Slovenian Beekeeping: Bee our Guest!

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, adeleinslovenia, Bee Our Guest, Beekeeping, Beekeeping in Slovenia, Gorje, ifeelsLOVEnia, Kranjska Gora, Lesce, museums in Slovenia, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Radovljica Chocolate Festival, Slovenia, Slovenian honey, World Bee Day, Žirovnica by adeleinslovenia

This week I’d like to bring you some exciting news about a great new initiative and book – both on the theme of beekeeping – something at which Slovenia excels. Despite not being a beekeeper myself, since living in Slovenia I have become acutely aware of the importance that bees play in the world and, I believe, it’s something that should be of great importance to us all. Read on…!

Photo: S Senica

The Radovljica area has long been known for its ‘sweet’ traditions, primarily beekeeping-related, as well as chocolate in recent years thanks to the very popular Radovljica Chocolate Festival! Radovljica’s old town is home to the Museum of Apiculture, whilst the Beekeeping Education Centre of Gorenjska is situated in nearby Lesce.

Now, a new initiative has been launched to unite and promote Slovenian beekeeping in the Upper Gorenjska region – BEE OUR GUEST!

Photo: S Senica

BEE OUR GUEST is a collaboration between the municipalities of Bohinj, Bled, Gorje, Žirovnica, Radovljica and Kranjska Gora, and its aim is to acquaint visitors with Slovenian beekeeping in the Upper Gorenjska region, as well as offer information, tours and packages that combine beekeeping with the region’s other numerous sights and attractions. Thus, Bee Our Guest offers something for all those who want to see and experience a different side of the area’s natural beauty – whether you are a beekeeping enthusiast or just a lover of nature and all things ‘sweet’!

http://www.beeourguest.eu

The Museum of Apiculture is located in the magnificent Radovljica Mansion in the heart of Radovljica’s old town centre, where, amongst other exhibits, you can see a rich collection of hand-painted beehive front panels, including the oldest in the world; each of the panels tells its own story!

You can also observe the bees busy buzzing about their business in the observation hive! More information can be found here – http://www.radolca.si/en/radovljica-apiculture-museum/

You can pay a visit to Lectar Inn, where in the cellar you can visit the workshop and museum where they have been making traditional Lectar honeybreads for centuries. You can buy gifts and souvenirs for your loved ones or for special occasions or, upon prior arrangement, join in a workshop and have a go at making one yourself.

On the website (http://www.beeourguest.eu/) and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/BeeOurGuest.Slovenia/) you can also keep up-to-date with all the latest developments regarding World Bee Day, which has now been officially declared as 20th May, the birth date of Anton Janša (1734-1773), considered Slovenia’s greatest beekeeper.

“Every third spoonful of food on Earth depends on bees or, more precisely, on pollination. The more the meadows are polluted and the more frequently they are mown, the smaller the number of bees. Do we even realise what that means for our future and for us?” This comes from the authors of the newly-published book No Bees, No Life, available in English and Slovene, and is something we should all most definitely be aware of.

Written by the President of Slovenia’s Beekeeping Association, Bostjan Noč, the head of the breeding programme for the Carniolan honey bee, at the Slovenian Beekeeping Association, Peter Kozmus, and author of many books in the fields of ethnology and apiculture, Karolina Vrtačnik, as well as 66 contributions from 32 countries, the book has been receiving wide acclaim. You can find out more and/or order a copy here – https://beebooks.si/en/

I’ll be bringing you plenty more on this subject, and exploring it in more depth in the not-too-distant future, but for now, I’m off for for some quiet contemplation – oh and a cup of tea with Slovenian honey!

© Adele in Slovenia

1Sep2016

Hiking the Alpe Adria Trail – Stage 23: Kranjska Gora to Trenta, Slovenia

Posted in Alpe Adria, Hiking, ifeelsLOVEnia, Julian Alps, Kranjska Gora, lakes in Slovenia, Slovenia, Soca river, Triglav National Park, Vrsic pass by adeleinslovenia

The Alpe Adria Trail, which begins on Kaiser Franz Josefs Hohe in Austria and ends on the coast at Muggia in Italy, has 43 stages and a total length of 750kms. The trail is a collaboration between three countries – Austria, Slovenia, Italy and offers lovers of the great outdoors myriad possibilities for enjoying the stunning and ever-changing scenery along the way from the highest glaciers to sea-level.

It’s easy to pick and choose where to start and how far to walk, however, since the route is linear, be sure to have a plan how to get back if you need to do so! In terms of the trail in Slovenia, stage 22 runs from Austria into Slovenia, stages 23, 24 and 25 are entirely within Slovenia, and stage 27 begins in Slovenia ending in Italy.

Stage 23 of the trail officially starts in the centre of Kranjska Gora (810m), though I started my early morning hike from the stunning Lake Jasna, which sits at the foot of the Vršič Pass. It was very tempting to linger a while, however, I had a long hike ahead so headed onwards, and upwards.

The mythical golden-horned mountain goat ‘zlatorog‘ is a landmark and obligatory photo spot!

From the far-end of the lake the route then leads along the Krnica valley, beside the Pišnica river and makes a fairly level easy start to the day. Note: If you’re looking to escape the summer heat, this valley is the place to be. Whatever the time of year in the early morning it’s freeeeeezing!!! In winter, Krnica is a particularly popular place for sledging.

