Gobble Up Turkey

Friday 27th September 2024

From Triglav to Lake Bohingski

Bloody hell those weather forecasters got it right. With 30mm overnight, rain on awakening and  44m more to come   wet weather gear was  the order of the day.

The amount of rain was obvious with the streams and rivers bubbling along swiftly enough to exhilarate the Fox sisters.

Todays walk started at high altitude in the Triglax National Park. After  driving an hour along, around, over and then up again into the mountains.

I could not work out whether Jane was suffering motion or altitude sickness or trepidation as the driver spend the last 20 minutes twisting his way to the top, but it was not a face of delight.

With a wry grin the driver handed us our bags, shrugged his shoulders and said ‘maybe you should seek shelter in that hotel’ as he dropped us in a carpark in rain, howling wind and mist.

Once he drove off there was no option and with jackets and ponchos on we struck out along the path taking a bit of a buffeting, but soldiering on along now familiar paths.

The sign at this NP was  the  same,  highlighting  the wild animals we might encounter on the way, strangely it added turkeys- if we did see one that would be three of us.

Visibility was ordinary so no real sights to soak up. Jane as ever kept a watchful eye on the walking instructions. She suddenly stopped in her tracks and uttered something like’ yikes we have to cross a gorge – what is that going to be like with all this rain”. A large concrete bridge across a foaming stream soon settled our nerves and we pushed on through mostly forests before popping out into some mountain meadows that were home to dairies. 

Right next door was a chapel which gave us a raucous welcome with bells a pealing for midday.

We soon fell for the excitement of a short cut to take us off the gravel road. Never trust a shortcut – 300 – 400 metres of steep slippery rocks had to be trodden before we were back on terra firma.

The only saving grace was we popped out near a view point which gave fabulous views up into the mountains and along the valley.

We were surprised by the lack of wildlife. Other than a couple of startled deer and the occasional bird it was us, and the rocks and trees, plus a couple of cars heading upward and in the great Slovenian tradition a garbage truck going down. 

It was 3 and a bit hours into the walk and our pants were sodden despite the rain gear. We both looked like we needed an appointment at the incontinence clinic.

With the mist lifting we spotted a town towards the bottom of the valley, but again the old shortcut option had us slip sliding away to town, ironically at the gates to the cemetery. 

As with many here they are beautifully maintained. Sadly we wandered through a group after a funeral- makes you feel lucky to be enjoying our existence.

The next shortcut into town, was genuine with 70 properly formed steps and a handrail.

Found a seat beneath some shelter and enjoyed lunch, as the kids left school and jumped on the bus.

Seems the bells and us have some sort of affinity as they bade us farewell with a 2 minute tolling.

Down in the valley the mist had cleared and we gazed up at the mountains we had traversed, glad to be on flat ground, albeit wet.

The area  is famed for its hay drying racks and like bums everybody had one. Further out of town was a horse ranch with a wide range of stock including a couple of Lupica and  Icelandic , horses.  Not sure which was which but they were all up for a pat and got one.

The weather finally fell our way when rain eased to the occasional scudding shower.

Took a wrong turn out of town and ended up walking the main road into the penultimate town adjacent to the lake , where a load  of buses were dropping off the tourists at the swanky  apartments. 

Seems that the Japanese Ski Jump teams family and friends had arrived in droves here and when we reached town.

It’s an amazing lake surrounded by mountains and with all of this rain it was overflowing right  into a river outside our hotel.

Hotel was pretty flash and after a shower we enjoyed some dramatic thunder and lightning right through till dark. 

Dinner was in the a la carte restaurant and we were very happen with solids and liquids.

A walk around lake and maybe a cable car ride , plus huddling around mobile listening to AFL is all that is planned for tomorrow.

Thursday 26th September 2024

Walking The Hole of Kranjska Gora

Started the day well by confirming I was actually seeing wildlife on the wall and not dreaming – they were in fact artworks.

With no early walking start required, courtesy of a booking for a 10am game of golf organised by mine host, it was a late breakfast without guests.

The Japanese had headed off to practice jumping on the synthetic grass about 6 Kms away and apparently the US and Norwegian teams are expected before the season starts to take up digs next door.

Three English ladies we met yesterday doing this section of the walk are headed for Lake Bohinje – an 850 metre downhill run from the drop off point. Something we will attempt in 65mm of rain tomorrow if forecasts hold up.

Luckily it was only a short walk to the golf course, through an almost deserted town, other than the 8 whippets who bounded up their backyard to greet us.
They had one ring-in a buck toothed, crossed eyed mutt who must have been there guardian.

Wound our way down the road and crossed the river for the first of many times today, as the golf course straddled it and its streams.

We arrived a tad early and despite a 9 to 5 opening hours sign it was 10 before anyone arrived. In tne interim we had a little course tour and drank in the fabulous surroundings of the course.

