 7 climbing routes and one of the longest ziplines in Slovenia (14 km);
- Geometric Centre of Slovenia in Spodnja Slivna with a monument and symbols of Slovenes (38 km).
Information: TIC Litija, Valvazorjev trg 10, 1270 Litija, E: info@visitlitija.si, T: +386 59 940 503, M: +386 70 700 484, FB: Visit Litija
