Friday 4th October 2024

Motovun to Kaldir and Return

Today we decided on what looked like the simple cross the valley walk to a winery, enjoy a tasting and then return through the vineyards to home, albeit with a very steep walk back up to the hotel.

Still struggling with a lurgi and low appetite and energy I picked through breakfast before kitting up the the day.

The easy part was leaving hotel and main square to head out the town gate. That was the first 50 metres done.

Nothing like starting the real walk with a nice downhill run on steep cobblestones to get the ankles and toes twitching- but at least we could see the township way off in the distance.

We wend our way through the suburbs – all three streets – before heading down towards the old railway.

On the way we passed a huge dog kennel with a lot of mixed breeds laying quietly , that was until we got near them. Strange thing with dogs here is that they are rarely seen as pets – they have two purposes finding truffles or finding wildlife for the hunters. It’s probably why cats are so prolific around the streets.

If the number of truffle shops is an indication they do a bloody good job. As for the hunting side we might find out more as we make our way through the menu to see if venison is available. We could hear a few baying in the distance and also heard a few gun pops. We had general instructions of ‘ in hunting season be sure you make lots of noise in the forest’. I guess yelling “oh s..t lost again and no more bloody mud” may have sufficed as no near misses.

We didn’t stay on the railway line very long we were either on tracks or wandering through the edges of vineyards. In both cases it was through mud which caked your boots and often you had to pull them out of boggy spots with a pop- hoping they stayed on.

Reached a decision point and when Jane deferred to the note – alas a couple of pages were missing. After a mild panic they were found crumpled in the guide holder.

Having notes didn’t make the going easier and we seemed to go around and up hills in a circuitous route to finally find the town of Kaldir. If it wasn’t for the winery there was not much else going on, other than a house with a lot of ribbons tied to gates , fences and vetsndah’s – so presumed it was a wedding.

Up into the winery to be told our booking was for yesterday, but with a crowd of 2 they managed to squeeze us in. Tried about 5 different wines,including the award winning Teran blend, which were all nice. Bought a sticky to have something to drink as an after dinner pleasure.

They were a small winery selling 160,000 bottles, including overseas markets . Got the full tour of the operation and met the winemaker, a young woman in her 30’s.

A bit of route checking before leaving and we thought we would defer to Maps.me and go off the notes to avoid the walk through an area where it was supposedly muddier than before.

A great call it wasnt, as we wandered through tracks with landslips, walked away from home on many occasions and still ended up in the mud. At one spot Jane’s boots were completed covered. The look on her face suggested a photo wasn’t a good choice.

We eventually found our way onto some solid footing we had trod on the outward journey and plodded our way up the stairs and cobbles to home.

The lesson – probably don’t change routes after 5 wines.

Got home before dark and time to change and wander around town in search of somewhere to dine, only to end up back in our hotel.

Thursday 3rd October 2024

Novigrad to Groznjan to Motovun

The local forecasters got it right with rain all night and the whole day to have constant falls up to 45mm.

When we had breakfast and then when collected to be taken to our high hill start the quizzical look on peoples faces said it all – ‘are you sure you don’t want a taxi all the way through’.

A 30 minute trip, during which the driver gave us a quick history lesson , gave us the opportunity to reconsider. We decided to walk the 18 Kms. Even though 2 other walkers quickly jumped into a cab and bolted when we got to our starting point.

The town of Groznjan has a deep history associated with artists and of course the truffle. Other than the supermarket it was truffle shops and galleries. It was also a town serviced by the now defunct Parenzana railway and had 3 miniature trains taking pride of place in the square. The Parenzana railway was destroyed by Mussolini so he had steel for weapons manufacture. We actually walked on parts of it today and scheduled to do similarly tomorrow.

Jane plonked herself in the church door way, to check directions, though I suspect she was looking for divine intervention. The town had a great view down into the valleys   if only you could see through the rain and clouds.

A lap of town was followed by a long haul up even higher and the first of many old houses being renovated by returning expats and foreigners. It was sad to see equally as many derelict, as families can’t afford to renovate.

Real estate isn’t cheap – a penthouse in Novigrad with no views was circa A$900k.