A lone player, hit off before us and another chap was on the driving range which effectively shared the first of 9 holes.

The course looked to be in immaculate condition with lush well cultivated fairways and small but undulating greens.

The Pro turned up and set us up with clubs, buggies, gloves, balls and tees all for the princely sum of €110 or about $150.

Having been briefed about the course we stocked up on balls and after 2 holes there was good reason to.

First hole was relatively straight forward and having read about balls carrying much further at elevation I was pumped. One slight problem was distance required balls not to run along the ground. Run was another problem the lush grass was unlike Aust versions and ‘dribblers’ soon got caught up and stopped. Poor score on first was attributed to lack of course knowledge and being a bit rusty, not to mention modicum of ability.

Second hole was an even greater challenge – a long tee shot over the river followed by a suspension bridge crossing. Suffice to say the Golf Ball Gods gobbled up a couple here.

In windy and wet conditions it was not President Cup level golf for the first nine and we both acknowledged the crowd for our 50’s.

Course numbers had swelled to 7 by the time we started the second nine where we both played with a bit more confidence , even getting over the river on 2nd.

The ground staff were busy preparing the course for the weekend, constantly buzzing passed us on various types of tractor.

The 8th / 17th was a signature hole. The conventional play was up the left and then a tricky shot over the river. Jane managed to conquer the crossing both times.

Your correspondence took the bold line first time and got over in one, only to butcher a couple shots to have a 6.

Replication of tactic second time around failed miserably – feeding fish the first time and next shot hitting some shed on the adjacent fairway. Score – two fat ladies.

In the end a great day was had by us both, amazingly recording the same score – if I believe what my playing partner recorded. I actually thought she beat me.

Handed back the hire sticks, all seven of them, and packed away balls and gloves in case we get a game later in the tour.

Took the trip back over the river before grabbing a bakery lunch enjoyed in the Peace Park in middle of town where we teased the sparrows with our crumbs.

On the way back to the hotel we passed a restaurant with seat covers that might not sit well with Animal Rights activists.

A bit of souvenir shopping ( sure there will be a Christmas decoration secreted away somewhere) before a couple of pre/dinner Aperol Sptitz.

Again a very enjoyable traditional restaurant meal washed town with local wine and beer.

Home journey was in ever increasing rain which might substantiate the heavy rain forecast for tomorrow. In the words of Jane it will be “suck it up Susan and get on with it”.

Wednesday 25th September 2024

Waterfalls Around Kranjska Gora

An early night after the superb meal last night and a bit more settled sleep  saw us awake early and having to fossick  around before 800 breakfast.

After what is now a wholesome breakfast in the company of the Japanese Ski Jump team and World Cup medal winning mine host, we were off in pursuit of one maybe two waterfalls, up at around 1000 metres.

Out the door and within 100 metres of home were two ski fields  and chairlifts which would have made our digs ideal for the snow lovers.

Before we reached the real starting point the close proximity of countries here was illustrated by the signpost sayng 7 Kms to Austrian  and Italian borders.

Initially it was down to the river which was now crystal clear and flowing swiftly after the overnight rain.  The track was soft on the feet after the pounding they took yesterday traversing  the bike way.

Brushed through a sporting park which was full of kids running laps through the forest with sticks, not quite sure what sport they were training for, but the teacher/coach was giving them no latitude urging up the steep hills.

Adjacent was the towns lush bright green football field, including elevated coaches boxes, which looked like hunters roosts.  The goalies would need  intense concentration to ignore the backdrop of the imposing mountains.

We needed to stick to the low level route due to felling works higher on the hill- it drew no complaints from us.

The trail roughened up as we crept a little higher and the wet and slippery exposed tree routes added another level of concentration. The silence was beautiful , yet again illustrated the lack of birdlife.

Popped out of the forest and headed across the river to be confronted by the daunting mountains that lay ahead of us. Forested halfway up, they turned into gnarly and craggy peaks with tops peeping through the low cloud.

A short dash through some fenced fields where we were greeted by a herd of horses (looked like Mum and 6 month old foals) who jostled each other to get into the photo.

Not far up the road was a milk laden cow silhouetted by the mountains who would not have looked out of place in a Milka chocolate advert.

Plied our way through some meadows in the company of farmer Zlatko who was heading into the bush to collect who knows what.

Stopped for a short break at the base of the climb and were buzzed by a chopper and then joined by a lady  with a 3 legged dog. The latter eased my concerns a little about the degree of difficulty – if a limb impaired canine can make the climb surely we can.

Starting on a slight hill we soon reached the first spillway and crossed the bridge to witness an astounding sight of the whole dry part of the riverbed being covered in cairns. We added a stone to a couple. We mused about what might happen when the river was in flood.

The track then narrowed along the side of the hill before steepening quickly  and needing steps to make it a bit easier. We played a bit of tortoise and hare with some young Germans, but the hares eventually won and they scampered ahead up the gorge and out of sight.

