On this morning we were awoken by birds singing, rivers burbling, horses neighing and sheep bells ringing.
And by the silence.
We opened the window and from the first breath of fresh air, we were enveloped by the smell of the
forest, freedom, inspiration, and excitement.
Two hours later we stood at the start of a half-marathon in Terchová.
We and 400 other runners.
We didn´t know the route.
We didn´t know what awaited us.
The first kilometers beyond Terchová led through an impressing entrance to the valley Vrátna, the canyon
of Tiesňavy, under the bizarre rock formations named The Stony Monk, The Camel, Jánošík´s Bed, The
Crocodile.
We continued to Štefanová, greeted Mount Rozsutec, which returned the bow. The road declined again
back to the Vrátna valley and rose to the Rozsutec Hotel and Vrátna cable car station leading to the
Snilovské sadle.
And then we repeated it.
The yellow fallen leaves showed us the way.
And the burbling stream with the small waterfalls.
And the curving Rebel´s Trail („Zbojnícky chodník“) in the forest above our head, home of the wolf, lynx,
bear.
Until we finally returned to Terchová.
„It wasn´t very demanding, you look fresh“, a young man dressed as Juraj Jánošík told to us and fired into
the air.
If we had to choose and recommend only one region in Slovakia, the number one would be The Malá Fatra
Mountain Range.
We love this region.
Let´s ramble the fairytale gorge, Jánošík´s Holes, using mountain ladders, and steel cables, let´s hike to the
stony siblings, Malý Rozsutec Mountain and Veľký Rozsutec Mountain.
Let´s climb up and down one of the most attractive ridge tour in Slovakia, through rounded Stoh Mountain,
tangles of blueberries and raspberries to the Poludňový Grúň Mountain, through rolling stones to the Chleb
Mountain and to the meadow mountain Veľký Kriváň.
Where the wind steals your breath, and words too.
Where the view is never-ending.
Where your journey could very well turn into a discovery of the treasure found within.
In Paulo Coelho’s novel the “Alchemist” an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago travels from his
homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids.
Let´s hike the Malá Fatra Mountains and discover the same treasure just outside your doors.
