Day Three: Soča River Hike
today I walked form the vršič mountain pass to kransjka gora.
It would be down hill and just a few hours of walking, but I did have a bus to catch around 10 and did not want to feel rushed. So I was up early for the sunrise, ate a little breakfast and then got back on the trail with not another soul in sight.
5.9 miles / 9.5 km
Image by Goole Maps
and then, It was my last day…
Ticar Lodge:
There are three mountain lodges in the Vršič pass. The Ticar Lodge was the only one open in early June and was a lovely place to stay. All of these are not mountain huts in the slightest, the huts and bivouacs are higher up in more remote areas. The Vršič is a major tourist destination in Slovenia, especially for people traveling by road.
Run by a very sweet older couple who managed bookings and the kitchen, their menu is an intersection of Italian, Austrian and Slovenian foods, classic mountain foods really. I had a hearty vegetable soup.
It is a funky place, ever so slightly spooky in the dark with so few people spending the night. I brushed my teeth in a room lined with old sinks with matching mirrors, it was eerie and shining but probably very functional deeper into summer when they would be fully booked. The room I stayed in was simple and very cozy. Would recommend.
With just a few hours left, I didn’t want this hike to end
and then, I passed Ruska Kapelica…
I was walking along, through beautiful forests, catching glimpses of surrounding peaks here and there, when all of a sudden I walked into a clearing with the most beautiful and tiny Russian chapel.
The road over the Vršič Pass was built by prisoners of war in 1915 under the Austro-Hungarian empire. Many of those prisoners were Russian, hence this wooden chapel. I also passed a graveyard dedicated to these poor prisoners of war who died during construction of the pass, somber reminders of World War I.
and then, I came across a magical valley…
The trail passed over a river, passed in between a collection of pine trees, and into a clearing. There I stood for a little while, in awe of the valley before me: a wall of granite peaks. The sun cast a soft morning glow on the east facing mountains, while the valley below remained chilly and wet with dew in their shadows. At the center of my view was a little traditional house, or shed, or hut.
It was completely still and silent as I stood for a little while. This felt like the grand finale of this hike, one last stunning view before I heading back into civilization. This hike had been so good to me, and if I didn’t have plans I would stay out here a little while longer, maybe even right here in this valley.
A little ways down the trail I passed another structure, a chapel of sorts. All fenced in together was an altar space under a roof, a bench, two flag poles and a circular stone piece in the center. I still don’t know what this space is, but I had a little sit on the bench for a moment and thanked the universe for such a lovely hike.
and then, I was almost there
It wasn’t the Soča, my one true river love, but it was lovely to walk along a river once again. This sweet turquoise river is called Pišnica and it flows all the way to Kransjska Gora where it merges into the Sava river. Several dog walkers made me think I was getting very close to town.
This lake is called Jesero Jasna & looked to be a tourist destination / residential area
just outside of the main downtown area of Kranjska gora
and then, I walked into Kranjska Gora…
First I found coffee:
Church bells rang as I walked into Kransjka Gora, celebrating the end of my hike. I was early for the bus so I went in search of a celebratory coffee. A little red house called Kavarna Sport Point was really busy, and I joined the crowds for an iced Americano.
