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.

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.