Today is the third day of my four-day hiking trip.

I leave at a decent hour, the sun is already up, and I had a regular breakfast in the inn where I was staying. The weather forecast for today reported dry and cloudless weather. It turns out to be correct. The autumn sun makes long shadows, and it gives a warm glow to the trees that are changing their colours. I leave Cicmany using the road that I had inspected yesterday. Behind the hill Javorinka, that is well visibile from the village, the Trail goes east, following the main ridge of the hills at approx. 900 meters altitude. After two hours I arrive at the Fackovske Sedlo, after a steep decent along the skilifts. The Trail crosses here the regular road, that crosses the hill after some steep climbing. There is a small restaurant, where I get a refresment and give my feet a break. After two days I have already some blisters, and sitting down for some 20 minutes is a big relief. It’s not busy in the restaurant, mainly truck drivers. After the break I continue my way, eastbound. The Trail remains more or less at the same altitude for a while and it is easy to keep a steady pace. After the hill Baran the Trail changes its direction to the south. The sections on the map that are drawn to be forrests are not all that bad; the trees are very low, allowing me to catch some sunlight, or the trees are widely spread.

Mala Fatra hills

During the next kilometers my pace is getting slower, as I can see on the map where the estimated time per section is given. The weather is very comforting and my feet are hurting, so I make sure I continue without disruptions. The Trail crosses the regular road at the Vysehradske Sedlo, west of the village of Jasenovo. The last kilometer to the Sedlo leads through a meadow, where I am confused by the different signs that I see here and there. The Sedlo itself is visible behind a gentle hill, due to the big antenne installation that is situated there. I take the direct path and arrive at approximately 4.00pm at the pass.

It is very busy with big trucks driving in both directions. The road is not wide and when it was designed nobody included a pedestrian in the plan. I go left, to Jasenovo, which is only some 20 minutes. At home I had prepared some bus time tables, including the one from jasenovo to Turcianske Teplice, the nearest small city. At 5.00pm the bus pickes me up, exactly according to schedule. By that time the sun has disappeared behind the hills, and it has turned cold outside. After some 20 minutes it drops me in Turcianske Teplice. On the map it shows as a mid-sized (Slovakian) city and I am apalled by the lack of infrastructural design. The railway station is at the end of a shabby street where here and there some houses are situated, between unused land. Walking towards the rest of the city there is more unused land, also next to some supermarkets, or busy roads. Also the central busstation is situated in the middle of a residential area. It is almost dark when I arrive there. I find myself a small hotel near the busstation and have dinner in the pizzeria next door.