It was a view through drips off a soaked rain hat all day that that we enjoyed as we visited every town named after a Saint who I didn’t cover in my Bible studies classes. They were all quaint with only a few houses and the obligatory church.

Tracks ranged from tarmac roads to forest trails and muddy gravel roads. Other than the short cut that Jane spied, which was basically a creek bed that took and hour and three quarters to descend. 

We did stop for lunch in the pretty town of  Portole where we enjoyed a coffee and then a picnic in a cupola with magnificent views back to where we had started . It’s amazing that it’s 10 Kms from start to finish today by car- our trip is 18.

Lots more walking, including the aforementioned short cut, with not a lot of dialogue. Mused over what different structures were and where possible looked back to reflect where we had been. We also realised it was hunting season hence dogs barking and roosts spruced up.

We kicked a couple of mushrooms along the way which appeared in the middle of the track.

Finally reached the penultimate town of today Livade, which is famous for a resident finding the biggest ever truffle. Not surprisingly there was an international gourmet festival celebrating the truffle.

High in the hills was the castle town of Motovun whose claim to fame is it being the hometown of the Andretti racing car family. If he had a rallying background you could understand as the road wound its way up the hill and then into the castle area with its narrow cobblestone roads only wide enough for one car. The gates into the castle were barely wide enough for a car and when it’s full of Japanese tourists navigation is even more difficult. Perhaps it’s appropriate to mention that we did get a ride from the bottom of the hill- only dry part of walk all day.

Montobun does also hold mantle of best preserved medieval town in Croatia.

Found a great artistic impression of the hilltop city in our hotel.

The Kastel hotel is also a Wellness centre and hopefully after our walk tomorrow we will get a chance to use the facilities.

Room looked like a Chinese laundry after we hung everything out to dry and we were glad for the hot shower.

Feeling the effect of the lurgi Jane had passed on meant a little kip before a nice dinner.

Wednesday 2nd October 2024

Around Novigrad

Novigrad is far from a metropolis and as the hotel owner said 20 minutes and you will see the highlights. It’s not a worry as we were using it as a seaside relax before the next walk.

This is a tourist town where people come to relax in and on the water. Water was the theme for the day, with rain starting early, along with a fairly strong wind. 

With our gortex jackets on we headed off to the seafront. What a difference from yesterday’s millpond conditions, today waves were splashing up and over the waterside path. The change and shower stations were both getting inundated. Waves were even spraying up into some of the seaside restaurant outside terraces. At one spot water was rushing up stairways to the street.

The railings down into the water were similarly going under water. 

On the water things were equally different with yachts heading into sheltered coves and also seeking protection behind the breakwater. One yacht with 5 onboard tried to head out to see but had some sort of mishap and needed towing into the inner harbour.

Another brave yacht headed out to sea under motor and was last seen bobbing around like a cork in 1 to 2 metre swell.

We left the seaside and visited the local chapel and the bell tower. Right next door was a distillery famous for its brandy. It had a shop selling anything and everything alcoholic or related to truffles,the latter is a major industry in this area. Nothing like a brandy tasting at 10am to salve a sore throat.

They even had a crate of old fashioned soda symphons out the front

It’s amazing how the new and the old sit together , with brand new cars parked under ancient sundials. Decrepit old houses with satellite dishes, all mixed in with some houses renovated or waiting to be renovated. There was even a Lavender inspired hose.

The streets around this area were adorned with umbrellas which was ironic given the weather. With none ourselves and rain increasing we headed for a local cafe for a lingering coffee.

Even the Town Hall got into the decoration theme.

Warmed up we did a bit of shopping and looking for prospective dining spots.

Another walk around the port showed that it is a harbour of three groups, the fishermen, the recreational yachties/boaters and the serious big boys toys.

Whilst the trawling fleet looks aged some boats had great aids to assist with sorting the catch, including conveyor belts with species sorting shoots. 

With seasons end coming for tourism, many business have closed down and others are operating at limited capacity. It didn’t stop us finding a nice harbour side cafe for lunch. Given 40% of residents are Italian in this region we decided a Bruschetta and frappe would suffice. 

