Make Things Happen!

I think my man will never forget this run. Not because of the hot weather, not because of castle Muráň, but because of nearly 2 meters high nettle in Martin’s valley on educational trail Voniaca 🙂

A yellow-marked trail led us to the mouth of Martin’s valley. The valley is almost completely covered with forests and when we were there unfortunately with nettle. A lot of nettle. A lot…

The valley is flanked on the sides by high, sometimes almost vertical, rocky slopes and the cliffs of Strelnica and Šarkanica. It is 3.4km long with ascent of 520 metres, the hiking trail leads to a small mountain meadow with a view rock cliff.

Then we run to Well on muránska planina, to Poludnica and then to Muráň castle.

Poludnica nature viewpoint is a spectacular rock cliff and the sime time natural reserve that stretches below it. This cliff stands out of the dense forest near the former Marketiná mine. This is the most impressive viewpoint in the NP Muránska planina.

The Muráň Castle, one of the highest situated castles of Slovakia, was built as the royal sentry castle on top of the Cigánka cliff at the height of 935 m in the 13th century.

The castle thrived in time when it was owned by Maria Széchy, famous for her beauty. She was often referred to as the Venus of Muráň. The castle was then luxuriously restored and it became the meeting place of the nobility. Beautiful and bold Mária even defended the Castle against King Leopold I in 1666 but could not resist its occupation in 1670.

The Castle burnt in 1702 and was renovated only partially.

The Muráň Castle is now in ruins – only the entrance gate and tower survive. The complex occupies the area of 360×96 m. Its Gothic palace, fragments of walls and several service buildings are traceable.

The Tribeč mountain range is 50 km (31 mi) in length and about 18 km (11 mi) in width, which places it as the 50th largest series of mountains in Slovakia.

Since the popular Slovak bestseller book Trhlina and its follow-up film adaptation with the same name (The Rift), Tribeč became associated with conspiracies. Some are calling it the Bermuda Triangle of Slovakia.

The history of these strange disappearances dates back to the 18th and 19th century, when the first known legend was written.

But we didn’t go there because of legends, we just like to visit new places.

Black castle is a ruin from 13th century, in Tribec mountains, 573m above sea level near village Zlatno. In the past the the castle did not guard any important medieval communication and probably was built to defend the gold deposits in the surrounding streams.

Ruins of the Hrušov Castle are towering on top of the Skalka Mt. at the height of 488 m.

This royal castle built in the 13th century guarded the trade road passing over the mountain range Tribeč. It was destroyed by the Imperial army in 1708 and is in decay since then. However, its surviving walls induce a romantic atmosphere and provide a nice panoramic view of the Tribeč and Pohronský Inovec Mts.