Breakfast at Chata Javorina was ham and eggs. I just pointed at what the people on the table next to me were having. I ate it looking out at the wet weather outside on the mountain top, raindrops on the window, cloud below. Forecasts have been deteriorating. Today was previously predicted as being dry but now has rain until later afternoon.
A mixture of paths and tracks today. Things went well at first crossing a number of nearby peaks in intermittent rain. There were views of clouds below and clouds above.
After the early peaks there were attractive paths lined with wild garlic winding through the trees. Areas of beech trees replaced spruce trees for a while. Beech saplings crowded the path in places, depositing their accumulated water on me as I pushed through. My glasses repeatedly misted up beneath the hood of my rain jacket. Sadly the path lost height, dropping down to 990 metres, after which there were uphill sections to reach the summit of Hnilická Kýčera at 1217 metres. A straight climb might have been acceptable but the trail went over a series of minor summits, up and down repeatedly in a demotivating fashion as I knew each descent meant an extra ascent later on.
I finally reached the top of Hnilická Kýčera, the last of the high mountains today. The effort was not rewarded by a scenic view, I could see little except cloud and mist. Then I faced the challenge of going down. The descent was a wet, slippery, earth track that headed straight down the steep slope. There was no way you could go down it except on your bottom. Instead I kept diverting off the main track onto little paths people had made to manage a more controlled descent. I also trampled down vegetation off the path, breaking fallen branches underfoot, in an effort to achieve a grip, and get down with damaging my knee. Despite these efforts, in places a controlled slide was inevitable, I could see where others had done so from the skid marks. I yearned for the Alpine paths of the GR5 which zig zagged steadily up and down to passes higher than the mountains I have crossed today.
Eventually I reached Sedlo pod Hnilickou Kýčerou (at 1027 metres), a saddle where the E3 switches from the red waymarked path, heading south-west towards yet more high summits, to a green path going north-west to reach the E3 connection with the Czech Republic. A bell hung at the junction for some reason.
At first the green waymarked track descended quickly, albeit with a few bends rather than straight down. It then settled into a good track at a reasonable gradient followed by a low gradient tarmac road. After the stresses of the ridge path it felt wonderful to walk on the even surface of the road allowing my knee to relax a little. As if to agree the rain stopped and there were brief periods of sunshine, although the mountain tops were probably still wrapped in cloud. Several cyclists passed me first going up and later returning on the way down. Each side of the road, hugely tall spruce trees stretched up the steep valley sides. In a wetter area dark purple dusky crane's bill, mingled with chervil and gunnera.
Leaving the woodland it was a final push to get to Rajec in time for a coffee and cake. I had the cukráreň marked on my GPS but when I arrived at the location it looked like a house typical of the area, with what looked like a garage door on one side, a door of the type that normally leads to an area behind the house. Closer examination revealed a sign with the coffee shop openning times. Being within these I openned the door within the larger door, and beyond I found an entrance to the coffee shop. The strawberry cheesecake and expresso lungo was worth the effort.
Afterwards I went to the accommodation I had booked. A single storey house, one room wide, also entered via a door in what looked like a garage door. Furnished with old pieces of furniture, faded photographs and interesting paintings, the owner helpfully spoke English.
After a bath (there was no shower) I went to a restaurant in the main square. Eating on the terrace outside I watched kids cycle and skate around the square. There was a "beach" volleyball court in the centre where youngsters were messing around without actually having a proper game.
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