A couple of bridges crossed the gorge, with one at the base of a mini cascade which  gave the boots an impromptu wash. 

The slope increase even more and some stairs to the sky had us at the base of the falls where we got both a great view and a shower from the spray. The noise of the water was thunderous.

The next 30 or so minutes making our way up the side of the gorge had the heart beating and the sphincter twitching. It was steep, rocky and with heaps of roots and big step ups. That was in addition to a 100 metre stretch across a wet and slippery rocky cliff face with s big drop below. It was very reminiscent of some of the moments in Turkey.

A couple of very relieved mountain goats reached the gravel road that led to the next falls, that was after a sidetrack to a restaurant – well somewhere selling food.

On the way we were serenaded by the chainsaws of the loggers and a musical pump taking water up to the eatery.

We had grabbed a roll just in case the eatery wasn’t open and that was a wise choice. We snacked under the shadows of the surrounding mountains.

After reading the blurb about the wildlife we might experience not one lynx, fox, bear, eagle or ibex was spotted, an angry chihuahua on a lead was about as wild as it got.

Read the guide book with a bit  more interest after the first climb and was pleasantly surprised that they recommended  not attempting the two hour return trip to the second falls.

That meant  a whizz down the hill from a 1000 metres up on a winding gravel road to the valley floor. It had the shins and thighs twitching when we reached the bikeway below.

The walk down gave great views across the valley to farms perched halfway up the hills.

The converted railway, come bikeway,  was a 4 km run back to town and ultimately home.

Great news on arrival at reception with golf organised for tomorrow, a traditional dinner organised for tonight and the hikers delight – someone to wash the laundry. 

Had an enormous traditional dinner with copious beer, wine and schnapps and waddled home, plonked on the bed and realised I had made a grave error in my earlier story about the wildlife. There they were the bear, ibex and eagle all on the wall. Only when I wake in the morning will I work out if they were real or an apparition.

Tuesday 24th September 2024

Bovec to Lake Fusine to Kranjski Gora

The pitter patter of rain on the tin roof and the booming echo’s of the thunder made for a disrupted sleep,  and with the accumulation  of the remnants of jet lag it is leaving us a bit bleary eyed.

The weather still hadn’t cleared but the forecast looked positive for a 14-15 km walk, after a 50 minute cab ride to the starting point of Lake Fusine- doesn’t sound Slavic, that is because it’s in Italy. Our final destination name looks like it was constructed from all of the least used letters in the alphabet.

From a scenery perspective it’s probably the best 50 minutes I have spent peering out a car window. Spectacular scenery was on both sides as we took a serpentine route to the top of Predl Pass.

The overnight rain had created a myriad of cascades in the mountainside and the low cloud over the top of the mountains provided an eerie look, with the craggy peaks occasionally poking their tops out.

After passing through the border crossing into Italy at the top (3000ft high) the trip down the other side was equally picturesque and exciting as we negotiated tight hairpin bends, overtook on blind corners over double lines and came perilously close to guard rails.

Sadly we can’t share the experience and will have to hold the memories in our human photo album as snapping pictures was impossible – the only thing snapping was our necks. Anyone with motion sickness would have been looking for the sick bag.

With respect to our driver I can only say he would be an ideal stunt double for Fred Johnson from The Fugitive, because at no stage on the whole journey did he have two hands on the wheel. He was either holding a sandwich, fiddling with papers or changing the radio station. 

It was an amazing difference once you hit Italy the pristine streets were grubby and quaint looking houses were replaced by large concrete unit blocks, with several backing onto industrial sites.

After just under an hour we reached Lake Fusine, which is actually two lakes Superiore and Inferiore. We were dropped off at the latter and despite the lack of sun the reflections on the lake were amazing.

We decided to do a lap of the lake . Despite all of the beauty the trail was treacherous after overnight rain with slippery roots and rocks requiring you to watch every step. 

After the lake we followed a swift flowing stream that was being fed by little rivulets about 10 metres apart which were capturing the runoff from the stony hills above.

Got to the bottom of the hill and meandered along earthen paths and then a disused train track which was converted into a bike/walk way. There were plenty of bikers, but no other walkers.

The alpine forests were a green carpet covering the whole of the mountainside.

As the mist started to settle in we reached another border checkpoint (unmanned) for bikers and walkers which led us back into Slovenia. There was a more formal car crossing with proper guards about 200 metres away.

We ended up on the right side of the border at what we thought was a supermarket. It turned out to be a Duty Free store in the middle of nowhere, right next to a petrol station . Apparently the Italians visit to fill up and buy cheap cigarettes. We bought neither and pushed along to a pretty small town called Racete.

Popped into a supetmarket and bought lunch- a roll with 4 price tags- one for each ingredient.

