Sankaska koca | Adele in Slovenia

If someone were to ask me what would be your ideal weather for Christmas, my answer would have fitted exactly what we had. I couldn’t have asked for a better Christmas present than the perfect cloudless skies and warm winter sunshine we had last week. My parents were here from the UK for Christmas and the three of us sat outside having a picnic lunch on Christmas Day. Who’d have thought that possible!

However, not all the country were so lucky as many places were, again, shrouded in fog. This is the view on Boxing Day looking down from Možjanca, near Preddvor.

During my parent’s visit we packed in plenty of sights including a trip to the Christmas market in Ljubljana.

A visit to Kranj to watch the very popular annual Christmas tuba concert (tuba božički) – to get us in the festive mood.

On Christmas Eve we went to see the preparations for mass at the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Brezje – http://www.radolca.si/en/brezje-basilica/

On Christmas Day we visited a tourist farm (more about that next week), visited friends, watched the Ana Snežna street show in the old town of Radovljica, and finished the day with a meal at Kunstelj Inn in Radovljica.

If you haven’t already decided how and where to see in the new year, here are some ideas of what’s on in Radovljica and the surroundings and also further afield.

On 30th December there will be a pre-New Year’s Eve party for children at 4pm in Linhart Square, whilst on New Year’s Eve the merriment will take place, also in Linhart Square, with live music from the Avsenik House Ensemble. More information here – http://www.radolca.si/en/what-to-do/events-1/festive-december-in-linhart-square/83/110/

If food, and of course drink, is on your mind, then look to one of the Taste Radol’ca restaurants, though hurry as some are already fully booked. Amongst others, Kunstelj Inn is offering a 4-course menu of local food for 33 euros, Grajska gostilnica is offering a 6-course New Year’s Eve menu for just 37 euros per person and Gostišče Tulipan has a 4-course menu with live music for 28 euros per person.

Further afield, the capital, Ljubljana, is a popular destination to spend New Year’s Eve, with plenty happening all over the city or, if the weather is fine, spending New Year’s Eve in one of Slovenia’s many mountain huts can also be a magical. One year I walked up to the Sankaška hut above Begunje, from where, on a clear day/night, there are fantastic views and I was able to enjoy watching many fireworks displays across the valley. So, if the weather plays game and that appeals, don your hiking gear and a head torch and head on up there. More information here – http://www.radolca.si/en/st-peters-trail-begunje/

I have now been writing this blog for exactly three years. In that time it has had over 90,000 views from all over the world and this year I was delighted and proud that it was also officially recognised by the Slovenian Tourist Organisation and now also features on the homepage of their website – http://www.slovenia.info/en/Blog-Adele-in-Slovenia/Adele-in-Slovenia.htm?adele_slovenia=0&lng=2

People often ask me how I come up with so many ideas for what to write about and if I ever run out of ideas. Actually, sometimes I still have too many ideas so, if you keep reading, I’ll keep writing, and may the journey continue to make 2016 an even more successful year for Adele in Slovenia!

I wish all readers a very, very Happy & Healthy New Year!

I’m afraid it will be at least 6 weeks or so until I’ll be able to blog about any of my latest hikes and adventures as, unfortunately, on Monday last week I fell on ice and now have a fractured humerus – which believe me is anything but ‘humorous’!

If I wasn’t already paranoid enough about ice, now I will be even more so and this year, since the snow fall at the end of December, the ice has been particularly bad, though, following heavy rain this past weekend much of it in the valley has, thankfully, finally melted. I wasn’t doing anything dramatic or particularly adventurous when I fell and, annoyingly, had had my crampons on until just minutes before, having removed them for the final part of the path down which, being on the sunny side, had been ‘ice-free’ – or so it seemed – for a week or so. However, there was just one small spot, just a few metres, where there was a little ice mixed with mud and that was my downfall – literally.

At first I thought/hoped I might have just torn the tendons and was praying the pain would dissipate. However, some hours later it was evident that wasn’t going to happen so it was time for the inevitable trip to the on-call doctor, followed by x-rays at A&E, to confirm that, yes, I had actually broken a bone. ‘Bugger’ – just one of the expletives I might have uttered and probably the only one that is suitable for print!

So now follows 6 long, frustrating weeks of being one-armed which, when you live alone, is anything but easy. Simple, every day tasks become torturous, not due to pain – thankfully and strangely it doesn’t really hurt – just due to the length of time it takes to do the simplest of things; getting dressed, showered etc. Still, I’m trying to remain as upbeat as I can and at least I can still get outdoors for a walk, albeit not exactly the type of walk I would choose and running and cycling are off the agenda, though, being winter I wouldn’t be doing much of that anyway.

The place I fell was on the path to St. Peters Church (Sv. Peter) above the village of Begunje which is a really popular place to hike among the local population. There are a number of routes up to the church but I usually favour the direct, steeper route which leads up from near the post office in Begunje. It takes about 30 minutes to reach the church and a further 5 minute level walk leads to the Sankaška hut (Sankaška koča) which has a terrace with amazing views over the whole valley and where tasty soups, stews and strudel can be enjoyed. This place is popular all-year round and, particularly at weekends during fine weather, its pretty much guaranteed to be buzzing. Another popular route up to the church begins from the Krpin Recreation Centre a little further on through the village. Don’t be put off by my fall – it was just one of those unlucky things – so if you are visiting the Radol’ca area, I’d definitely recommend a trip up to St. Peter’s Church and to the viewing terrace at the Sankaška hut. You can read more about St. Peters Trail here – http://www.radolca.si/en/st-peters-trail-begunje/ and about St. Peter’s Church here – http://www.radolca.si/en/begunje-church-st-peter/

Here are a couple of photos of me on a winter’s hike – taken a couple of year’s ago – to the very same place – believe it or not!

I will, of course, still be blogging – what is it they say about ‘not being able to keep a good man/woman down’? In the meantime, I’ll also be getting my thinking cap on, availing of public transport (driving is now out of the question too) and being thankful, once again, that I live in Radovljica which is well served by public transport and offers plenty of places to walk – even for those of us who are, temporarily at least, somewhat less mobile.

Hot off the press news – the new ‘Taste Gorenjska’ (Okusi Gorenjske) brochure has just been launched and, having been involved in its preparation, I think it looks rather good! The cuisine of each area of Gorenjska is presented with featured special dishes. You can pick up a copy in local tourist offices or the online version is available here – http://issuu.com/bledtouristboard/docs/okusi_gorenjske_a4_ang

Adele in Slovenia

My life and adventures in Radovljica and throughout Slovenia

Tag Archives: Sankaska koca

Reflections & New Year in Slovenia

St. Peter’s Church, Begunje – An icy break