Had an interesting lunch mate in the form of a woman in her 80’s who walked in took a table and dined on a bowl of nuts and a cigarette- perhaps it is an alternative Mediterranean Diet. 

Having done the city tour we headed home to do some more planning for the next 6 days, where walking might be a little challenging with weather and what had been described as ‘very muddy tracks and hills that may need to be crossed in a switchback method’.

At around 530 the light rain turned into torrential rain with lightning and thunder. Rethinking best laid plans already.

Managed to find a break in the weather and head for seaside restaurant. Didn’t need to look for the way the noise of crashing waves was guide enough,

Found Leonardo’s and shared a meat platter for two and a local bottle of wine. Had a bit of banter with four guys who were on a Casino visit. Thought they were all German and committed the ultimate sin when one popped over for a chat and I said ‘are you all German ‘. I was quickly put in my place when he explained he was Austrian. At that stage I guessed it was the wrong time to mention the war.

Finished dinner with a complimentary Schapps or espresso – no guessing who opted for the former.

Lingered until the weather improved and puddle hopped our way home for another pre 900pm lights out.

Tuesday 1st October 2024

Lake Bled to Novigrad in Croatia

Well today was our last in Slovenia and we leave the rivers, lakes and waterfalls and head to coastal waters of Novigrad in the Gulf of Venice which sits in the Adriatic Sea.

Had our final breakfast and after a bit of a tiff with a very belligerent young waitperson over the collection of some medicine from the freezer,  we checked out and waited for our pre booked taxi to the railway station. 

With a train leaving at 1006 and a 20 minute trip to get there,  we were edgy at 935 when taxi had not arrived. Hotel staff confirmed they would be 5-10 minutes.

We had paced a hole in the Welcome mat by the time he arrived and thankful for his lead foot that got us there before time.

A bit of platform lotto and we were on our way to Ljubljana in a very modern and spacious train.

Followed the still fast flowing river through mountain valleys now tending to cropping , mainly corn, on rich soil. Looking at weather forecast that fast flow is likely for a while with 100mm plus forecast over next few days.

The closer we got to town the more industrial it got with cement works, paper mills and insulation manufacturers the easiest to identify.

The new car industry is booming over here. A train was parked at a station with at least 100 brand new Mercedes and VW’s on board, some covered in protective suits like an injured Black Caviar.

After an hour and a bit we arrived  and dragged our cases up to the main arrival hall to meet our driver who was transporting us to Novigrad, an hour and three quarters away.

A toilet break in the railway station proved one thing – world wide it’s the same drawings on the back of the door with only the names and phone numbers changing.

Finally found our driver and we were soon vying with the convoy of trucks in our VW to get in the fast lane and do 130 kph.

We were still flanked by mountains on both sides, unless we were burrowing though them in amazing tunnels.

The trucks all appeared to be heading to Koper one of the seaports of Slovenia.

It also appeared to have a Univetsity, where the 100 kids out front smoking, obviously were not studying health science.

Out of town the countryside was littered with olive trees being harvested. There was also some small vineyards, with not particularly well maintained vines. 

Crossed the border into Croatia with no checks and before we knew it we were in town doing a Chevy Chase around the roundabout multiple times before finding the street to our hotel.

Not in the realm of Lake Bled but it was very comfortable and the owner went above and beyond to help us.

A little snack lunch whilst we sat outside the laundromat and then it was home via the inner harbour packed with yachts and fishing boats. 

Couldn’t  see dinner being anything but seafood if the first restaurant we passed on the way in had a BBQ out the front grilling sardines was any indication.

It is very different to Slovenia and things are markedly cheaper. 

Funny at the baker’s shop we noticed lamingtons on sale. Jane mentioned it was quintessential Australian – to which the reply came ‘ my mother , my grandmother and her mother had been making them for years’.

Is it a great urban myth in Australia that it was our invention?

This is essentially a great big fishing village with no train, plane or regular bus service, so tourists essentially need a car. There is a huge harbour as well as lovely beaches, often looked over by the remnants of the city wall. Water was still relatively warm and one guy was swimming with the huge gulls and a couple of kayakers as mates. 

