One of the mountains close to me, Uršlja gora, was bathed in a pleasant light every day and drew my attention to itself, like a call inviting me to visit it again. I put on my sports clothes, put on my hiking boots and drove to the car park at Naravské Lediny, where I started my ascent of the Koroška beauty, which stretches between Slovenj Gradec and Črna na Koroškem.
As the path slowly climbed, I thought about how pleasant the atmosphere is in the mountains. It is a good way to refresh the body and mind, so it is no wonder that time seems to stand still there. Even if the journey itself can be a bit tiring, it is usually the views at the top that make all the effort worthwhile.
If you are lucky enough to find a mountain hut at the top of the mountain, you can also reward yourself with a tasty snack and a hot drink. I was eagerly awaiting the latter on Uršlja Gora, as it is famous for the delicious cuisine offered in the lodge, which is also home to the highest church in Slovenia.
When I got to the top, I first rested and enjoyed the pleasant view, and then I went to the mountain lodge, where I usually meet some interesting people to chat with, and the news came to my ear that the lodge was being renovated this year.
In 2022, Nejc Juvan and Anja Mustar became the caretakers of the hut, and they are passionate about keeping the Uršlji Gora home alive with a special energy. This winter, the team decided to go one step further and started renovating the old part of the hut, which has not been used for the last 30 years.
The renovation included the purchase of new beds and mattresses, as the old ones were worn out. A local craftsman decided to make the beds out of local wood (black pine), but of course you have to pay for unique furniture, and €300 for one bed was no small sum.
The home's trustees decided to ask people if they would be willing to contribute to making the beds. I was pleasantly surprised to see that several donors responded to the social media post. Jani Prednik, Barbara Tretjak, Rok Spanžel, Mirjam Vox, Tadej Vasiljevic, Janez Tamše, Petra and Darko Papotnik, Plenilec, Mojca Vijavž, Medikem, Martin Rožej, KKŠ, Branko Plestenjak, Matevž Kaspar, Romana Lesjak, PUNKT, bistro and café, Milan Rebernik, Knuplež, Dren Pharmacy and Martina Lamut.
As I headed back to the valley, I thought about how much we can achieve together in a relatively short time. The rooms, including showers and toilets, have also been given a facelift thanks to the hard work of the entire team, which will delight hikers who may want to extend their mountain trip by a day and experience the charm of Uršlje Gora at night.
Mateja Sekavčnik
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