In the past, there was a forest railway between Selcom and Trenčín, which was used to weigh wood from the Považský Inovec mountains.

Its operation began during the First World War, but ended after a few years. Although this interesting technical project is now a thing of the past, the original railway route is still popular. In the forests of the Trenčín region, it is copied by a road that is popular for cyclists, tourists and, in winter, cross-country skiers.

In Soblahov, you can connect to the former forest line near the lookout tower, the construction of which was initiated by the local resident Miroslav Mrázik. "In Soblahov, this road serves as an oxygen pathway. People cycle here, there is really good hiking and the route itself is not difficult. In addition, there are beautiful views of Trenčín and its surroundings, "he describes.

The route of the forest railway attracts mainly people from the Trenčín region, but more and more it is becoming known to tourist enthusiasts from other parts of Slovakia. According to Miroslav Mrázik, its attendance increased extraordinarily, especially during the pandemic, and it remained during the summer months. "When people could go to the mountains, they went to shopping malls. And when they were locked up for their crowns, they suddenly started going to the mountains, "he states, especially during the weekends, tourists go to a larger number of places where wagons loaded with wood were used a hundred years ago.

The former narrow-gauge railway measured almost 40 kilometers. It started over the village of Selec, continued over Trenčianske Stankovce, Trenčianske Turňa, Mníchov Lehota, Soblahov and ended in Trenčín in the area of the former sawmill in Kubrej. Timber was also transported from the forests of Považský Inovec due to gravity, as the slope of the track was calculated so that the wagons themselves descended from the hills.

photo: juce.sk