Sunday 19 July 2009

Julian Alps

Thursday July 9: From Lujbiana, bus north to Penzion Bledec hidden behind Bled Medieval castle perched above the emerald lake with it's idyllic island church. Four mile run around the lake and back to the penzion - magical. Lake Bled photos.
From there, one hour bus hop to Ribcev Laz for Lake Bohinj and Triglav National Park. Bought Geodetski institut Slovenije 1:25,000 scale map of Triglav, showing graded footpaths (easy, rather difficult, very difficult) and numbered routes, good but
expensive at €10.50.
Wednesday 13: From Savica village (653m) nine hour hike, mostly up, over limestone pavements, past glacial lakes (kidney shaped Jezero v Ledvicah is a great picnic spot) and mountain huts, over Hribarice Plateau snowfields to dormitory bed at basic Dom Planika hut (2,410m). Planned to stay in the hut at Dolic Pass (2,151m) but it was crushed by an avalanche in March. Thursday: Early 6:00 am start for a further two-hour scramble and steep climb to Triglav summit (2,864m). Same route as when the peak, Slovenia's highest, was first conquered in 1888. Spectular and satisfying but not for the faint-hearted as the approach is along a rugged knife-edged ridge, several lives are claimed each year. Then eight-hour downward climb and trek to Savica, via Dolic Pass, for bus back to Lake Bohinj and well-earned hot dinner of pizza with chilled Refosk red. Felt pretty good, it seems my training, three years of coast-path walking and three months of running, was wothwhile. Photos of Lake Bohinj and Triglav. Also the little ski resort of
Kranski Gora for a couple of days less strenuious walking.

2 comments:

  1. Hi David. Next issue of Maplines about to go to press. Giving an update of your travels. If you have a message for us, please send through soon. Good luck! Martin Lubikowski: mldesign@btclick.com

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  2. Hi Martin,

    Yes, honoured to be featured in such a prestigous publication. Happy to answer any members questions en-route.

    Best wishes,

    D

    ReplyDelete