Walking in Slovenia

16 May 2018. The flight from Stansted to Ljubljana took just 1 hour 50 min. One is immediately struck by the beauty of the country. The sunshine helps but there are miles and miles of forest and alpine flowers almost everywhere. Apart from the industrial town of Jesenice, the populated areas we passed on the drive to Karnjska Gora in the Julian alps were immaculate, with beautifully tended flower and vegetable gardens.

 They ski in summer too!

 We reach the Italian border after an hour. No immigration checks so we carry on.

Slovenia is a largely Catholic country with many attractive churches. They are often surrounded by defensive walls - a reminder of earlier violent times.

The forests and meadows are filled with flowers such as wood anemone, clematis, hellebore, gentian, narcissus and orchids.

 The winter snow has taken its toll.

 Lunch break at a mountain hut. Exceptionally tasty apple strudel.

A tough one getting to the base of this waterfall at Martuljkov Slap below Mount Spik. 

'Slap' means waterfall.

Below: Venzone, a short drive across the border in Italy's Friuli region.

Beautifully restored after the earthquake of 1976.

The ski lifts are used by bikers as well as walkers in the summer.

You can toboggan down if you'd rather not go for a hike.

Below: On the way up to Dovska Baba on the Slovenian-Austrian border.

Below: The village of Ratece - our last walking day and the only day it really rained.

This fellow would not walk around my boot and went over it.

The Planica ski centre: This is the big one. Eddie the Eagle visited in 2011. Other jumps at the centre have artificial surfaces can be used for practice in the summer.

 The indoor car park is turned into a ski practice area in the summer. -5C in there but it felt much colder.