Blate: Natural Features, Hiking and Pottery History

You can plan a trip to Blate around three specific themes: natural features, hiking and pottery history. The designated wetland is called Blate – mokrotne površine; the Pot vodnih virov route also passes through Blate. Pottery was practiced in Blate as part of the craft tradition in the southern Ribniška Valley. You can weigh these themes separately when making your decision.

Natural Features and Water

Blate – mokrotne površine is designated as a natural feature. The name refers to the area's wetlands and represents a landscape connection distinct from hiking and pottery history. For travelers interested in nature, this offers a clear point of interest, while the pottery tradition reveals another side of the place.

The names Rakitnica – izviri and Rakitnica – ponikalnica refer to different water features. Rakitnica – izviri are springs below Velika gora, west of Kot pri Rakitnici; Rakitnica – ponikalnica is a sinking stream on Ribniško polje. Both are designated state natural features. A sinking stream is a watercourse that disappears underground.

The spring Izvir Rakitnice is also designated as a natural feature. It also serves as a water intake and is therefore fenced off. Take the fencing into account when planning your visit.

Hiking

The description of the Pot vodnih virov route, published in December 2020, gives the following sequence: Ugar–Zadolje–Blate–Obrh–Prigorica–Brezje–Ugar. Ugar is therefore both the starting and ending point; Blate lies between Zadolje and Obrh.

A hiking description lists the Ugar car park or, a little farther up, the road junction for the road to Zadolje as possible starting points. The hike is about 12 km long and takes two and a half to three hours, depending on your walking pace. Distance and duration complement each other for planning: the length describes the scope of the hike, while the duration explicitly depends on your pace. Parking and access conditions may change, so check them before setting out.

Pottery Tradition

Blate is one of the villages in the southern part of the Ribniška Valley where pottery was practiced. Janez Vajkard Valvasor first wrote about the pottery-producing area in the southern part of the valley in 1689. His account concerns the pottery-producing area and places the regional craft tradition in its historical context. Blate’s connection to this area presents pottery both as part of the village’s history and as a regional cultural tradition. For your travel plans, this historical context shows that the village’s pottery history is part of a wider valley story.

If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to Blate, these themes can help you decide what kind of trip you want. The hike can be assessed by its approximate distance and duration; the pottery history offers a historical perspective on the place. This lets you compare a specific time commitment with a cultural interest as distinct priorities.

Discover more destinations: Sodražica, Draga, Hrib-Loški Potok, Ribnica, Rigelj Pri Ortneku, Glažuta, Retje

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