Jane managed to find a little tacker to give a kangaroo pin, which he accepted with great excitement, though did struggle to know the difference between a kangaroo and a koala.

As we headed out of town we passed a little old lady who had to be in her eighties wandering though town with backpack and walking poles – destination unknown but wherever it was would take a long time to reach.

Out of town, passing more colourfully painted beehives before entering the Zelenci Nature Park. With a small lake, marshes and a boardwalk it was a little underwhelming.

The size of the mountains were starting to grow again and we came across our first chairlift and small ski slope. It was the start of a long line of lifts which ranged from Poma lifts to 3 person chairlifts. 

The slopes became quite steep as we neared Podkoren which undoubtedly survived on the winter ski season – photos can’t seem to do justice to how steep or high the runs are. You need to crane your neck to see where they start atop the mountain.

Most of them have been groomed for the coming season and one job not to be volunteered for would be mowing them. 

The township was a mix of quaint houses,old and restored, along with ski lodges, apartments and the odd hotel. We sat under an old.

Linden tree and enjoyed our lunch, after battling to remove the multitude of price stickers.

Left town and wandered through farm land where stock included cows, sheep, ducks, horses and a real odd one ostriches.

Thankfully as the weather turned chilly we reached our final destination – Kranjski Gora. It’s huge and looks a bit like a Snowy Mountains town ie designed solely for the winter sports enthusiasts. The rugged mountain backdrop is certainly spectacular.

Wandered through town and found our apartment where we were warmly greeted and offered a little drop of plum schnapps. The place has a strong ski hetitage with the owner being a World Cup medal winner in the 90’s. In more modern times it’s been the base for the Japanese Women’s Skijump team, with 2 actually in the foyer when we arrived.

We again got a spacious apartment with views up the valley into the mountains.

Had been a long day so we cleaned up, planned tomorrow’s walk and perhaps Thursday will be a game of golf. The next few days look ok, Friday for our big descent into the lakes district looks problematic with 60mm of rain. Hopefully we enjoy the same fortune as the last few days with the Bureau getting it totally wrong.

Had a smashing dinner at a local restaurant where the theme of friendly, efficient and engaging service was provided.  It’s common practice at all restaurants for a Gift from The Kitchen in the form of a canapé to be offered.

Had a couple of interesting things happen. The adjacent table had 4 people and a huge Samoyd dog eating with them- can’t have been very enjoyable for them as they took turns to walk him outside because of his barking.

Then when we paid, the card machine had a display where you could nominate a tip amount. It started at 5% went to 25% then other. There was no straight amount  – sounds like too many Yanks are visiting.

Headed home in light rain and this time the pitter patter of light rain was a calming sound and 600am was the next thing I remember.

Monday 23rd September 2024

In and Around Bovec

After some unusual traditional fare last night,  sleep was disrupted as the body coped with the change in diet. 

Another cracking day with clear skies and rain not predicted till late in the evening.

A quick European breakfast and we were out with the very sparse crowd. It seems everyone went back to work or slept in. That was with the exception of 4 German women who were clad from head to toe in exactly the same outfits – not sure if its was a girls week away or tradition.

One industry that thrives in an ultra clean Slovenia is rubbish removal/ street cleaning. In the space of 50 metres there was 3 trucks, 3 garbage collectors, 3 blokes with blowers and following up was the street sweeper. You don’t see a skerrick of rubbish anywhere.

As usual the day started with an uphill walk towards the towering backdrop of the karst mountains behind town. On the other side of the valley a single road zigzagged its way to the top.

We walked through the top of town which was essentially apartments, hotels and B and B’s all there to accommodate the seasonal/weekend thrill seekers.

After a 2km climb we had our first filtered view of the cable car which steepled up to the very top of the mountain. It would have been a spectacular if not nervous ride to the top when you saw the state of the 2 person cars.

Nobody had to take the risk as it had been shut down for ‘operational reasons’ some time ago and Slovenian ski enthusiasts need to make the 50 minute drive to fields on the other side in Italy.

The photo below showed it in its halcyon days

Plenty of logging still going on here with heaps of freshly hewn logs littered along the side of the road.

Made our way through a couple of mountain side villages, with one house having an unusual method of securing his metal roof – try 30 strategically placed large rocks.

Enjoyed our first piece of downhill when the track led us down to the falls which are fed from springs on the Italian side of the range. The water was an amazing colour, but at 5 degrees uninvitimg for a dip. The water flowed down to a nearby reservoir to help with power generation.

Hiked back up the hill towards the actual permanent water source where it came out of the hills. They have diverted a lot of it into the reservoir. It too was amazingly clear.

On the way back we passed the Adventure Gorge which you can traverse using zip lines, bridges, steel cables and ropes. Shame we were at the bottom end- not.

Made our way along some highland pastures where the source of my sheep cheese soup munched away incessantly on some rich pastures. Their bells clanging with every mouthful.