After a lap of the beaches, we walked the harbour where fishing boats were boxing up their catches ready for collection by restaurants. The variation of the trawler catches was amazing. The local cat fraternity either smelt or saw them coming and were waiting hungrily in the park opposite for some offcuts.

After the walk we nestled in a little wine bar overlooking the harbour. Pinched the seats of an English guy who was legless, but nonetheless attempting to ride home. Unable to even throw his leg over he walked a very crooked route- hopefully towards home. After seeing the sign around the corner wasn’t too sure it was just wine he had been ingesting.

We tried an orange wine, but quickly deferred to a more pleasant local Rose. 

After an hour or so of people watching and drinking in the surroundings , including a show by a flock of swallows, we headed for a nearby fish restaurant and shared a seafood platter of 2 types of fish, mussels, calamari, scampi and some potatoes garnished with chard. Washed down with a wine for Jane and a local pale ale for me.

Finished night off with a wander around the streets,which took much longer than the time it did to demolish our gelato, because of a GPS problem as there was two hotels with the same name.

Official day off tomorrow and plans are likely to be driven by weather with 60mm predicted over next couple of days.

Monday 30th September 2024

Around Lake Bled

Another stunning day greeted us and we enjoyed breakfast on the terrace overlooking the island.

No plannned hike today other than walking up some steps to the church and a circuit walk on the path around the lake, sucking in the views from every direction.

We organised our cab ride to the station for tomorrow and in doing so found the front door of the hotel obviating the need to traverse that staircase.

Worked our way down to the foreshore and picked up a ride in a gondola to the island. The gondolier pushed the craft along with relative ease despite the 20 passengers on board. As he explained it’s all about body weight – might be a chance for me yet with a second career.

The trip over gave us a different perspective of the lake and our hotel and its cafe. The latter was originally going to be a castle, which connected to the hotel, but funds dried up. It had hosted many world leaders under Tito’s rule with walls decked out in pictures, including Ethiopian leader Haile Selassie. The two countries apparently had strong diplomatic ties and similar views on leadership.

The gondola pulled into the wharf and all and sundry tackled the circa 100 stairs to the top and the church.

We soon found out that the incessant tolling of the bells had nothing to do with the time of day. Essentially everyone who reached the top of the tower had the privilege to ring the bell in acknowledgement of the feat. 

We decided we had climbed enough stairs and while I did the grand tour high and low, Santa’s Little Helper was in the Gift Shop.

Down where the hired row boats arrived there was chaos as the amateurs attempted to anchor and disembark at a less than stable platform. Rather than giggle I played boatman for a while.

Back up the hill we took in the sights with yet another perspective , including back across the lake to our hotel.

Even though its end of season it was still pretty busy and the boats were regularly criss crossing the lake ( a full boat earned around €350). Two gondoliers with boat loads of school kids were even staging their own regatta to the cheers of the kids.

Whilst on the island we ran into three English ladies doing the same trip, but a couple of days ahead.   The story  they recounted  about their trip through yesterday flooded section made us glad we were behind. 

They walked through knee to thigh deep water for a long way and several other walkers needed a lift in a camper van- thankfully the bridge was open but they faced the same dilemma on the other side.  How soft were we complaining about a few puddles.

They also mention the walk through the Soteska Vintgar  Gorge which we had thought about but declined. After their glowing reports we were off the boat, which conveniently docked at our staircase , and up kitting out for the walk.

A 20 minute cab ride had us at the entry and with a 50 minute wait before our designated entry time we had a quick bite to eat and a little thirst quencher.

For a very cheap entry fee you got the privilege to wear a brightly coloured,one size fits all, helmet. I looked like a reincarnate of Sargeant Shultz. 

On a brighter note you got to wind your way down and across this amazing gorge on wooden boardwalks and bridges above a waterway juiced up by the recent rain.

It was supposedly a one way walk, but a couple of elderly people passed us about a third of the way in, heading in the reverse direction- someone must have tipped them off about the steep walk back on another route. There was also a clueless 20 Something Yanky lass arguing  with staff that nobody told her  it was a  one way walk – perhaps reading the conditions of entry might have been a good idea  and fact she passed nobody walking in the other direction might have been a clue.