The route then turns right, passes the Mali Tamar Memorial to those who have lost their lives in the mountains, crosses a bridge over the stream, and then the ascent to Vršič begins. It is well-marked throughout with Alpe Adria signs as well as the usual Slovene way-markers (a red circle with a white inner).

The Vršič Pass is the highest mountain pass in Slovenia. It was built in the early 19th century, originally for military purposes, and has a total of 50 hairpin bends. You can, of course, drive up instead of hiking, or even cycle – as many do, though note that the pass is usually closed throughout winter when there is heavy snowfall due to the danger of avalanches.

The trail goes largely through the forest, though in places it emerges – or if ‘it’ doesn’t then ‘you’ can – from the forest at sights of interest and to take in the views. The first such sight is the Russian Chapel, which was built in memory of the suffering of the thousands of Russian prisoners during construction of the road. Hundreds of prisoners and their guards – Russian and Austrian – lost their lives due to an enormous avalanche in winter 1916 – the exact number who died was never known.

The route continues to the right of the chapel, again through the forest. I recommend a stop at bend 17 to see the somewhat eerie looking stones that have begun to ‘appear’ in recent years. I guess someone started the trend and others followed!

The view from here isn’t half bad either!

It’s now not far to reach the top, less than half-an-hour and I was already at 1611m at the top of the Vršič Pass.

From the top it was easy to see where I was heading, down towards the Soča Valley and I could hardly wait to glimpse the always-stunning emerald-green Soča river.

When leaving the top, look for this sign and walk down the road for approximately 500 metres.

As tempting as it is to admire the views, be sure to keep your eyes to the ground here, as here the way-marker for the trail is only on the ground and could easily be missed.

From here the trail re-enters the forest and leads on a pleasant gently-descending path, eventually emerging between stones walls into the parking area at the source of the Soča river, where there is a small hut offering refreshments. In places the trail is marked by the letters AAT – as shown below.

If you choose to take a detour to see the source of the Soča river, it takes about 10-15 minutes to reach the first viewpoint – a relatively easy path, thereafter its a bit of a climb, assisted by iron pegs and rope, so not for the faint-hearted! Knowing I still had a way to go, I just went to the first viewpoint (well, that’s my excuse anyway!).

From here it is downhill all the way. The Soča River Trail leads on traffic-free paths to Trenta, home to a Triglav National Park Information Centre, and where there is a mini-market, restaurant and a sprinkling of accommodation options.

The total distance of this stage of the trail is 17.8km, of which the ascent is 962m and 1146m descent. It can easily be shortened as required – at least during the summer months when buses operate over the Vršič pass from Kranjska Gora to the Soča Valley. Out of peak season, however, you would need to ensure you have suitable onward, or return, transport.

In total the hike took less than 5 hours, including photo stops. If you take time to linger and savour the views, perhaps enjoy a meal at one of the several mountain huts en-route to, or at the top of, the Vršič pass, then it makes a very enjoyable full day trip. Highly recommended!

More information about the trail can be found here – http://alpe-adria-trail.com/en/ and more information about autumn hiking in Slovenia here – http://www.slovenia.info/en/Autumn-hiking-in-Slovenia.htm?aktivna_pohodniska_jesen_slovenija=0&lng=2

© Adele in Slovenia

4Feb2016

Winter Holidays in Kranjska Gora; So much more than ‘just’ snow!

Posted in cycling, Hiking, Julian Alps, skiing, Slovenia by adeleinslovenia

I’m not a fan of traditional winter sports, however, since living here I’ve had to get used to the fact that winter happens, and winter means snow. Therefore, I have learnt to participate in some alternative winter activities such as snowshoeing, winter hiking and, on occasion, cross-country skiing.

One of the best resorts in Slovenia for winter-based activities, both traditional skiing-based as well as alternative winter sports, is Kranjska Gora.

Though Kranjska Gora can sometimes affected by its relatively low altitude, and thus lack of, or meagre amounts of, snow, the resort has made concerted efforts to ensure there are plenty of other activities and events taking place during the winter season should lack of snow be a problem. Here are just some of the things happening in Kranjska Gora this winter, where there’s something on offer for all the family, whether skiers or not.

Kranjska Gora Welcomes You! which takes place weekly until the end of February on the snow beach behind the Ramada resort, comprises music, children’s entertainment and a presentation of what to see and do, and is an ideal way to acquaint yourself with all the resort has to offer.

Skiing, of course, is the number one activity in Kranjska Gora. The slopes are particularly suited to beginners, though seasoned skiers will find some more challenging runs among the 18 ski slopes with 5 chairlifts and 13 drag lifts. As with any major ski resort, there are numerous ski schools and ski rental outlets. On a sunny day, with the backdrop of the magnificent Julian Alps, you can, I’m sure, see the appeal!

There are over 40kms of maintained cross-country ski trails. The keen-eyed among you will notice that whilst this is me, it isn’t me in Kranjska Gora! This is me on Pokljuka! Although I’ve tried cross-country skiing, alas me and skiing – in any form – just don’t, and never will, get on, but I wanted to include this photos just to prove that I have tried!!!

The Vršič pass, which leads from Kranjska Gora to the Soča valley, is usually closed for much of the winter due to snowfall.* Providing someone has blazed a trail before you, it does, though, make a great place for a winter hike. Below you can see me on the road – yes, that’s a road! – at bend 17, with wonderful views of the Julian Alps. I must stress though, that you do need to be well-equipped for winter hiking and be sure to only follow worn trails if you don’t know the terrain.