Got closer to the bottom and had been intrigued most of the way by the signs saying Golf. Then there it was a 9 hole course in a spectacular setting where you could play normal golf, foot golf and tenigolf using a tennis racquet. There were separate tee boxes and greens for each.

Nobody playing but it certainly looked tough with bush, water and the craziest bunkers. We actually intended playing, but a 6 km round trip from town by foot ( town too small for cabs) put an end to that.

Some more bush bashing and wandering through some honey farms and we ended up at the closed cable car station and it’s 200 car parking lot.

The only car there was occupied by a couple of Poms who sought some guidance on how to find the falls etc- ‘follow the yellow signs’ was about as prescriptive as we could do.

We were soon in town enjoying a hikers lunch – panini and beer before heading home.

Afterwards wandered forlornly around town a bit after missing the golfing trip and ended up having a quiet drink before checking plans for tomorrow where 50 mm of rain might make for uncomfortable walking.

Dinner was again traditional fare at a hotel where we were the only patrons. Did a stroll around town and found a few more lively places that would have been a better option. Shrugged the shoulders and headed home for an early night and probably another dose of insomnia.

Sunday 22nd September 2024 Kobarid to Bovec

Another bell free night and woke with the sparrows for our moving day to Bovec –  the outdoor capital of Slovenia.

Even though a sumptuous breakfast was available I again took the minimalist approach with fruit, veges and a bit of toast.

Ran into a couple of Aussies who were on a cycling tour with today’s outing a mere 80kms and 1000 feet in elevation and neither seemed  particularly excited. Just hope the lithium batteries outside their door were fully charged.

Our 13-14 km walk with 250 metres of elevation paled into insignificance until you added in the track conditions, scree and severe downhill sections.

Our walk started in a town upstream of Kobarid on the Soce River – about a 20 minute drive. The mountains again were stunning with Mt Krn at 7300 feet overlooking us.

The starting point was another village with less than 40 houses , but it did have some farmlands with horses and cows.

We wandered adjacent to the river through thick forests on beaut earthen paths, nothing like what lay ahead of us later in the day.

Popped over a small stream where another bridge had fallen by the wayside and were soon right on the crystal clear river where a couple of fisherman were fly fishing ( supppsefly 20kg trout are not uncommon. – but we know how fishermen can bend the truth). Just adjacent to them a family dipped their toes in the fast flowing icy water

Popped up off the river and started our journey towards the tough part of track which led to the huge Boka Falls.. A severe uphill on pebbled paths was followed by a traverse of the mountain side across scree  and also some scrambling over small boulders, with an eagle eye looking out for signs.

We found a little bit of equipment on the track should we need some track improvement.

Relatively unscathed we reached the viewing point, but could not see a thing. We inadvertently didn’t re-read instructions and struck off up a very steep and rough track. After 300 metres we ran into a couple of frazzled walkers who suggested the trip was too hazardous. 

I didn’t take much convincing and headed back to the turnoff. The instructions said the track we dismissed was where you needed mountaineering experience. 

Found the steep and treacherous way down and managed to take a tumble on a rocky step as I foolishly got distracted. Pride was only injury, other than a container of squashed figs in my backpack.

Close to the bottom we found a pristine lower trail which apparently gave a great view.

Finally reached the bottom and crossed the Soce River where more fly fishermen on the river were taking guidance from a spotter on the bridge as to where the fish were. Looking from on high the fish were sizeable but too cunning for the anglers.

Followed a minor road along the river where heaps of people were in rafts, kayaks and on paddle boards testing their skills in both flat water and mini rapids. We did eventually get a distant view of the falls.

There was a constant buzz above from small aeroplanes which were plying their way up the valley above the river and dropping off parachutists. Along with the water and air based activities the area is the playground for rock climbers and in the winter skiers- we obviously haven’t seen the ski slopes as none of the hills we have noticed would be skiable.

Found ourselves in a small village which was alive with people using this part of the river as the kickoff point.

Made our way up some more steep stony paths and popped out next to the grass airfield which was full of light aircraft and eager parachutists. Just on the latter there was one at the local ice cream shop with his packed up and being carried like a backpack – closest I have seen to a human turtle.

The town is definitely a sports enthusiast destination full of hotels, apartments, bars and fast food outlets. Many a young thrill seekers was  hanging out of bars letting their hair down.

We found our restaurant come guest house in the middle of town, enjoyed a welcoming drink from mine host ( not sure if it’s gratis) then collapsed on the bed. With a combined age of 140 I don’t think we will be hanging out with any of the young bucks we just passed.

Nice room with balcony and the obligatory mountain view.

Saturday 21st September 2024

Awake nice and early to be greeted by a cracking day with a few wispy clouds covering the tops of mountains visible from the bedroom window- actually whilst laying flat out. Thankfully the bells stopped pealing about 900 last night.

