Slovenia - Alpine Alternative?

SLOVENIA - ALPINE ALTERNATIVE?

Slovenia is not the first country that pops to mind concerning mountains. In this article I intend to persuade you otherwise. 

Its mountainous region, in the North-West of the country - contains a range of mountains that are connected to the Italian Dolomites and to the foothills in Austria, and are by no means inferior. 

The Julian Alps, experienced by myself backpacking in the summer of 2012, are far more accessible than the Italian or French alternatives. The compact nature of the country renders journeys from the capital, Ljubljana, and from coastal cities such as neighboring Venice cheaper and quicker for students and families alike, and the main block of mountains are accessible by roads that may even lead to bothies and large car parks, making day excursions possible instead of long approaches in foothills.

The proximity of the Julian Alps to the rest of the country, with walking and cycling, in winter resorting to skiing, snowshoeing and ice climbing, creates a wide range of activities for all the family, or for the particularly active individual. South, only a 1 1/2 bus journey from the outdoors centre of Slovenia, Kranjska Gora,  you will encounter the town of Bovec and the Soca valley - renowned for its watersports and equally impressive caving, mountain biking and canyoning. This can break up an intense walking holiday with cooling dunks in alpine meltwater, and is great for a rest day with friends who want to try something a bit different. If that isn't your bag, then cycling is great all around Slovenia, with a well developed system of routes, allowing you to blitz a 20km cycle to a quaint Alpine village or bothy in a jiffy. 

Concerning walking, mountaineering, and climbing, Slovenia's rock formation is much like that of the Italian Dolomites, limestone making climbing routes plentiful (both sport and trad), whilst Slovenia's claim to the earliest system of alpine walking routes with multiple 'Dom's' (bothies...well hotels) still is unparalleled, with easy navigation and a varying number of difficulties - making that peak possible for everyone, which at the end of the day, matters the most when on a lads holiday with a severe hangover. 

If, as a walker, you feel rather bold and don't mind heights, then a varying number of via ferrata routes and difficulties are available, making summiting increasingly technical peaks possible and allowing lengthly diversions to be avoided by interspersed vertical ladders over slabs, made safe with the right equipment (available to loan eg. helmets, harnesses etc. in most towns.). 

If you digg the surf culture look, and fancy hitting the deck for a couple of days after intense peaks, then almost guaranteed Slovenian sun will make it a pleasant time, whilst the cheaper prices of beer and food (as well as accommodation and travel) in comparison to France or Italy will seem to make the sun even brighter. Nota Bene though, don't get caught climbing or summiting around midday in the summer months, as the Alpine climate throws out hefty thunderstorms with bouts of rain, though if you are planning a lads holiday then the simple protection installed by 'man up' in a group will be more effective than any Gore-Tex or e-Vent you are wearing.  

At the end of the day, it was the accessibility of Slovenia that amazed me. As a keen walker with little climbing experience, the daunting peaks when driving from Ljubljana to Kranjska Gora, with knife ridges cutting through the buttery evening sun seemed impossible. I had picked the wrong holiday. However, bus services to mountain passes were common and reasonably priced, the paths were clearly marked, those knife ridges were accessible, with paths picking out the best views, most extreme exposure for the adrenaline-junkies and the most exciting scrambling sections - there something for everybody. The system of via ferrata cables made exposure manageable, whilst the routes satisfied the adventurous. When I rented a car to do the biggy - Triglav, in fact the biggest, the approach was cut short by around 3 hours of walking time up valleys in the stifling, midgy heat - allowing more time to be spent on technical ascents and route finding. Bothies were common, even 200m from the summit serving beer (yes, beer), snacks, and selling crampons and boots for those who want souvenirs for the family, or for the forgetful among us. 

I did Triglav in one day via the popular Prag route. As a walker who has done few peaks outside the UK bar some in the Pyrenees and the Swiss Alps, the Julian peaks provided the perfect introduction to walking abroad with higher summits and more technical approaches, unlike the unbending characteristics of the French Alps with little opportunity for the walker to go outside their comfort zone without hundreds of pounds of kit and expensive mountain guides. 

Accommodation in Kranjska Gora: http://www.youth-hostel.si/anglesko/hostels.asp?id=19

Some of the best peaks: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mountains_in_Slovenia

Other activities to do: http://www.socarafting.si/eng/


What do you think? Please comment and feel free to ask questions about my trip there!