The waterway ran though a gorge  which was sometimes 20 metres wide and at its narrowest just a couple. The rapids would have had kayakers salivating, though the 15-20 metre drop at the end would have been a challenge.

At the end of the walk were stairs down to bottom of the falls and a sign to start of the longer flat track back to Bled- the latter sign read ‘ track closed for maintenance”. That meant only one thing – up a couple of hundred steps to meet the steep trail that wend its way back to the start of the walk. A 1.5 hour waddle along some nice paths halfway up the Gorge was our domain.

Read about  shuttle to Bled Central, but missed the bit about Parking 1. Hence we got dropped off at the very central parking lot and had a 4 km walk back home.

Was a nice walk passing the cliff top castle and then following the lakeside path for a fair bit of the way by the more modern hotels.

Those damn hire row boats were a challenge for a young Japanese man and his crew of 3. Trying to emulate the gondoliers is one thing, but progress is much simpler if you have the pointy end aimed at where you are going. People swimming were passing him and guessing in his hour hire he went about 200 metres. Made me think of my old mate and rowing coach Peter Staunton who could have been of assistance like he was in 86 getting his Masters rowing team a medal.

Having worked up a thirst we stopped at our now favourite hotel and dined on an ice cream concoction (shared) and a gin and tonic with that many floral garnishes you could have made a floral wreath.

At least it limited the amount of ice they could put in.

A bit more knackered than intended we headed home and got our head around tomorrow’s travel plans to Croatia’s west coast to start our next adventure across the Istrian Peninsula.

Brushed ourselves up and headed out for a late dinner . Turned out that everyone else had the same idea. As fate would have it the ‘now favourite hotel’ was the only one available. Only had a light dinner and then tried to snap some night time shots.

I was mesmerised by the lights of the castle which appeared to represent a dog on the rock face. Less than convinced Jane thought effects of walk and alcohol may have played tricks with my imagination. Only by publishing the photo might I garner some support.

Back to hotel for our last sleep in the lap of luxury.

Saturday 28th September 2024

Around Lake Bohinjska

Woke early and listened to the Swan’s demise until just after half time. Couldn’t see them coming back from such an inept performance. The inevitable commentary will come from lounge warriors pushing to sack the coach and a few players.

The rain had eased overnight but the lake was still flooded, with many of the boat moorings still under water and craft unable to be accessed.

A very large crowd of visitors filled the breakfast room ranging from hikers to bikers to the bus people. The Japanese and Americans have certainly discovered Slovenia.

Headed off on a lakeside path with the lake starting to show its best as the sun poked through the clouds. The famous golden goat statue holds pride of place at the wharf.

A few of the canoes left right side up had filled with water and were submerged on the shoreline.

If we felt inclined we could have challenged the climbing wall, but unfortunately left my chalk bag back in Australia.

The lake is dotted with lots of small hotels, all looking to have plenty of vacancies at this end of the season.

Across the lake was a huge hole in the mountains spewing water into the lake and providing a great show.

Lots of walkers and joggers on our trail and after 4 or so kilometres we reached the Vogel, otherwise known as the cable car.

With 20 others we backed our way up the hill capturing a magnificent panorama of the lake and mountains. We were able to trace our steps from top to bottom  from yesterday and it cemented in our minds that we had certainly come down from the clouds.

The top of the mountain at 1535 metres opened up onto a winter wonderland with ski runs, walking paths, all sorts of alpine adventures for the thrill seekers and even a disc golf course.

A mini zoo had a collection of alpine dwellers including a lama that looked as though it had cross bred with a panda. Thankfully all of the wild animals were wooden carvings which was heartening after reading a story about a bear devouring two people and 30 dogs somewhere in Europe.

Wandered around before an equally beautiful ride down. Wasn’t the same for a height challenged young American who spent the entire trip clinging to a pole with his eyes shut and being comforted by his girlfriend.

Met a few Aussies on way down who were touring similar territory to us albeit by bus- they were equally impressed by Slovenia from the scenery to people and food/wine/beer.

Stopped for lunch at a restaurant slightly above the flood line before making enquiries if we could complete the full circuit of the lake. The words of local campsite operator made it quite clear

‘ if waterfall flow you no go’.

