Veľký Grič

Veľký Grič (German Donnerstein) is a striking, partly rocky mountain 971 m high in the volcanic Vtáčnik range in central Slovakia. It lies at the northern edge of the range, in the Vysoký Vtáčnik part, about 3 km south-west of the town of Handlová. The summit belongs to the Trenčín Region, Prievidza District, and extends into the cadastres of Handlová and the village of Cigeľ. It is the last peak of Vtáčnik above 900 m when counting from south to north: here the main ridge forms a characteristic horn pointing north-east towards Handlová.

The mountain is an elongated dome that clearly dominates the Handlová basin from the south-west. The south-western and western slopes are gentle, the others steep and in places precipitous, and the top is flattened. To the north stands Malý Grič (876 m), to the west Chvojka (836 m), to the south-west Tlstý diel (1014 m) and Biela skala (1135 m), and to the east Vysoká (935 m) and Jazvečia skala (931 m). The slopes belong to the Nitra basin: the eastern and northern ones drain to the Handlovka river, the western ones to tributaries of the Ciglianka stream.

How to get there / routes

• Red trail – the long-distance Ponitrianska magistrála, which follows the entire main ridge of Vtáčnik. From the north it climbs straight from the centre of Handlová; from the south it comes from Vtáčnik via Orlí kameň. The path passes just below the summit, and a short marked spur leads to the top itself and to a nearby viewpoint on the edge of the cliff.
• Yellow trail – from Veľká Lehôtka (coming from Prievidza via the Uhlisko saddle).
• Green trail – from the village of Cigeľ.

The mountain is a popular walk from Handlová and a stop for those walking the whole Vtáčnik ridge.

What you can see from the top

The slopes are covered with mixed forest, but the summit and the cliff edge offer an almost all-round panorama, widest from north through east to south. You can see the Strážov Mountains, Žiar, the Lesser and Greater Fatra, the western end of the Low Tatras, the Kremnica Mountains, Poľana, Javorie and the Štiavnica Mountains, as well as Považský Inovec and other Vtáčnik peaks. Right below lie Handlová and its basin.

Nature and history

The mountain is carved from a thick layer of volcanic andesites. On the eastern and north-eastern slopes just below the summit they come to the surface as a series of mighty rock walls and cliffs almost 900 m long in total, broken up by ribs, pulpits and rock towers. These cliffs are clearly visible from Handlová and make Veľký Grič the landmark of the area. The rock formations are a popular training ground for climbers and boulderers.

Below the summit, on the Handlová side, there are several springs, one of them simply improved.

Safety, season and rules

The mountain can be climbed all year, but take great care near the edge of the cliffs on the eastern side, especially with children, in fog and in winter when the paths ice up. Climb the rocks only with your own gear and experience. Stay on marked trails and take your litter home. Slovak Mountain Rescue Service (HZS): 18 300 (+421 18 300); general emergency number 112.

Interesting facts

• The rock walls of Veľký Grič stretch for almost 900 m.
• The mountain's German name is Donnerstein – "Thunder Stone".
• It is the northernmost Vtáčnik peak above 900 m.

Photos: Branik P, CC BY-SA 3.0; Branik P, CC BY-SA 3.0; Pe3kZA, CC BY-SA 3.0; Stanislav Doronenko, CC BY 3.0 — Wikimedia Commons.