Breakfast was a great follow up to dinner, with an amazing array of goodies to suit anybody. After about 5 days without vegetable servings, other than potatoes in various forms, I deferred to the Mediterranean style with lots of vegetables and fruit and no sweet treats. I am sure my digestive system will be pleased.

We shared breakfast with a roomful of American men on a Culture Tour which had a strong military history focus.

Our day was not meant to be too arduous with a circular walk to the waterfall and local war memorials, plus a couple of Museums. It wasn’t that simple as the suspension bridge had recently failed a safety inspection and we needed to do a couple of out and back walks instead.

The first one took us through the middle of town, passing a raft of cute houses, many with neat firewood stacks already in place for the winter. The town is remarkably tidy with no litter in sight.

We were soon headed down towards the Soce river. It was crossed by the Napoleon Bridge and what an amazing sight, with crystal clear emerald to tourquoise water running through a narrow gorge before flowing into a set of rapids. The steepling mountains on both sides were an amazing backdrop.

We will need to do a lot of photo culling because it was a clickathon with the camera as we walked along the road heading towards the National Park.

That said as world worst photographer it might still leave some crummy ones.

The scenery only got better, even though the track quality diminished. You had to love the warning signs about falling rocks and use self protection – essentially translate into ‘duck there is a boulder coming’.

Unlike many of other walks we recently did there were lots of others out and about, many with one or two dogs and some with babies in carriers worn like a backpack.

We passed the out of service suspension bridge which looked as though it might have tested the nerves even when it was pristine condition, with its only two flimsy supports made from timber precariously anchored into a boulder.

We branched away from the river and were in the heart of the valley where the major WW1 battles took place. As with Kokoda it was hardly ideal terrain to wage a war.

The track meandered along a small stream before a couple of bridge crossing, with guide wires to help balance, had us at the base of the Slab or waterfall in our lingo.

It was almost like a cavern with a leaky roof with water thundering over the edge , then pooling and gently flowing down to the main river. There were the usual idiots getting off the trail and clambering down rock faces to take the ‘ultimate photo’. 

Fully sated with the experience we headed back, but took the opportunity to branch off up into the mountain side to explore the remnants of the trenches left over from the war. It was chilling to thing you were treading in the spots where the war raged for those 29 months and so many tragically lost their lives after enduring terrible weather and living conditions. 

Clambered our way back down to the riverside, testing the dicky knees. and retraced our steps back to town passing a string of beehives ( a huge industry up here) and a carpark now brimming with more visitors. 

Grabbed a few more snaps off the Napoleon Bridge and caught a glimpse of a few paragliders who were far too high to photograph.

Visited a large supermarket where amongst other things it was ‘do it yourself’ filling bottles with Kefir and at the next stage one of four wines being offered- the latter was under supervision.

Then it was back into town to visit the War Museum, which had won many awards, and understandably so. It was remarkable collection of photographs and artefacts, along with scaled plaster models of mountain battlefields. There was also a theatrette   where a film of the events in WW1 was shown. 

The whole experience was emotional and quite confronting – this was effectively Slovenia’s version of our Gallipoli and The Western Front.

Headed back into town before a bite to eat and then an uphill climb to the memorial for 8000 Italian soldiers who lost their lives in the region.

The memorial , with its walls coveted in the name of lost souls, enveloped the church high on the hill. The church had dual purposes religious celebration and signal points in the war to warn of impending invaders.

From this vantage point you could see down the valley and also look over the township and see what a compact place it was, yet so significant in the war.

It’s interesting now that a symbol of trying to live in more harmonious times is celebrated by the Peace Walk. It runs from the Alps to the Adriatic, some 900 kilometres, passing through many of the battle fields. Maybe one to consider, or at least parts of it, in the future.

Followed it up with a walk around the town capturing all of the recommended sites before heading home for a siesta and then to spread some wealth amongst the local bars with a visit to the one directly adjacent to our hotel.

As with last night the food and service was sensational, this time departing the seafood and settling on venison.

Back at home we read tomorrows trip notes with a little trepidation with quotes like ‘ a long stint on scree’ , ‘severe drop off and slippery footing’ and ‘ don’t take wrong fork as mountaineering experience is required ‘. Sounds like an exciting 14km 5-6 hour walk.

That said there was a very enticing comment at the bottom of the page ‘ you can avoid this section and do one of the alternative walks in the town where todays walk finishes’.

Nothing like a Plan B to consider.

Friday 20th September 2024

We awoke bright and early for our last day in Trieste after a very pleasant stay in a great apartment.

Walked the busy roads to the tree lined avenue where all forms of outlets were selling breakfast treats. Some sort of panini looking thing, a version of a Vanilla Slice plus 2 cups of coffee ( we somehow ordered and paid for 4 before collecting them) and we were fed and watered for our morning tour.