Pretty timely advice as we were just about to do the return walk when a strong thunderstorm hit with pretty heavy rain, flashes of lightning and thunder that echoed through the valley.

Option was bus, so we and a crew of bikers waited in the bus shelter for 40 minutes or so.

We took the bus and they took their chances. 

We wondered what happened to those people who set off into the hills at the top of the chairlift.

That rain will only serve to top up the already swollen lake and river.

Arrived back in town and did a lap of the shops searching not for food, but more Xmas decorations.

Dinner was in a local restaurant where again the local fare and beer and wine were a nice finish to another day in a spectacular setting.

Sunday 29th September

Lake Bohinjska to Lake Bled

Another cosmopolitan breakfast and then a quick lap outside to see how the water level was and capture some pictures of the most photographed church in Slovenia and the monument to the mountaineers who first conquered  Mt Triglav- the highest point in Slovenia.

The water level had dropped a bit but it was still going under the bridge at a pretty swift rate.

We had a late pick up and transfer to our starting point, tucked into a lovely valley.

It was an interesting trip as we followed the main train line that snaked its way in the hills above the town and in spots had protective structures in the event of rockfalls.

Having read the track notes, that wasn’t a particularly good sign as we need to go up 500 metres in the first 3 kilometres.

After a map misinterpretation and some help from a local we were heading up through the meadows to a main road.

Made steady progress on a snaking hill, passed by the occasional car and biker. We both let out a collective sigh when we passed house number 5 which signified the top of the climb and delivered us in a quaint little village of about 20 houses and of course a church hidden amongst a copse of trees. The local fire station had an interest logo out the front.

It was a pretty spectacular view over to the Slovenian/Austrian border with the distant alps noticeably higher. We got our first glimpses of the castle in Lake Bled before we dropped back down into the forest and had our second encounter with a deer who had been sunning himself- oblivious to the hunters roost camouflaged in the adjacent field.

Landed on level farm ground and sloshed our way along puddled paths next to flooded field. Ran into a few families hiking up into the forests and also farmer Radic towing some freshly hewn logs down from the hills.

We then came across the biggest collection of animals in a paddock we had encountered.

They were adjacent to a bridge crossing a raging river. In a quick discussion with a guy on the bridge he explained that the river had broken its banks the day before and animals had been repositioned three times to avoid the water. Whether it was hearing or a language interpretation problem he suggested water was running with 60 times the normal volume. 

Crossed the bridge and did a bit more forest hopping before entering a quaint little village where one of the houses had a stream running through its garden- wondered what it might have been like yesterday.

Stopped for a snack under some trees on welcomed seats before meandering down the hill with ever increasing glimpses of the churches and the castle in Lake Bled. The corn drying on the racks was a bit of a tease, but we stuck with biscuits, fruit and chocolate.

Missed the recommended farm styled restaurant and ended up lunching in a hotel right on the shores of the lake with an absolutely amazing view.

The boats which ferried people to the island, using manpower, were all tied up awaiting some customers.

I always thought bees made honey, not so here we had two almost drown in the honey bowl we had as a complement to our cheese plate. Acting veterinarian Jane gently manouvered them out and let them stagger around on her plate before they fluttered away.

Then it was off to find out hotel, which came with an amazing history, having been built for the communist regime of Tito and company. Then refurbished 20 years ago.

We found a huge metal gate leading up side stairway and ended up in a hotel very reminiscent of the Hydro Majestic , but on steroids.

Staff running around dressed to the nines. Lobbies and sitting areas furnished with immaculate furniture and restaurants set up for fine dining. Our room was great with a perfect view across to the island and famous church.

The hotel had its own beach and you had access to a row boat. It also had a separate cafe higher up in the 1.5 acre estate with panoramic views, including the rowing complex where many a championship has been conducted. It was the last day of the season and we were it’s last customers.

Did a tour around the gardens before returning to the restaurant for a fine dining experience which was part of the tour. We only had to buy the matched wines with each course. 

That ended another great day and tomorrow we attack the gorge and the island and its historic church. If there is any spare time and energy we might visit the castle.

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.