1. TIP - VTÁČNIK HILL
Every visitor of the Kľak valley should climb the Vtáčnik hill! Although the hike is difficult, it is the highest peak of the Vtáčnik mountains, and will win your heart by the beauty of its nature. Don't skip the Monastery Rock ("Kláštorská skala"). The shortest trail starts and ends in the Kľak village, where you can also stay overnight in the accommodation in the Cultural House. You will go past the tourist lodge "Partizánska chata", with the Škurátka forest shaped as a five-pointed star planted as tribute to the memory of partisans.
2. TIP - CYCLING TIPS
The picturesque villages of the Kľak Valley are intertwined by cycling paths, and if you are a mountain biking enthusiast, you will definitely look to come back, because you will feel like one weekend is not enough. And there is much more. You will fall in love with the meadows and forest paths with views of the surrounding landscape in the dispersed "Stähle Dorfs" settlements, where you are unlikely to meet many people. Start with the undemanding trail through the "Pokútska dolina" valley, across the Pokútsky bridge, until you reach the Pokúty waterfall.
3. TIP - PEKNÝ LES (NICE FOREST) IN HORNÉ HÁMRE
Looking for places to visit with children in the Kľak valley? Make sure to visit the ecocomplex "Pekný les" (Nice Forest), where the pixie Hámroš is ready to entertain the children, they can meet the animals and bees, and have snacks at the buffet. If you wish to book a stay for your children only, the ecocomplex owner, STEFANI, n.o., offers summer camps for kids. Don't be intimidated by the easy walk on the educational trail to the Smelý vrch photopoint (on the eponymous hill), or to the Calvary looming above the "Pekný les" (Nice Forest) complex.
4. TIP - MEMORIAL ROOMS AND MONUMENTS TO THE SLOVAK NATIONAL UPRISING
Six years of World War II, and the Slovak National Uprising, significantly impacted peaceful pre-war life in the Kľak valley. The Slovak National Uprising mostly marked the destiny of the Ostrý Grúň and Kľak municipalities, the sites of one of the worst war crimes committed against civilians. The events entered the history books as "Bloody Sunday 1945", and are commemorated by memorial rooms in both villages and monuments of remembrance. There are three memorials in the village of Horné Hámre: the Memorial of the Slovak National Uprising in Brod (a borough in Horné Hámre), another by the main road, and the third memorial is in the cemetery. Another monument, a statue of a partisan in Žarnovica, stands on the venue of a meeting of illegal workers of the Nová Baňa district convened in 1940.
5. TIP - HIKING TRIP TO EXPLORE STAHL VILLAGES
Stahl villages is the local name used to refer to dispersed mountainous settlements. Dispersed settlements characterised by quaint villages and picturesque landscapes define the region comprised of villages between "Píla" and "Horné Hámre". Stahl villages can be explored individually or in organized tours, walking or cycling. Don't miss out on guided hikes "From Stahl to Stahl" in the peak season. Zuzana Gašparová, a local guide from Stahl village "Píla", will lead you through rarely visited trails. More information about dates and guided tours are available on website www.zahoramizadolami.sk.