* The Vršič pass doesn’t currently look like this. At the time of publishing this blog (4 Feb 2016) we have had very little snowfall – though there was fresh snowfall in the mountains yesterday evening – and for the first time that I can remember since being in Slovenia, the pass has remained open for much of the entire winter, though only for vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes equipped with winter tyres and/or snow chains. Please be sure to check the traffic information centre website for the latest traffic information – http://www.promet.si/portal/en/1traffic-conditions.aspx

When there is heavy and fresh snow, hiking isn’t always possible so a pair of snowshoes are called for. Snowshoes enable you to traverse the snow without sinking in it up to your waist – or deeper! They fit over regular winter hiking boots and are easy to use, though do feel somewhat ungainly to begin with.

Every Thursday at 5pm the Kranjska Gora Culinary Journey takes place. Diners set off on a journey to visit five restaurants within the town and enjoy a different course, with accompanying drinks, at each venue. More information here – https://www.hit-alpinea.si/en/culinary-journey

Husky sledding trips can be booked and arranged in Kranjska Gora, though actually take place just over the border in Italy.

The Eskimo Village comprises a hotel, restaurant and bar. Guests can partake in a number of fun snow-based activities such as snow golf, igloo building, and sledding.

You can even cycle in the winter at the Winter Bike Park. Hmm, much as I love cycling I think I’ll give that one a miss, but I’m sure it’s an adrenaline-junkies dream!

There’s also no shortage of winter events, many of them international, including Family Day on the Snow Beach (13.2), Snow Volley 2016 (20.2), Audi FIS World Cup, Vitranc (5 & 6.3) and the Planica World Ski Jump Championships (18-20.3)

You can also see more about winter sports in Slovenia in this short video.

Useful Links:

Tourism Kranjska Gora – http://www.kranjska-gora.si/en/

Kranjska Gora Welcomes You – http://www.kranjska-gora.si/en/events-calendar/621-Kranjska-Gora-welcomes-you

Eskimo Village – http://www.eskimska-vas.si/en/

Winter Bike Park – http://www.bike-park.si/home

© AdeleinSlovenia 2016

7Dec2015

Christmas in Slovenia; Markets, Food, Traditions and more!

Posted in Christmas, Festivals in Slovenia, Radovljica, Slovenia, Uncategorized by adeleinslovenia

Slovenia hasn’t been celebrating Christmas for that long, well not in the form that many of us know it. However, the country has certainly caught up with, and caught onto, the festive spirit and now there are Christmas-related events happening throughout the land.

So, how is Christmas celebrated in Slovenia? What is/isn’t open? What is there to do, where to go?

As in many other countries in Europe, the evening of the 24^th is when most families celebrate and get together for a special meal, exchange gifts and/or attend midnight mass. If you are visiting Slovenia at that time it is worth noting that many restaurants may be closed on this evening or close earlier than usual. Shops are usually open on the 24^th but close a little earlier than usual. All shops are closed on the 25^th and again this is a family day, often for some recreational activities perhaps skiing, hiking or visiting relatives. The 26^th is also a public holiday, ‘Independence and Unity Day’ and therefore again many shops and business will be closed although these days most of the larger ones are open, at least for a few hours in the morning.

There are Christmas markets taking place in all the major cities, the largest being in Ljubljana, where there are numerous markets. The main market is held alongside the banks of the Ljubljanica river, but there are also other markets spread across the city’s squares, with a vast range of events and entertainment taking place from now until the New Year. More information here – https://www.visitljubljana.com/en/activities/entertainment/77402/detail.html

Festive Ljubljana (Dunja Wedam)

In Maribor, Slovenia’s 2nd biggest city, there are numerous events taking place including the Fairy City (Vilinsko mesto), a Festive Fair and a long list of concerts and other events. More information here – http://maribor-pohorje.si/festive-december-in-maribor0.aspx

Praznicni_december_2013_Maribor_Slovenia_Slovenija_Maribor_Pohorje_MP_produkcija_5

Maribor Christmas Market (photo MP produkcija)

In Celje, ‘Fairytale Celje’ (Pravljično Celje), including a Christmas market, runs from 29th Nov – 31st Dec – http://www.dezela-celjska.si/en/node/72073

Festive Celje

Other towns with smaller Christmas markets include the Festive Winter Village in Bled – from 4.12 – 17. 1 – http://www.bled.si/en/events/2015/12/04/2264-Festive-Winter-Village

Festive Winter Village, Bled

The Alpine Village in Kranjska Gora – from 28.11 – 3.1 – http://www.kranjska-gora.si/si/files/default/plakat%20dec.pdf

Alpine Village, Kranjska Gora

And not forgetting the Advent Market in small, but perfectly formed, Radovljica – where I live – http://www.radolca.si/en/what-to-do/events-1/festive-december-in-linhart-square/83/110/

Advent in Radovljica (pakt media)

If you’ve never been to Radovjlica, just watch this video of a Christmas commercial shot here 2 years ago to see how magical it looks – http://klip.si/video-reklama-za-bauli-snemana-v-radovljici-4484

Those in, or heading to, the Slovene coast will also find a Christmas market in Portorož (http://bit.ly/1jhWPkH)

Christmas Market in Portorož

There are of course many more towns that have Christmas markets and events – too many to list here – and many of these, including those listed here also have open-air ice-skating rinks.

