Dolné diery: route, difficulty, parking and practical tips

Dolné diery are the first part of the gorges you see and also the most overlooked. Most people just hurry down through them at the end of the small loop. Yet on their own they make an excellent walk for families with young children, for older walkers, or for a short afternoon when there is no time for the full loop.

Where Dolné diery are

They are the lower part of the Dierový potok gorges, between the hamlet of Biely Potok and the Podžiar junction. According to Hotel Diery, the nature trail also runs through them, which makes them the most accessible part of the gorges. The whole gorge system lies in the Rozsutce national nature reserve, so stay on the marked path.

The route at a glance

• Start: the car park in front of Hotel Diery in Biely Potok.
• Finding the way: at junctions follow the signposts for Podžiar.
• Finish: the Podžiar junction.
• Time: about an hour one way.
• Difficulty: easy, with footbridges and steps by the water.

Two ways to walk them

There and back. From Biely Potok walk up through Dolné diery to Podžiar and return the same way. Allow two hours at an easy pace. You can turn round at any point, which is handy with children.

As the end of the small loop. First go up through Nové diery from Ostrvné to Podžiar, then down through Dolné diery. The loop is 5 km and takes two and a half to three hours. It does not work the other way round, because Nové diery is one-way. Times for all the options are compared in How long do Jánošíkove diery take.

Waterfalls

Dolné diery have two waterfalls between 1 and 3.5 m high. If you like them, there are more higher up: four smaller ones in Nové diery, nine falls of 2 to 4 m in Horné diery and two more in Tesná rizňa. All are reached by footbridges right on the waymarked trail.

Difficulty and who can manage

Hotel Diery by the car park rates Dolné diery as easy and suitable for families. Pushchairs cannot get in, but the wooden footbridges and steps are no problem for children in sturdy shoes. It is often wet near the waterfalls, so you need no special gear, just soles that grip. Tips for parents are in Jánošíkove diery with children.

With a dog: Hotel Diery says dogs on a lead are allowed in Dolné and Nové diery. Hiking portals advise against taking a dog into the gorges because of the many ladders, so if you do bring one, Dolné diery are the most suitable part.

Parking and getting there

The nearest option is the paid car park in front of Hotel Diery, which fills up quickly at weekends in season. The bus from Žilina stops at Terchová, Biely Potok h. Diery right by the entrance. Other options, including starting from Štefanová, are covered in Jánošíkove diery: where to park.

When to go

• Summer: the busiest time, so an early start is a safe bet.
• Autumn: quiet and colourful, but slippery footbridges. More in Jánošíkove diery in autumn.
• Winter: Hotel Diery says entry is free all year, but paths are often icy, so bring microspikes and poles.
• After heavy rain: the stream rises and the footbridges are wet; better to wait a day.

From Chata Ranto

The car park in Biely Potok is just under five kilometres from Chata Ranto in Nižné Kamence, ten minutes by car. You can even fit Dolné diery in on the day you arrive, before anyone feels like unpacking.