WALKING FOR ALL SEASONS… On the sunny side of the Alps!
Walking in the foothills of the Julian Alps, you are at the easternmost end of the Alpine range – the sunny side! The hills where we are based are some of the sunniest places in Slovenia, with only around 60 sunless days each year. Most rain falls further west over the main mountain range, leaving this area with a microclimate perfect for long season walking.
Every season has its advantages: the spring boasts a profusion of unusual woodland and sub alpine flowers, including many varieties of orchids and gentians. Moving towards summer, the long days and warm temperatures give ideal walking conditions.
Summer brings shady walks to upland meadows, and often stable high pressure systems bring long hours of sunshine tempered by soft, cooling breezes in the hills. Pick your own wild raspberries and strawberries to enjoy as you walk!
Autumn is possibly the most beautiful time of year, with the cooler days ideal for walking and amazing colours as the beech forests turn red and gold. There are also an abundance of wild mushrooms to feast on!
Winter time transforms this beautiful region into a real winter wonderland, with cold, clear frosty mornings and the clearest air imaginable, a place where you can stand in the sunshine looking down on the mist in the valleys, enjoy the excitement of walking in snow, or the chance to ski just three minutes from the chalet. Come home to hot chocolate or mulled wine, before relaxing in front of a blazing fire with a book from our library!
Walking Routes
The following walks are our normal itinerary, but may vary due to ground or weather conditions. If you book the property as a group, we can tailor the walks to your requirements, and they can be made at any level due to the variety of terrain on offer. Please note in winter and sometimes in early spring some high areas may be inaccessible due to snow (unless the whole group is correctly equipped with winter walking equipment). If you prefer to explore alone, that is fine and we will provide you with laminated directions for walks from the house, where a wide variety of challenging or easier walks are available.
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Saturday: Arrival day
Sunday: Walk to Bukov Vrh
Today we have a lovely walk to introduce you to this beautiful area, walking on the opposite side of our home valley, where the views and scenery are quite spectacular. Our route takes us through beech woods and open meadows to the church at Bukov Vrh, where panoramic 360% views await us, and we get our first look at the beautiful Julian Alps. We continue on paths through open rolling countryside, passing through several hamlets where we will glimpse a traditional way of life, and pause for a picnic lunch on the way. Still enjoying fantastic scenery we descend on good paths back to the valley.
Distance: approx 9.5 miles/15km; total ascent: 450m
Monday: Exploring the Velika Planina
We walk on the high plateau known as Velika Planina today. This is the largest of its kind in Slovenia and combines the opportunity to enjoy beautiful scenery and see interesting traditional wooden buildings and in the spring, rare flowers. We take a cable car to near the top of the plateau, then continue on foot, visiting the traditional herdsmans' settlement, built completely of wood, where the farmers live during the summer grazing season and sell their home made dairy produce. After a brief pause at the little wooden church of Mary of the Snows, we walk right around the edge of the Planina with amazing views in all directions, from the capital Ljubljana to the south to the Alps in the north. There are several different opportunities to stop for some refreshments and just relax in the clear mountain air. On our return to the base by cable car we visit Kamnik, a beautiful medieval market town with a very interesting historic centre.
Distance: approx 7.5 miles/12km, total ascent 350m
Tuesday: Walk to Stari Vrh (Old Peak)
Today we walk directly from the house up the hill of Stari Vrh, with lovely views over our village and the rolling hills and valleys to the far south, opening up as we approach the mountain cottage where we pause to admire the fantastic scenery to the distant mountains and the border with Austria, and have some refreshments. We then descend through the meadows which in the winter form the ski resort of Stari Vrh and follow a path through meadows and woods which leads to the beautiful ruined church of St Valentin, followed by a picnic lunch overlooking the mountains and valleys. We return to the chalet through more woods and meadows via the village of Četena Ravan.
Walking distance: approx 7 miles/11km; total ascent 450m
Wednesday: Free day, with optional excursion to Ljubljana or to Lake Bled and the Vintgar Gorge.