If you are looking for a festive event with a difference, every year, weather conditions permitting, there is a live ice nativity play held in the Mlača Gorge in the village of Mojstrana. With the freezing temperatures we have had of late, this year’s event looks sure to be going ahead and the performances are scheduled to begin on Christmas Day. The entrance fee also includes a walk through the ice kingdom, a gallery of nativity scenes and the nativity performance held in the frozen waterfall. Be sure to wrap up warmly! More information can be found here – http://lednoplezanje.com/zive-jaslice-v-ledu/

Live Ice Nativity in Mojstrana

Turning to food, no Slovene home is complete over the festive season without potica – a traditional rolled and filled cake. You will find it everywhere; in cafes, supermarkets, and in almost every Slovene’s home. Potica come in many varieties, the most popular varieties are filled with walnut or poppy seeds, but there are also other fillings including tarragon or coconut, and special editions with dual fillings, such as the one below – named ‘potica of our roots‘ prepared by one of Slovenia’s top chefs, Uroš Štefelin, from Vila Podvin.

Potica of Our Roots

Wherever you choose to visit and/or spend Christmas in Slovenia, I hope you have a great festive season!

2015

24Aug2015

A new old face in town / A facelift for Lake Jasna

Posted in Uncategorized by adeleinslovenia

There’s a new old face in Radovljica’s old town in the form of a new bronze statue of Dr. Cene Avguštin (1923 – 2010), created by the academic sculptor Tatjana Kostanjevič. The statue stands in the square between St. Peter’s Church and the Radovljica Mansion – home to the Museum of Apiculture, the Municipal Museum, a music school and the venue for numerous concerts, weddings, exhibitions and other events.

Dr. Cene Avguštin was an art historian and conservator and an honoured citizen of Radovljica who strived to popularise cultural heritage through his work which included museum and gallery activities (director, custodian), architectural and urbanistic development of Gorenjska’s medieval towns and squares, and professional lecturing.

This week I revisited Lake Jasna in Kranjska Gora as I had read about its recent facelift. The small lake has always been a popular spot with its backdrop of the Julian Alps, crystal clear water and en-route to the Vršic pass. However, it had long felt somewhat neglected, so its new appearance, complete with wooden chairs, bridges and a small tower is most definitely a welcome and well-received improvement.

And finally there’s somewhere to get an ice-cream and a drink and to sit and soak up the scenery.

Radol’ca introduced the Tourist Hop-on- Hop-off bus two years ago and, as far as I’m aware, was the first town in Slovenia to do so. It has been a definite success and set a shining example. So, this year, for the first time, Kranjska gora has also begun operating a Hop-on Hop-Off tour bus which visits the area’s 10 most attractive sights, including Lake Jasna

Useful Links:

Radovljica Hop-On Hop-Off Tourist Bus – http://www.radolca.si/en/hop-on-hop-off-radolca/

Radovljica Mansion – http://www.radolca.si/en/art-history-overview/

St. Peter’s Church – http://www.radolca.si/en/radovljica-church/

Kranjska Gora Hop-On Hop-Off Tour Bus – http://www.kranjska-gora.si/en/activities/summer-activities/tour-bus

12Apr2015

Hiking, cycling and strolling in sunny Slovenia!

Posted in Uncategorized by adeleinslovenia

After the excesses of the Easter weekend (see last week’s post), this weekend was devoted to my number one passion i.e. being outdoors, and as a bonus the whole weekend the country was bathed in fabulous warm sunshine. It was certainly a far cry from last weekend’s snowy/windy/cold and very changeable weather and, as you will see below, I managed to squeeze in quite a lot!

A stroll amongst the spring flowers in Ljubljana’s Botanic Gardens where even the terrapins were basking in the sun.

A walk up to Ljubljana Castle.

A hike up to the Potoška highland (Potoška planina).

As you can see, in places there was still some snow. In fact, it is quite difficult at the moment to choose where to hike because the sunny slopes, up to around 1200-1300m, are now free of snow, however, any higher, and particularly in shaded areas, there is still a lot of snow and ice to contend with, so hikes into the higher mountains will have to wait a while yet. These past couple of days though, due to the high temperatures, it is beginning to melt fast so hopefully it won’t be too much longer until I can begin to start venturing further and higher.

I began from the reservoir in Žirovnica, which I had cycled to from home, then followed the path up towards the Valvasor mountain hut (Valvasorjev dom). On reaching the road forest road, which is crossed in order to continue towards the hut, there is a sign for Ajdna and Potoška planina to the left. I had actually intended to go to Ajdna but there was a training course for mountain guides taking place there all weekend so I instead continued on the forest road up to the Potoška highland (1270m) from where there are far-reaching views across the Julian Alps and along the Upper-Sava valley towards Kranjska Gora, however, it was rather hazy sunshine so the photos don’t really do the views justice on this occasion. From the highland I turned right to continue towards the Valvasor hut but, rather than going to the hut itself, I continued on to the next highland, Žirovniška planina. There are several such mountain highlands that lie on the slopes beneath Stol, the highest mountain in the Karavanke range.

A ride on the new bike path in Jesenice. I love this new path as its traffic-free and now joins up with the bike path from Mojstrana towards Kranjska Gora and onwards into Italy.

