A trail through the Ľupčianska Valley to a mining town and a recreational town.

Start and destination: Partizánska Ľupča, parking lot at the square
Trail: 19 km (+ 19 km back)
Marking: red, green bike trail
Surface: asphalt road
Difficulty level: a mildly rising path through a valley, the final section is a steeper rise to villages
Safety: Traffic in the valley consists mainly of personal cars of the visitors, hikers and local inhabitants.

Trail:
From the centre of Partizánska Ľupča we follow the red-marked bike trail, in between the churches with dominant towers. We pass by a memorial from World War I and get to the local restaurant establishment, which is where the trail running through Ružomberok to Vlkolínec disconnects from our trail. We continue through the town to the beginning of the valley, where there is another trail disconnecting, which leads through Liptovské Kľačany and further to the upper Liptov. At the beginning of the valley, we pass by a sawmill, behind which there is a cross on the left. We continue through the mildly rising valley along the Ľupčianka creek. We pass by gamekeeper’s lodges, cabins, an old stable for farm animals, resting zones with benches and springs, at which we can fill our water bottles. In the village with several houses, on the right, we can notice a memorial of the Slovak National Uprising. We continue to an intersection, where we make a detour along the green-marked trail, through a side valley in the direction to mining town Magurka. Right at the entrance to the valley, there is an informational panel where we can read what is allowed and what is not allowed in the Low Tatras National Park. We continue through the valley along an old asphalt road, which alternates between mildly rising sections and somewhat steeper rising sections. We arrive at an old flood control dam, which is, however, still functional and ready to fulfil its purpose in the event of a flood. We pass by a well with refreshing water. Disconnecting from our trail at gamekeeper’s lodge “Kapustisko” is a yellow-marked bike trail leading to the red bike trail from which we turned away earlier. We continue further and walk past another well, “Pod Klinčekom”. Here we begin our final way up to the mining town of Magurka. At the curve located right below the town, there is another well, “Mária”. We enter the town, where we are welcomed by an old mining church (Chapel of Virgin Mary of Rosary) and a shelter situated next to it. We continue through the town, where we can notice interesting buildings, such as the house of the Ruppeldt family, until we reach Cabin Magurka, which has a restaurant and services we can use. We return back to the Ľupčianska Valley along the same route, and from there we continue uphill to another town. This time, the path through the valley is a somewhat steeper rise, however, after less than three kilometres we arrive in the town of Železné (Železnô). Until recently, this town served as a children’s sanatorium, and today it still continues to serve for recreation and there is a ski lift in operation during winter. After a little rest, we return through the valley descending all the way to Partizánska Ľupča, to the beginning of our trail.

Notes:
– At the beginning of the trail, there is a memorial of the Slovak National Uprising.
– In Partizánska Ľupča, you can find refreshment options and buy groceries at a local supermarket.
– Possibility of resting at the resting points with benches.
– A few metres away from the turn to Magurka, there is a bridge, behind which there is a memorial of the Slovak National Uprising.
– The flood control dam has water only during floods.
– Along the trail, there are springs with potable water.
– The final section of the detour to Magurka offers views of the main ridge of the Low Tatras.
– There are interesting cultural monuments located in the town of Magurka.
– Cabin “Chata Magurka” has an outdoor sitting area.
– There is a mineral spring in the town of Železné.
– The town of Železné has a snack bar, which is open seasonally.
– Both towns have accommodation possibilities.
– If you want to, you can take a turn to the yellow-marked bike trail at “Kapustisko” gamekeeper’s lodge on your way back from the town of Magurka, to avoid returning all the way to the main valley. The yellow trail leads along a woodland path to a place above the town of Železné, from where it is only a short distance to Železné. This trail is a bit more demanding in terms of your physical fitness and the condition of your bicycle, but it is shorter.
– After your return from the trail, it is possible to make a detour along the blue trail in the direction to Ružomberok, which leads to a nearby notch. The “Čertovica“ notch above Partizánska Ľupča offers a lovely view of the surroundings, and situated below the notch in Liptovské Sliače is an important natural site of “Sliač Travertines” with sulphurous mineral water (water with egg-like smell).
– The trail enters in the territory of the Low Tatras National Park, therefore you must observe its rules for the visitors.