Slovenia, lakes, forests and mountains

[ilovescotty]

This was without a doubt, one of the most incredible hikes of my life. It was our first time in Slovenia, and we chose this as our final hike of the week, simply because I was dreading the fact that we had to use a cable car to get to the start of the hike (despite my love of hill and mountain walking, I hate heights).

The view from the top of the cable car

Upon reaching the upper cable car station, the walk took us through the beautiful Lopata virgin forest, across boulder strewn meadows and towards one of the many peaks that are available to choose from.

After the stunning deciduous woodlands, the path leads to a more open area with a cheese making station, where milk from the local cows is turned into a crumbly cheese which you can find in many Slovenian food stores. One assumes it is cows that produces the milk, however we saw not a single bovine on our trek, so maybe the milk comes from goats, or a more disturbing possibility, humans?!

Good plot for a horror film . . . .

Anyway, back to the trail. We wandered past the cheesery (is that a word? It is now . . ), and on to a valley, with dwarf pine covering the nearby slopes. Really beautiful surroundings, and so different to the Scottish and Welsh peaks I have become accustomed to.

Then . . . . the ascent.

Now, as anyone who has read my previous posts will know, I love love LOVE to poke fun at my dearest girlfriend Emma, who is also my reluctant walking companion.

On this walk she was on top form, upon seeing the climb we were to attempt. a scowl spread across her face that would make even the bravest of souls quiver with fear.

Each time we are about to climb a peak of any real size, I am treated to a different glance. The glance is always intended to express disapproval, however, each time it gets more and more severe. I caught it on camera this time, brace yourselves:

If you think this is bad, you should have seen the look on her face when we came back down

The peak we wanted to reach was called Vogel, however I am not really a peak 'bagger' and was more than happy just to go as far as our cowardice and poorly trained hamstrings would take us.

We met a lovely couple from Belgium who told us our ambition to reach the top of Vogel was a touch unrealistic, as the wind was becoming more and more severe. We pressed on.

Crackin' view

This next bit felt a bit dicey. We were on a narrow path with granite mountainside sloping upwards away from us on our left and shale falling sharply away to the right.

The views in the other direction were just breathtaking. Forest and mountains almost as far as the eye could see. A proper wilderness experience.

Emma composing herself. The calm before the storm.

Onward and upwards again.

If you look closely, you can see a narrow pathway snaking up the mountain opposite us. Whoever would be mentally deficient enough to use this is beyond me.

The walk back down to the cable car gave us some amazing views over the changing forests. Lovely orange and brown colours.

Worth noting: if you want an incredible mountain wilderness holiday in Europe, Slovenia is a great choice. It's a tiny country, and from the airport to the national park was only around 30 minutes by car. Accommodation is cheap as chips (we paid £300 for a luxurious apartment in the heart of the national park), flights from Stanstead are £60 return approx and food is no more expensive than the UK.

[Mal Grey]

That looks superb! As you say, a very different landscape to Scotland.

And I must be mentally deficient because I'd LOVE to use that little path zig-zagging up to the neighbouring summit.

[jacob]

Slovenia indeed is a great place: rough mountains, great forests, walkerfriendly and outdoorsy people and not as commercialized as the better known neighbours Germany, Austria and one door down Switzerland.

You captured a great atmosphere.
You shouldn't tease Emma that much though, poor girl.