Next weekend, of course, its the Radovljica Chocolate Festival so will once again be dedicated to my other passion i.e. chocolate! All the chocolately fun kicks off on Friday 17th April at 3pm and continues all weekend. The full festival programme is now available here – http://www.festival-cokolade.si/en/programme/

11Aug2014

New Zip Line over the Sava river / Panoramic Bled

Posted in Uncategorized by adeleinslovenia

Other than the almighty storm last Monday evening, which brought with it another wave of damage and destruction, summer sunshine and high temperatures reigned last week and I even managed a whole week without getting drenched! Once again I took full advantage of this and had a weekend packed full of action and adventure.

On Saturday morning I set off from home by bike to Kranjska Gora; riding first to Bled, then through Gorje to reach the cycle path through the Radovna Valley (read more about this in a previous post here – http://wp.me/p3005k-hH). On reaching the village of Mojstrana I joined the D2 cycle path which runs along the route of the ex-railway line all the way to Kranjska Gora then onwards to Rateče before continuing into Italy. On this occasion, my destination was Lake Jasna in Kranjska Gora, which took a little under 3 hours to reach from home.

The cycle path is traffic-free and rises very subtly up towards Kranjska Gora. You do have to keep your wits about you though, particularly when the weather is fine, as being one of the rare traffic-free, and therefore safe and child friendly, cycle paths in this area, it is very popularč not only with cyclists but also roller skaters, ski rollers (think cross-country skiing minus the snow!), dog-walkers and joggers. I nearly came a cropper a couple of times due to errant cyclists admiring the (admittedly) stunning scenery and not looking where they were going and lost tourists straying onto the path with their cars. Oh well, just another couple of scrapes and bruises to add to my already battle-weary legs!

Just 2 kilometres from Kranjska Gora, Lake Jasna is a small crystal-clear alpine lake which sits at the foot of the Vršič pass, Slovenia’s highest mountain pass (1611m). The statue of Zlatorog (Golden Horn), as seen below, stands proudly at the lake shore.

After cycling home, this time via Mojstrana and Jesenice, rather than back through the Radovna Valley, I had a quick rest and then headed down to the Sava river at Radovljica to the opening of the new zip line over the Sava river at the Tinaraft Centre. Below you can see me getting prepared, and others rafting on the Sava river, which I was about to zip across from 20 metres high – yikes!

After a short safety briefing, I was off; across the bridge, up to the start and then the fun part! As well as the zipline, as the name implies, Tinaraft offer rafting and other adrenalin-fuelled activities such as canyoning, paintball and zorbing. More information can be found here – http://www.tinaraft.si/

Despite being a little tired, when I awoke to another beautiful morning on Sunday, I couldn’t resist the pull of the mountains and set off to hike up to Begunščica. At 2060m, Begunščica is among the highest of the mountains in the Karavanke range. There are a number of ways of reaching the highest point of the ridge, named ‘veliki vrh’; from the Draga valley via the Roblek dom mountain hut, from Ljubelj via Zelenica or, as I did, from the Draga Valley to Preval and then via the (very) steep path which leads seemingly almost vertically upwards for about one hour through the forest before emerging into a rocky area, where a few metres of climbing is required then on to traverse the ridge (note: the approach from this direction is not advisable if you are scared of heights as there is a sheer drop on either side) before reaching the top where an orientation post points out all the surrounding mountains and there are far-reaching views across both Slovenia and Austria. Unfortunately, the clouds beat me to the top on this occasion, so I didn’t take any photographs at the top itself, but there’s already more than enough for this week, and anyway I’ll be back up there sooner or later no doubt! I made the return by the easier, less steep route via Roblek dom and then back down to the valley.

Also this week, as if Bled wasn’t already picturesque enough, a new panoramic photo frame has been installed on the small Straža hill, above Lake Bled (read more about Straža here in a previous post – https://adeleinslovenia.wordpress.com/2014/07/01/hop-on-hop-off-bus-bled-radovljica-and-the-julian-alps/). If you want THE ultimate photo shot of Bled, then its well worth making the trip up to Straža.

Good News – Following the winter damage, the stairways and bridges at Kamen Castle have been repaired. The ruins of the castle are situated at the end of the village of Begunje, at the entrance to the Draga Valley.

This coming weekend, from Friday to Sunday, the Festival of Fish Delicacies will take place in the village of Bohinjska Bela, just a few kilometres from Bled. The festival features a fly-fishing competition, live music, food (fish of course!) and more. Read more about it here – http://www.bled.si/en/events/2014/08/15/1737-Festival-of-Fish-Delicacies-in-Bohinjska-Bela

3Feb2014

Extreme Slovenia!

Posted in Uncategorized by adeleinslovenia

What a weekend! Records have been being broken throughout Slovenia during the past few days – alas for all the wrong reasons. The country is caught in some kind of an ‘ice-age’ and a ‘red alarm’ has been in place for successive days as metres of snow followed by frozen rain, more snow and more frozen rain, have been causing chaos and destruction on the roads and in forests, with thousands upon thousands of hectares of forest being affected and many homes being left without electricity. Slovenia usually copes admirably well with winter conditions, after all it’s a fact of life here; roads are usually cleared quickly and efficiently and public transport continues to operate largely unhindered. However, this time, due to the sheer rate at which the snow fell, combined with the unprecedented ice, workers have been unable to keep up with the sheer demand and at the moment it’s certainly a case of Nature:1 – Humankind:0

Although there has been something of an east/west divide, with the west faring by far the worse, nowhere seems to have escaped unscathed and great swathes of the country are facing extremely challenging conditions. Higher lying areas have seen a number of avalanches, road closures and problems with ice whilst lower lying areas are having to deal with flooded rivers and high tides causing floods at the coast too.