With terrible weather predicted for our walk the first stop was a sporting goods shop to buy a poncho. Jane’s view was its great for this trip and too big a spend not to use it again on a walk next year.

Guessing she has spied a future trip and will divulge it on our way home.

Headed out to the waterfront and was amazed at the derelict buildings still standing after the port was relocated . It would be a remarkable site for redevelopment into hotels and apartments with its panoramic view.

We wandered back along the promenade and then out to the finger  wharf which gave great views out to sea and back into the hills behind town.

Despite a raft of ‘no fishing’ signs anglers of all ages littered the foreshore- non with observable evidence of success.

We wandered back down to our favourite haunt – the Grand Canal- and lunched on an Argentinian meat platter and the obligatory Aperol , whilst overlooking the now spruced up canoe polo court. A few teams were up in a compound preparing boats. 

A last coffee and cake at the cafe near our digs and we were soon in the people mover heading for Slovenia, some two hours away.

The driver was a polite and engaging young man who spoke perfect English. He basically gave us a  guided tour and history/geography lessons as we wend our way northwards with ocean to the left and karst mountains to the right.

The shipyards where the cruise liner being built was more evident from on high and apparently it is the biggest industry around Trieste.

Out of the city and we were in the famed Prosecco area- even had a town named after it. Then it was our first glimpse of the imposing Julian Alps. 

We soon crossed over into Slovenia which is very popular with Italians for two reasons cheap petrol /cigarettes and Casino’s.

Off the top of the hills and down into the Soce river where we got our first glimpse of the emerald coloured river- stunning is the only word to describe it. 

The interesting backdrop was the bushfire scarred hills which last year held more than one danger. Apparently the area was a torrid battle theatre during the war and one defence mechanism was to lay fields of grenades whilst retreating. One slight problem was they were not recovered post war and during the fires some 700 exploded. Not sure if it’s true or an urban myth and if the latter I am happy to perpetuate it.

Driving along the valley floor there was a real mix of residential and industrial areas- cement production is a major employer. There was a distinct lack of farming.

The two hours passed quickly and we were soon in our quaint little township of Kobarid.

InnTravel certainly excelled itself when it comes to quality and location of accommodation.

Based in the centre of town where the hills envelop the town  and every outdoor adventure you could imagine is here . Walking rock climbing, para gliding and any conceivable thing you can do in a fast flowing river/ just go to one of the dozen agencies to book .

They even take away the need for an alarm clock as our hotel was adjacent to the church whose bell rang on the quarter hour. Hoping it stops at a decent hour.

To open the window of our room and see these mountains and the valley where the greatest wartime battle  ever occurred,   with 17 countries fighting for 29 months with the loss of a million soldiers is beyond comprehension. We will visit the memorials and war cemetery tomorrow and can imagine it will be a pretty solemn occasion. 

Intriguingly the only visible sign of the war is a derelict cannon beside a modern day Stop sign which probably reflects what they tried to do in WW1.

The area is the setting for Hemingway’s novel A Farewell to Arms.

On a less sober note, pardon the pun, we tried the local bar and enjoyed a nice beer served by a young Asian girl who must still  be on the waiting list for the charm school course.

After a brief break and a surprise that both Sharks and Swans  won their respective matches we were rapt with the inclusive dinner option. It was fine dining all the way with wonderfully capable and friendly staff serving  up a swag of seafood delights complemented by a local Sauvignon Blanc. Then topped off with the local dessert of walnut dumplings.

No room for coffee , so we waddled off to bed after another memorable day of our latest European odyssey.

Thursday 19th September 2024

A watershed day on the trip with no planes, trains or automobiles , just good old Shanks Pony to get us around.

Could not feel anything but fresh after the sleep we had, so it was out the door to one of the recommended cafe’s we would visit today. The Bonbonierre was full of the most delicious looking treats you could imagine and selecting one was difficult indeed. A pistachio cream filled croissant with a capuchino and a little surprise shot glass of melted chocolate was a delicious start to the day.

We wandered the ‘pedestrian only’ streets full of cafes, with crowds flowing out onto the street and patrons doing what Italians do best – watch the world go by. Many had dogs of unknown parentage, along with pure breeds and all welcome patrons.

No time for lingering on the cafe express and we headed for the age old San Marco cafe come book shop, which appeared to be full of many young university students and professionals. Chose not to have a drink and continued to take in the sights and sounds of town, including the barrage of scooters.

Next stop was the Cafe Vergnano which opened in the late 1800’s. Tiny but full of charm and even at 1030 the patrons were drinking coffee, Campari and pilsner, all enjoying the ambiance. Our poison was the yummiest blended iced coffee, which was sadly only served in shot glass portions – pretty sure a schooner glass would be just right.

Not a particularly healthy start to the day, but it was enough calories to power us up the myriad of winding stairs to the Cathedral and Castle sitting high above the tunnel beneath the hill.