Thursday: Ratitovec
Today we visit Ratitovec, part of a chain of high limestone hills leading to the boundary of Triglav National Park. We climb steadily on a good track through beech forests to open high meadows and a vast, broad ridge stretching for 10km, and are rewarded with superb dramatic views. With plenty of opportunity to admire the views, flowers and butterflies, we stop at a mountain hut for lunch, before walking part of the length of the ridge, returning via a different and very scenic route. An very worthwhile option is also available to extend the walk with an easy climb up neighbouring Kosmati Vrh, which provides one of the best viewpoints in Slovenia. From here we can see all of the Gorejnska region and feel we are really on top of the world!
Distance: approx 6.5 miles/ 10km; total ascent 650m; with optional longer route 12km and 850m ascent.
Friday:
Walk to Zabrekve to visit the charcoal burners' villages
Today we drive over the ski slopes of Stari Vrh to visit the Šelska Dolina valley, famous for its tradition of charcoal burning. We walk on good tracks through ancient beech woods and see several traditional villages, and hopefully watch the process of charcoal making. We stop to visit an artist's picture gallery and taste his home made produce before climbing gently to the church at Muhov Vrh, enjoying beautiful views almost the whole way. We return through open meadows, and follow a good path back down next to a brook running through the shade of the trees back to the starting point.
Distance approx 9 miles/14km; total ascent 550m
Saturday:
Sadly your week is now at a close, and after a relaxed breakfast we escort you to the airport. We provide you with a packed lunch to keep you going on your trip home, and hope you have enjoyed your taste of Slovenia and that one day we will welcome you back!
EXAMPLES OF ALTERNATIVE WALKS WHICH MAY BE DONE DURING THE WEEK:
Blegoš:
This is a challenging but rewarding circular walk from the hotel to the highest of the Škofja Loka hills, culminating at the summit of this protected area where many wild flowers and butterflies can be seen, along with 360 degree views of the whole area. Blegoš forms part of the Rupnik Line, which formed the fortified border between Italy and Slovenia between WW1 and WW2, and many of the old bunkers can be seen as we walk this route.
Total distance approx 14 miles/ 22 km, total ascent approx 800m
Two lakes and two gorges:
A trip pausing briefly at world famous Lake Bled, then walking the length of the beautiful Vintgar Gorge, with a wooden walkway running the lenght of the gorge above tumbling turquoise waters. Dippers nest in the gorge and are often seen. We continue on to Lake Bohinj and after a picnic lunch on the lakeside (and maybe a swim!) we walk the Mostnice Gorge starting from Devil's Bridge through the beautiful beech woods.
Total distance 5.5 miles/9 km, total ascent 100m
Malenski Vrh and Gora
A pretty and fairly gentle walk from the hotel to visit the ancient church at Gora, with lovely views over the rolling hills and valleys. We then descend to the village of Malenski Vrh enjoying panoramas to the far south of Slovenia before returning home via a circular route on tracks through woods and meadows with many interesting and unusual flowers.
Total distance 8.5 miles/14km, total ascent approx 200m
WALK DIFFICULTY AND FITNESS LEVELS
Our accompanied walks are of moderate length and difficulty. Most of the walks are on well marked paths and tracks, through woodland, upland meadows and on high rounded hilltops (up to 1700m). Paths are generally good, but some are quite steep in places. To enjoy the accompanied walks we recommend that you are comfortable walking at a steady pace for around 4 hours. Walks generally include around 500 metres ascent (on one day up to 650 metres ascent), which may involve walking steadily uphill for an hour or more - but the rewards are great in terms of views, and there is always a mountain hut for rest and refreshments at the top of the longer ascents! Generally one ascent will take you to a flattish area where the views are spectacular, and from there the rest of the walk is quite level or in descent.
EQUIPMENT
On booking we will send a suggested list of equipment to bring with you. If you have any questions prior to booking please contact us and we will be happy to help.