How ironic then that due to a lack of snow the Golden Fox Women’s Ski Cup competition was moved from Maribor’s Pohorje, where it is usually held, to Kranjska Gora, where on Friday 200 workers, many of them volunteers, battled through the night trying to pull off the almost unhuman feat of clearing up to 2 metres of snow to get the course ready for Saturday’s competition. And they almost succeeded too but in the end nature won, sense prevailed, and Saturday’s event was cancelled at the last minute due to fears for the safety of competitors, especially with the winter Olympics in Sochi only a week away – for many, the risks would have just been too great. This sadly adds another blow to a pretty dismal season for Kranjska Gora. Looking on the bright side though at least now, hopefully, once conditions normalise and stabilise again, they, together with the other Slovene ski resorts, will be able to make full use of the abundance of snow for the remainder of the season. And of course for lovers of all things ‘winter’, both locals and tourists alike, the winter season looks set to be extended and there will be no shortage of skiing, sledging, snowshoeing and the obligatory snowmen making.

This morning I set out to try and take some photos of the snow to post on this week’s blog; some kind of arty, snowy, winter wonderland scenes. However, I was defeated on a number of accounts. Firstly, since the cloud is currently so low that one can’t even differentiate between cloud and sky, everything is just white; additionally at the moment it really doesn’t look all that picturesque, more of a mess really, the sheer number of fallen trees is staggering and heart breaking to see, oh and add to that the fact one can barely walk anywhere as the pavements STILL haven’t been cleared (why?). So instead I thought I would attempt to describe some of the scenes and challenges of daily life at these extreme times. After all, there will no doubt still be plenty of opportunities for snowy photos in the weeks and months to come! But I can’t write a blog entirely without photos so I’ve included a few from some of my previous winter hikes to offer a reminder that ‘snow can be both fun and beautiful’ as my Slovene friends are always quick to remind me! Here I am during a hike in the Karavanke range, headed from Srednji vrh towards Zelenica.

Even mundane chores, such as taking the rubbish out, become nigh on impossible. I was witness to this today when I watched someone first use a shovel to clear a path to the rubbish bins, having done that they then had to clear the snow from the top of the bins, only to find that the bins were firmly sealed shut by ice – mission aborted.

Hospital admissions have been soaring due to falls on the ice resulting in sprained and broken limbs and some pretty impressive bruises.

Family recreation time takes on entire new meaning involving the whole family out shovelling snow and/or chiselling away at ice in a vain attempt to clear their driveways, pavements, cars….

All the major passes from Slovenia into Austria are closed, meaning the only way to reach Austria, from this part of the country, currently is through the Karavanke tunnel and the only way to reach the Soča Valley is the (very) long way round. A huge number of roads are closed, due to fallen trees. Heavy goods vehicles are prohibited on most major roads. The military have been called in to help. The PM visited some of the affected areas today, as world leaders tend to do as such times to ‘offer their support’. Train travel is also severly disrupted however air travel remains unaffected and is operating as normal.

Out of my window I’ve been watching people standing on step ladders in order to be able to reach the snow on the top of their cars, people perched precariously on rooftops shovelling the snow off in order to avoid roof cave ins. I could go on, but hopefully by now you get the point. If nothing else, these times certainly unite people, provide an opportunity for neighbourly ‘bonding’ and provide some useful calorie burning activities! I’m certainly very grateful to my neighbours for helping to clear the snow off my balcony roof which was starting to sag under the weight of the snow. I’m also very thankful to a friend who, on hearing the desperation in my voice, gently coaxed me out for a walk yesterday. Those that know me will attest to that fact that I never usually need encouragement to go out for a walk – quite the opposite in fact.

Of course it will impossible to assess the true extent of the damage until conditions stabilise and access can be obtained to the worse affected areas. Neighbouring countries have already offered help to Slovenia and with outside help plus a great deal of hard work all round of course we will recover and temperatures look set to rise during the course of the week so hopefully conditions will begin to improve.

People often ask me why I remain living here, in this alpine region of Slovenia, especially when I’m not a fan of snow and, if I wasn’t a fan of snow before, then this latest episode has only served to heighten my dislike of it. I must admit at times like this I do sometimes question my wisdom but the truth is that despite the often harsh long winters, there is still something special about this little corner of Slovenia that is now my home and therefore I just have to take the rough with the smooth and look forward to warmer, sunnier times ahead. Here I am snowshoeing last year in the Vrata valley!

As a skiing nation, skiing being the number one sport in the country, each winter Slovenia hosts numerous world class ski events meaning avid fans don’t have to travel far to watch world class skiing. There is nothing like the atmosphere of a ‘home’ event where Slovenes rapturously cheer on their skiers, none more so at the moment with Slovene skiers, especially Tina Maze and the male ski jumpers, achieving world beating results. Here are just some of the annual skiing events in Slovenia where you can catch them in action:-

The Women’s Ski Jumping World Cup: 25^th – 26^th January in Ljubno
The Golden Fox Ladies Alpine World Cup: 1^st – 2^nd February in Maribor (usually!)
The World Biathlon Cup:– 3^rd – 9^th March on Pokljuka
The Pokal Vitranc Mens Alpine World Cup: 8^th – 9^th March in Kranjska Gora
Ski Jumping World Cup – 21^st – 23^rd March at Planica

This coming Saturday, 8th February, is a national holiday in Slovenia – Prešeren’s Day – named after the great Slovene poet, France Prešeren (1800-1849), born in nearby Vrba. There are events held all round the country to mark the day. Weather permitting, I usually like to attend the Prešeren Fair in Kranj, where the streets are lined with stalls selling various handicrafts and wares and the old town centre comes to life with music, traditional dances and people dressed in clothing from Prešeren’s time. Here’s a photo I took at last year’s event – note there’s no snow!