The castle was still in amazing condition and we did a walk through the gallery of ancient armaments before crossing the huge courtyard ( now used for theatre productions and exhibitions) before walking the parapet and getting a 360 degree view of the city.

Thankfully we had beaten the crowds off the cruise liner which must have arrived late yesterday or early this morning.

We left the castle via the castle keep and drawbridge lorded over by a couple of famous Captains and protected by a single cannon and headed for the Cathedral.

Getting into the Cathedral with 3-4 bus loads of tourists arriving was a mission impossible, so we picked our way down a steep cobbled road to another old part of town where a single remnant of the past stood attached to an apartment block- thank God for preservation orders.

With the descent finished we headed down to the port passing through what is supposed to be the biggest seaside piazza in Italy. It was amazingly devoid of people, other than the obligatory guided tour.

We wandered along the harbour and past the cruise liner in search of a seafood restaurant on the marina.

Not one materialised in the 30 minute walk, so it was off to the back streets littered with cafes, restaurants and our favourites the osteria’s which are typically family run places with menu’s with limited offerings that change regularly depending on what is available.

A couple of local entrees and a fish and calamari main were washed down with a mix of local beer and wine.

Al Fresco dining was happening everywhere as we picked our way towards home passing a wacky tabaccy shop that was open 24 hours a day,

Kept looking for the Sapori bars famed for coffee roasting and brewing, plus doing great late afternoon apéritif’s with nibbles. We spotted a few likely prospects, if we could get past the next attraction the Trieste Beer Festival which had seemingly popped up overnight, along the side of the Grand Canal, right next to the water polo ‘pool’

Got home late afternoon and cracked a mini bottle of Prosecco and did a bit of planning for next few days.

With darkness impending came another trip to the Grand Canal and we found the water polo or at least a derivative of it played in kayaks.

The beer festival was only just starting to warm up so we headed for Aperotif Countty and managed to find 2 spots for an Aperol and nibbles and then finished off ‘dinner’ with a gelato.

The streets were still packed with families enjoying that traditional time where all generations get together. Given the number of babies around it wasn’t as surprising as expected to walk into a Mum breast feeding ( all tanks out) as she strolled along.

The cruise ship had left so nowhere near as many tourists.

Did another lap of the Beer Festival tents, without embibing, and headed off home after a long days touring.

Another half day here before heading up to Julian Alps to start the walk in a town called Kobarid.

Wednesday 18th September 2024

No need to wait for the alarm we were both wide awake at 530.

We decided to get up and go and upon reaching the station were gratefully assisted by a slick Italian to get our tickets- all for a €2 donation.

The train ride entertainment was provided by a blonde bimbo fare evader trying to talk her way out of a fine. We think the persistent railway attendant was able to look through the fluttering eyelashes and grab another miscreant.

Again the airport book in and security shuffle was painless and we were soon eating toasted sandwiches – Italian style- and sipping capucinno for breakfast.

That ended the painless start to the day with Air Italia living up to its reputation and delivering an hours delay. Bit of a shame really because the booking staff and onboard crew didn’t do a bad job.

The 45 minute flight was smooth, but not so the landing as the pilot battled the 50km winds to give us an exciting landing- strangely there was none of the usual clapping, perhaps people were too busy wondering if they had spare undies.

The airport exemplified the fact Trieste only has a population of circa 200k people. Not too many staff and most seemed to leave once everyone collected their belongings.

Headed off to the train station for the 40 minute trip to town. Unfortunately, without the aid of our little helper from Rome Termini the ticket purchasing process took longer than expected, generating a lot of toe tapping from the people in the queue.

We missed the express train and enjoyed the leisurely trip to town which gave great mountain and water views. Some pretty serious hills, which hopefully are not an indication of what we will have to tackle. Boat building seemed to be big as well with a cruise liner being built at shipyard north of town.

We were looking forward to visiting Trieste with its amazing history during the two world wars and to see how it had reinvented itself.

Jane as usual had booked a well located apartment not far from the centre of town. It was very untypical of Italian and French accommodation with great sized lounge, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom with a shower that was ‘not so squeezy’.

Had a great lunch in a nearby family restaurant before a walk along the Grand Canal, which strangely had two water polo courts set up in it amongst the moored boats. The canal sides were littered with cafes and restaurant’s, but not particularly crowded.

There is a touch of Paris with tree lined pedestrian only streets littered with alfresco dining opportunities galore. As expected plenty of churches and a plethora of different architectural styles.

We meandered home with the intent of a little siesta to try and minimise the impact of jet lag, but ended up comatose and sleeping through dinner.

During some awake time we did a forward check on weather for the walk. With something like 200mm of rain predicted over the first 5 days, including 120mm in a 3 hour slot on one day, we will either be very wet, flood bound or taking a taxi. Can only hope the forecasters here are as reliable as back home.