Lake Bohinj & Pokljuka Plateau, Slovenia
Quick Stop at Lake Bohinj
My friends and I had managed to fulfill our two main objects: a hike and spending the night at a mountain hut. We woke up, still in the mountains, in the attic of a tiny mountain hut near the larger lodge called Planina pri Jezeru.
We thanked the caretaker of the hut for the a lovely time and hugged all our fellow travelers farewell, and headed back to the car. By mid morning we were hanging out around Lake Bohinj. We got coffee at a cafe, something special about Europe is that you can always find a really good, strong coffee. Then we headed to a grocery store to find some breakfast.
Wiz and Keegan picked up some baked goods while I cradled half a watermelon, cold sweet watermelon was exactly what I wanted on this summer’s morning. Under a tree we found a nice spot, had ourselves a little picnic and looked over some maps.
We were looking for one more place to go, hike to do, something to see before heading south to Ljubljana. I went into the tourist center and asked a woman there for her thoughts. She suggested we drive up to this alpine village. Sold.
lake bohinj
sweet sweet friends
Pokljuka Plateau
an alpine village
The mountains of Slovenia house many alpine plateaus and pastures that are popular destinations. The Pokljuka Plateau near Lake Bohinj is apparently one of the most well traveled in the east of Slovenia.
The alpine village is a collection of wooden sheds. While some look very shed like, some belong to the herd of free grazing cows, a few looked to be fixed up very nicely, perhaps into tiny holiday cabins. Besides the traditional fixture of cows, whose milk is turned by shepherds into sour milk and other dairy products, there was not a soul around: not one shepherd, not a person living in a cabin, tending to a garden, enjoying the summer’s day. And despite its popularity, we met only two other tourists who looked to have hiked up.
These alpine villages are not only stunning, but spending time up in the fresh mountain air is encouraged for health. Some of the other alpine villages offer farm stays where you can participate in traditional practices, and others are health retreats.