In Radovljica there will be a ceremony on Thursday 6th at 7pm in the Mansion House (graščina) and on Saturday 8th visitors can take advantage of free entrance, from 10am to 3pm, to the Museum of Apiculture and the Town Museum in Radovljica and the Blacksmiths Museum in Kropa.

27Jan2014

Winter on the Vršič Pass

Posted in Uncategorized by adeleinslovenia

It was just last week that I was reading reports in the media about how there had been a record 33 days in a row during December 2013 and January 2014 where the temperature hadn’t fallen beneath freezing. Since 1900, to be exact in 1936 and 1948, there have only been two other winters with less than 10 similarly cold days. However, on Friday, as had been predicted all last week, winter most definitely arrived as temperatures plummeted and what started as rain soon turned into snow. Since then it has been dry but with temperatures struggling to get above freezing, the snow could be here for some time, especially since more is forecast for the days to come. The amount of snow, at ground level at least, wasn’t significant and therefore currently the pavements and streets are still snow free.

The warmest winter on record in Slovenia was the one of 2006/2007, which was coincidentally the winter that I moved to Slovenia and thus led me to (falsely) believe that winters in Slovenia were mild and sunny. There have been a few since then that have proved me wrong!

Of course many people couldn’t wait to get out and partake in some ‘snowy’ activities, be it skiing, sledging or just snowball fighting! Although everyone who knows me knows I’m not a fan of the white stuff, I actually don’t mind it when it’s where it should be i.e. in the mountains, and one can choose to go and enjoy it if so desired. So, when on Saturday morning I woke up to see beautiful blue skies and sunshine, I too couldn’t resist the temptation. After a short deliberation about where to go, I settled on a walk from Kranjska Gora to Vršič, which is always scenic whatever the season.

At 1611m, Vršič is Slovenia’s highest mountain pass and was built in 1915 by Russian prisoners of war on the order of the Austro-Hungarian authorities to facilitate access to Kranjska Gora. During its building, in March 1916, an avalanche buried a prisoner of war camp, killing over 300 prisoners and the Russian Chapel (seen below), built in a typical Russian design, was built by the remaining prisoners in memory of those who died.

Vršič crosses the Julian Alps from Kranjska Gora in the Sava Valley to Trenta in the Soča Valley. As well as being a vital link between the two areas, during the summer Vršič is also a highly popular tourist attraction in itself, with a number of sights to see and places to stop enroute to the top.

The pass is usually closed for the entire winter as it is not snow ploughed and is susceptible to avalanches. Last year there was up to 8 metres of snow in places and despite workers working 10 hours a day to clear it, it didn’t reopen until May. This year, so far, there is significantly less but it’s still not driveable. The road was partly ploughed up to the hut Koča na Gozdu but only suitable for 4-wheel drive vehicles or those with snow chains. There after, well you wouldn’t even know it was a road!

I parked beside the bridge over the Velika Pišnica river and began walking along the path towards Krnica, with the intention of turning off to the right to cross the v Klinu pasture to join the road to Vršič a little higher up, this being more interesting and scenic than walking up the road. However, on reaching the pasture and trying to trudge my way through the knee deep virgin snow, I thought better of it and instead walked to the Krnica mountain hut, 1113m (Koča v Krnici). The hut is set in a clearing beneath the walls of Križ and with views of the mighty Škrlatica, Razor and Prisojnik mountains and offers beautiful views and is also a starting point for other demanding hikes, for example to Križ. It is usually open at weekends during the winter and daily during the summer. The path leading to Krnica is also a very popular sledging track, as witnessed by numerous trees complete with crash matting!

Imagine my delight then when, on making the return, I saw there was now something of a route across the aforementioned pasture, presumably made by one of the branches of the Slovene mountain rescue team who were there carrying out a training session – my lucky day! This pasture is home to the Mali Tamar memorial, which was erected in 1998 in memory of all those who have died in the mountains surrounding Kranjska Gora.

After crossing the pasture and stream, I emerged onto the Vršič pass and took a series of short cuts through the forest, steeply in places, to eventually emerge at bend 17 (1418m). There are a total of 25 bends to reach the top of the pass, each one marked with a number and its altitude. After a short stop to admire the view I made the return trip, 7km, down the road. You can see more of my photos from this trip here – http://www.pinterest.com/adeleinslovenia/winter-hiking-on-the-vr%C5%A1i%C4%8D-pass-slovenia/

Meanwhile, back down on terra firma, here’s some non-snowy ideas for the coming week in Radovljica. There will be a concert of Russian music taking place in the Baroque Hall of the Manor House (graščina) on Thursday 30^th, beginning at 7pm, and organised by the Chopin Golden Ring. Tickets cost from 10 euros for adult and 5 for children.

