Štrekna Railway Tunnel

The Štrekna is a cycling and walking route that follows the line of a former railway across the hills of Koroška, in northern Slovenia, and the tunnels of the old line are its most memorable feature. The railway linked Velenje with Dravograd, running through Mislinja and Slovenj Gradec, and was opened at the end of the nineteenth century, a time when the Habsburg state was building rail connections across its mountain provinces. Building it meant tunnelling through ridges and bridging deep valleys, and thousands of workers took part, using hand tools and explosives. The line carried passengers and goods for decades and was closed in the second half of the twentieth century, leaving a graded, gently sloping track bed that has been turned into one of the most popular cycle paths in the country.

Riding the Štrekna is a pleasant and easy experience. The surface is smooth and the gradient is gentle, since railways cannot climb steeply, and the route is separated from road traffic, which makes it suitable for families, older cyclists and casual riders. It passes through several tunnels, where the air is cool and the sound echoes, and across a number of bridges and viaducts that give views over the valleys. Lights are recommended in the longer tunnels, and a jacket is useful, as the temperature inside is lower than outside. One of the best-known stretches passes the gorge known as Huda Luknja, or Wicked Hole, a narrow and wild section where the railway builders faced their toughest task.

The route passes through varied landscape: forests on the slopes of Pohorje, meadows in the Mislinja valley, and views of Uršlja gora, the mountain that carries what is often called the highest church in Slovenia. Rest areas with benches and information boards are placed along the way, and the towns of Mislinja and Slovenj Gradec offer cafes and shops. Slovenj Gradec has a well-preserved historic centre and a tradition of art and culture, and it is a pleasant place to stop. The ride can be done in sections, using local buses or trains to return.

The Štrekna is part of a larger network of cycling attractions in Koroška. The Descent near Mislinja on the Štrekna Cycle Path is a favourite stretch, and Park Jamnica and the Single Trail Park Jamnica near Prevalje provide mountain-bike trails, while Underground biking at Mt. Peca takes riders into the old mine. Ribniška Koča is a mountain hut with refreshments, Perger's Honey Heaven sells local honey, the Jezerski Vrh Memorial to Fallen Mountaineers is a quiet place of remembrance and the Karavanke Geopark covers the wider region. Spring to autumn is the best time to ride.