Monthly Archives: September 2018

Best Autumn Hikes in Bohinj

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, Bohinj, Bohinj lake, Hiking, hiking in Slovenia, hiking trails, Julian Alps, Lake Bohinj, lakes in Slovenia, Slovenia, Slovenia blog, The Julian Alps, Triglav, Triglav National Park by

Though summer will always be my favourite time of the year in Slovenia, autumn comes a close second, particularly when it comes to my favourite pastime – hiking. Though I have titled this blog ‘Best Autumn Hikes in Bohinj‘ in truth it’s almost impossible to pick the ‘best’ hikes in an area with so much natural beauty and so many amazing hiking trails. So, below are just a few of my favourite autumn hikes in Bohinj and Triglav National Park.

To the south of Lake Bohinj, the Lower Bohinj mountain range offers wonderful hikes to suit all; shorter linear walks, longer circular walks or hut-to-hut hikes. As the days shorten in autumn, you can also make great use of the Vogel gondola to take you up or down – I prefer the latter, though I’m guessing I’m in the minority when it comes to that!

I love walking along the ridge, or part of it, that runs between Črna Prst, above Bohinjska Bistrica, to Rodica and onwards to the peak of Šija and down the ski slopes to the Vogel ski resort. Below are some of the highlights of my recent hike through the Bareča dolina valley towards Rodica.

The path starts off gently through the forest…

…before reaching the largely abandoned but nevertheless beautiful Suha mountain pasture.

From here its onwards and upwards to the Čez Suho saddle, where, on a fine day, you are richly rewarded with views as far as the eye can see of the surrounding peaks of the Julian Alps and, to the south, towards Slovenia’s Primorska region. You can also see the path(s) ahead and then take your choice. Turn left for Rodica or right towards Vogel.

On reaching the saddle beneath Šija, it’s just a short 15 minutes to the top, before heading down the ski slopes to the heart of the Vogel ski resort. The paths are well marked throughout.

On the way back, I met some very friendly sheep…

And stopped to ring the wishing bell!

.before reaching Vogel, which is, indeed, ‘Like a fairytale’!

In autumn the hugely popular 7 Triglav Lakes Valley is far less crowded so you can enjoy the best of the valley whilst, at times, even feeling like you have it all to yourself!

Without doubt one of my favourite autumn hikes is to Pršivec, a viewpoint on the north side of Lake Bohinj, where in autumn the colours of the surrounding larch trees, combined with the stunning views of the lake and the surrounding peaks, is truly magnificent.

There is often fog lingering above the lake in autumn, and on reaching the viewpoint at Vogar, you get that smug feeling of being, almost, on top of the world!

Lake Bohinj is at its most spectacular when viewed from Pršivec. It almost seems heart-shaped, well, it certainly captures the heart of all who see it!

I hope this has provided at least a few ideas for autumn hikes in Bohinj; there are countless others, too. So, what are you waiting for, it’s all there, ready for the taking – or rather the hiking! Click here for more about what else to do and do in autumn in Bohinj and here for advice on hiking in Bohinj in autumn.

© Adele in Slovenia

Valvasorjev dom – Voted Slovenia’s Best Mountain Hut for the 3rd Time in 5 years!

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, cycling in Slovenia, hiking in Slovenia, Karavanke, Slovenia, Slovenia blog, Slovenian mountain huts, Visit Žirovnica, Žirovnica by

So, it’s official, Valvasorjev dom is the winner of the title of Slovenia’s Best Mountain Hut – making it the third time it has won this prestigious title!

Last year, due to the rules of the competition which state that huts cannot be nominated two years in-a-row, Valvasorjev dom wasn’t in the running, but this year it once again breezed to become the holder of the title ‘Slovenia’s Best Mountain Hut 2018’. Congratulations to Aleš Štefe and the team!

Having already won the title in 2014 and 2016, this is a pretty impressive feat for a hut that doesn’t even have much of a view! But what it lacks in views, it makes up for with its great food, friendly team and welcoming atmosphere – all of which have proved to be a winning combination.

Valvasorjev dom (1,181m) lies beneath Stol (2,236m) – the highest peak in the Karavanke range. For those looking for a short hike, the hut can be a destination in itself – you can reach it in a little over an hour from the car park at the Završnica reservoir, or you can visit as part of a longer hike to Stol itself or numerous other destinations – as can be seen from the signs (below) in front of the hut.

During summer, you can also visit the other mountain hut on Stol, Prešernova koča – just a short distance from the summit – from where there are also numerous choices of onward routes.

The fascinating Ajdna archaelogical site is just a 30-minute walk from Valvasorjev dom.

Or you can visit one or more of the numerous mountain pastures beneath Stol such as the Zabreška planina highland (1,225m), or the Zirovniška planina (1,200m) highland.

Valvasorjev dom is also a popular destination for mountain bike enthusiasts, who can ride up the 5km forest road before heading off to traverse some of the afore-mentioned mountain pastures.

The fact that it is one of the few huts that is open year-round is also an added bonus, and Valvasorjev dom is as popular in winter as it is in summer.

When conditions permit, the 5km road from the valley is turned into a sledging track, too.

So, as you can see, there are more than enough reasons to visit the Valvasorjev dom mountain hut and to find out for yourself why it is a three-time winner!

Click here to find out more about hiking and other activities in the Žirovnica area beneath Stol.

© Adele in Slovenia

The Begunje Lambergh Trail – Explore Kamen Castle, Archeological Sites and Caves in the Draga Valley

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, Begunje, Food, Hiking, hiking trails, Radovljica, Restaurants, Slovenia, Slovenia blog, Taste Radol'ca, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

The Lambergh Trail (Lambergova pot) begins at the Krpin recreation area in Begunje na Gorenjskem. It leads through the forest past the ruins of Kamen Castle, passing two small archeological sites, and ending in the lush Draga valley at the Gostišče Draga restaurant, where you can enjoy a drink, snack or slap-up meal to gather your strength for the return journey, or you could even continue further on one of the trails that lead into the Karavanke mountains.

It takes around an hour to walk the almost 8km path (one-way), though if you stop to explore the castle, which is a must(!), then you should allow more time. The terrain is undulating, so good footwear is required. There are information boards along the way where you can find out more.

The Njivice archeological site dates back to the Old Iron Age.

There are vast caves to explore, too, some of which make you feel rather small!

Halfway along the trail you emerge briefly from the forest and are greeted by wonderful views over the upper part of the village.

You then reach the mighty and impressive ruins of Kamen Castle.

The castle was once home to the Counts of Lambergh – hence the name of the trail. It has preserved Gothic and Renaissance entrances and the partial restoration works that were recently carried out have made the castle more accessible.

Kamen Castle was built in the 12th century by the Counts of Ortenburg; later it was owned by the Counts of Celje, and from 1436 the Counts of Lambergh. The counts abandoned the castle in the 18th century when they moved to the more comfortable Katzenstein Mansion in the centre of the village.

The path ends at the Gostišče Draga restaurant at the head of the Draga valley. The restaurant, a member of Taste Radol’ca, is renowned for its game, fresh river trout, and numerous other traditional Slovene dishes.

The štruklji alone, both the sweet and savoury versions, are definitely worth the walk!

You can either return the same way following the signs back to the Krpin recreation centre, or alternatively you could first walk along the valley road beside the stream back to the castle, where you can rejoin the path back to the start.

You could also take time to explore Begunje itself; the Begunje Village Trail is just one of the many theme trails in the Radol’ca area. Click here for more.

© Adele in Slovenia