On Sunday 2^nd February the monthly flea market will take place in the old town centre (or in the entrance lobby of the Manor House in the case of bad weather) from 9am to 1pm. The event also includes additional activities for children. Entrance is free.

The ever popular outdoor skating rink at the Radovljca Sport Park is open daily, midweek from 3-6pm, weekends from 10am-6pm. Kids (with their own skates) can skate for free, adults pay just 2 euros.

13Jan2014

Fascinating Ajdna!

Posted in Hiking, Julian Alps, Karavanke, Radovljica by adeleinslovenia

No, the title of this week’s blog isn’t a reference to the British cabaret act of (almost) the same name (Fascinating Aida), but in fact a reference to the fascinating archeological site of Ajdna.

Ajdna is a peak, located at an altitude of 1064m, high above the village of Potoki. It is part of the Karavanke range, on the slopes of Stol which is the highest mountain in the Karavanke. On a clear day, as it was when I went this week, the views along the Upper Sava Valley, as well as across the Julian Alps, are magnificent and far reaching.

As well as being an interesting place to walk and to admire the views, there was another reason for my visit since last year, for my birthday, two friends gave me a necklace with a bird (as seen below), the symbol of Ajdna. Following that, we all planned to go together for a walk there but for a variety of reasons i.e. too hot, raining, busy etc. our trip never quite came to fruition. So this week, with the perfect (spring) winter weather we have been having, I decided that now was the time to go. Who would have thought that it would be possible in mid-January!

Today the site has been designated an archeological monument of great importance and has a protected status. The settlement that stands here is thought to be from the late Antiquity, though evidence, some of it dating back as far as the collapse of the Roman Empire (476 AD), shows that it may have been inhabited far earlier. The peak provided locals with an excellent refuge from the troubles taking place down below in the valley, not to mention with excellent views too! Ajdna is also thought to be the highest lying settlement of its kind in Slovenia.

Excavations didn’t begin here until 1976 and since then remains of weapons, jewellery and other household objects, as well as many graves, have been found, some of which are now on display in the Gorenjska Museum in Kranj. It is thought the site was home to around 100 people. Today many well-preserved buildings still remain and there are photographs and posters documenting the finds.

There are several ways to reach Ajdna, depending on which direction you are coming from and also depending on how far you want to walk. There is a path which leads directly up from Potoki or from Završnica, in the direction of the Valvasor mountain hut.

Since it was a lovely day and I fortunately had time on my side, I started from Žirovnica and made a long walk of it. First, I climbed the stairs adjacent to the water tower, through the tunnel and continued on the path to reach the Završnica reservoir. From here I followed the marked path as if going to Valvasor dom, turning left on the mountain road approximately 15 minutes beneath Valvasor dom. From here its along the road for approximately 15-20 minutes until the junction with the turn off marked for Ajdna. The path at first goes downhill, through the forest, until reaching the base of the peak. From here there is a choice of the harder, climbing path (15 mins) or the easier path (20 mins). I chose the harder path up and the easier path down. The path up, though not technically difficult, does require sturdy footwear, a steady hand, concentration and no fear of heights as it leads directly up the rock face – but it is well-equipped with steel cable and foot and hand holds. For those not so keen on such ascents, or those with small children, take the slightly longer path to the right, which though easier, also requires a degree of concentration as the area is quite exposed and prone to rockfall. Whichever way you reach it, you will be richly rewarded for your efforts! I will gradually be adding more photos of this, and some of my other trips, on my Pinterest profile too, just click here – http://www.pinterest.com/adeleinslovenia/

So, as you can see from the photos, there is still no snow here in the valley. For the first part of this week, some rain is forecast, with snow at around the 1,000 metre level. For anyone booked to ski at Kranjska Gora, I’m afraid to report that it is pretty green there. However, I’ve heard that some of the hotels are arranging shuttles to alternative ski resorts either within Slovenia or to nearby Austria or Italy so all is not lost. At Vogel and Krvavec however, there is plenty of snow and they are having a great season and with Slovenia being such a small country, its quite easy to get from resort to resort, without long distances involved.

If you are visiting the area, whether to ski or not, there are of course plenty of other things to see and do to. Take a look back through some of my previous posts for some ideas. I’ve covered a pretty wide spectrum about Radovljica, where I live, but also about many other areas around the region and even further afield.

This week there will be a FREE guided tour of the medieval old town of Radovljica on Tuesday 14^th January at 10am. There is also an outdoor ice rink in Radovljica, open weekdays from 3-6pm, weekends from 10-6pm. Entrance is free for children up to the age of 18 (with their own skates) and just 2 euros for adults. On Thursday 16^th there will be a public production by the Avsenik Music School in Begunje beginning at 6.30pm at the Avsenik Museum – entrance is free.

Adele in Slovenia

My life and adventures in Radovljica and throughout Slovenia

Tag Archives: Kranjska Gora

Slovenian Beekeeping: Bee our Guest!

Hiking the Alpe Adria Trail – Stage 23: Kranjska Gora to Trenta, Slovenia

Winter Holidays in Kranjska Gora; So much more than ‘just’ snow!

Christmas in Slovenia; Markets, Food, Traditions and more!

A new old face in town / A facelift for Lake Jasna

Hiking, cycling and strolling in sunny Slovenia!

New Zip Line over the Sava river / Panoramic Bled

Extreme Slovenia!

Winter on the Vršič Pass

Fascinating Ajdna!