Activities

From Spa Lúčky to Vrchvarta Notch with Children

A trip on bikes, passing below the Great Choč Mountain, to the border between Liptov and Orava.

Start and destination: parking lot at Spa Lúčky
Trail: 5.5 km (+ 5.5 km back)
Marking: red bike trail
Surface: asphalt road
Difficulty level: mildly rising path, steeper rise in the final section
Safety: The trail leads through the town along the local third-class road. In the valley, there is a prohibition of entry for trucks, but there are passing personal cars of the spa visitors taking a shortcut through here on their way from Orava. You should pay increased attention and you should not make this trip with the youngest cyclists, who are not yet able to ride on a road with traffic.   

Trail:
We start the trail at the parking lot at Spa Lúčky, in Lúčky. We pass by the restaurant, the mineral water spring, the pool complex, the sports complex, all the way to the end of the spa premises. At the place with two family houses on the right, there is an old road turning to the right and leading to the woods. Here we can make a detour, which will lead us after a few-minute bike ride past the memorial of the Slovak National Uprising to a boar pen, where we can admire the animals. We continue further up the valley, passing by a soccer field and a seedling house built into the slope by the road. We arrive at an intersection of bike trails, where the yellow-marked bike trail leading to Turík is turning away. Here we can make a stop and look at the local creek with a ford and a cascade. We continue through the valley, passing by a feeder for woodland animals (hay barn) and later by a well with water, located by the road on the right. We cross a bridge and a little bit further, on the left side behind the creek, we should see another hay barn and, a few metres later, after a turn to the cabins, a cross. We exit the woods onto a large meadow area, where we gradually get the views of the surroundings. Finally, we pass by a well with water, discreetly located on the left side below the road. At Vrchvarta notch, where the road starts falling downhill, we end our trail and we return back, following the same route. On the way back to the spa, we can enjoy the downhill ride without pedalling, but we should not forget about the traffic in the valley. After we have returned from the hike, we can use the services in the spa complex.

Notes:
– The trail begins at the premises of Spa Lúčky, where, in addition to bathing, you can also use other services, such as mini golf, tennis or bowling. 
– There is a restaurant at the beginning of the trail.
– There is a mineral spring by the pools with thermal water, we recommend filling in your water bottles with the spring water to bring on the hike. It is refreshing and it will replenish your minerals.
– At the end of the spa complex, we recommend making a short detour to a boar breeding station.  There are adult boars as well as young boars in the pen almost at all times. The station serves for training of hunting dogs, and you can learn something about boars from the educational panel, which is located here.
– Along the trail, you can refill your water bottles at two wells.
– In the final section of the trail, you will get beautiful views of the Great Choč Mountain.
– After your return, you should not forget to visit the majestic Lúčky Waterfall, situated a 5-minute walk from the spa complex, in a park.
– You can purchase a tasteful souvenir or spa wafers to bring home with you from the spa.