The area referred to by the locals as the "Za Akom" consists of an arc that was formed by glaciers, also known as a circque, which lies below the peak of Široka Peč. In the local dialect, an "ak" is a skid trail.
Charcoal was produced here in the past, and people used to transport it down into the valley wearing clogs. Today, due to erosion and landslides, this area can no longer be accessed in the same manner. It can only be accessed via the safe route that runs past the Upper Martuljek waterfall.
It was here that the author Josip Vandot decided to set the dramatic scenes in his 1922 tale "Kekec on the Wolf Trail". This is also where Rožle used to keep his sheep and goats and where the "wild" lady Pehta allegedly took his blind sister Mojca. She was eventually rescued by Kekec, who was also later caught by Pehta. However, he managed to trick her and get the healing drops made from a magical herb that restored Mojca's eyesight.
Kekec, a cheerful and engaging 10 year old shepherd boy who wanders through mountain plateaux and valleys with a hobnailed stick, an Alpine hat and a haversack, traversing the edges of abysses and chasms, is regarded as one of the most popular heroes of Slovene children's literature. His courage and resourcefulness help him escape from the hands of evil poachers, wild men and women, and even manage to save a friend or two along the way, with the help of his loyal dog. Kekec is an inspiring children's character. The author Vandot constantly emphasises Kekec's cheerfulness, courage and boldness in these stories. Kekec personifies a sense of joy, an absence of any kind of fear, either of authority or natural phenomena, compassion towards the poor and the sick and a fundamental warm-heartedness.
Like all fictional heroes, his character is a paradigm that reflected contemporary social conditions, especially those of life in the alpine valleys. Vandot's stepmothers, wild men and women and poor, or abandoned children (Jerca, Tinka, Rožle), who had to work as shepherds, do indeed reflect realistic relationships, but were somewhat toned down by the author. Despite being generally portrayed as evil, even Vandot's bullies and villains, such as Prisank, Bedanc and Pehta, all show a soft spot. The author also created the character of Kosobrin, a peaceful herbalist who personifies nothing but kindness. Vandot managed to depict life in a harsh mountainous environment as seen through the eyes of a child, whilst simultaneously incorporating the mythical themes of local folk tales.
Vlaka (skid trail) = grooves cut in the ground to facilitate the transportation of timber (log skidding) to the forest road (SSKJ (Dictionary of Standard Slovenian Language))
