Ascent of mount Krn

Since I have been posting quite a bit about my climbing adventures lately, I decided to also post a few nice photos from our ascent of mount Krn in Slovenia (2244 metres). The ascent this time included quite a steep hike up the mountain side, but there was no actual climbing involved.

We started our day quite early at Planina Kuhinja, where morning cow milking was already in full swing. This is the place where the best of local Tolminc cheese is made. I will post more about that in one of the following posts.

The climb takes around 3 hours and during that time one has to overcome roughly 1250 metres of elevation in order to get to the top.
We left our car with the first morning light. As the sun rose over the top of surrounding mountains, weather looked quite promising. I succeeded in snapping a few nice photos in the morning light.

At first we followed a narrow road that took us through pastures with grazing cattle. Soon enough we switched to a path and almost at the same time the mountain side became a bit steeper. Terrain obviously got too steep for cows since they were replaced by sheep.

There were countless mountain flowers blooming by the path. Some of them would definitely fit perfectly into a herbal infusion mix.

As we were nearing the top of Krn, clouds started gathering and the view from the top was almost non existent. When we stopped for a refreshment at the mountain hut just below the top it got even worse. Considering the weather, we did not linger around for too long and started to descend back towards our starting point.

Half way down the weather cleared again and we could admire a group of parachute gliders enjoying in obviously good wind conditions. They were gaining altitude with ease.

Despite the not so perfect weather at the top, we were all glad we did the climb. When we got to the bottom again, we made a (not so short) stop at the cheese-makers for a taste of their cheese products and a shot of home-made schnapps. They were also happy to give us a tour of the place and an extensive explanation of the cheese-making procedures. More about that in our next post...

Clicking on any one of above photos will reveal them all in a much more flattering resolution.

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Climbing Košutnikov turn

Mountaineering has been a popular outdoor activity for centuries in this part of the world. Being partly an Alpine country, Slovenia also has many mountaineering enthusiasts.
Even though I do not see myself as one of those, I do climb a mountain every now and then.

I have already posted a report about climbing Montaž (Jôf di Montasio) a few posts ago. All those ibexes and marmots living there make it a great destination. Check out my post about it and visit it yourself if you ever get a chance.

This time we went to the Slovenian-Austrian border to climb Košutnikov turn (Koschutnikturm). It is a 2133 metres high peak in the central Karavanke mountain range. It is a popular mountaineering destination both from Slovenian and Austrian side. Due to a nice ferrata we chose to climb it from Austria.

We started our ascend from Koshutahaus mountain hut (Koča pod Košuto) and continued along the well marked path (ÖTK Steig Neu) towards the mountain. After a while trees and bushes were replaced with a large scree slope. The interesting part began from there on.

That is where the via ferrata starts. It is a very steep section which continues for a long while. Iron rungs are added in some places in addition to steel cables. We followed the ferrata by a suspended bridge, which we crossed only to get a few photos.

Even with many photo stops, we made it to the top a bit earlier than those red signposts suggested we would.

Once we made it to the top, there were Alpine choughs already waiting for us. From the top there is an interesting view of green slopes on the Slovenian side of the mountain in contrast to a much steeper, rocky approach from the Austrian side.

I can definitely recommend this climb but please keep in mind a helmet and a harness are a must. Since the side of the mountain is practically vertical in some sections, you should probably approach the mountain from Slovenia if you have some fear of heights (no need for all that equipment there).

Clicking on any one of above photos will reveal them all in a much more flattering resolution.

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Welcoming committee at the top of Montaž

For more information about climbing Jôf di Montasio/Montaž and some more gorgeous photos, you can check out my previous post.

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Alpine ibexes of Jôf di Montasio

This time of year is great for hiking and mountain climbing here in the Alps. It takes quite some time for the snow to melt on higher peaks, which makes late summer days perfect for mountaineering. In this period sun is not so strong any more and weather is usually quite predictable.

Unfortunately in the past years I have been neglecting this very popular outdoor activity, but lately I have made it to the top of some quite impressive mountains in and near Slovenia. This time we hopped just across the border into Italy...

The first mountaineering challenge after a long while was Jôf di Montasio (Špik nad Policami or Montaž in Slovene), just across the Italian border. With 2,752 metres (9,029 ft) it is the second highest peak of the Julian Alps, surpassed only by Mount Triglav (the highest Slovenian mountain).
This is a guarantee for a nice view at the top. Although on the day of our visit visibility was not perfect, we were not complaining.

The definite highlight of this climb were numerous Alpine ibexes (Capra ibex) we saw on the way. They seemed quite used to mountaineers and let us get as close as a few metres. Females seemed to be the most curious.

If those ibexes alone are not a good enough reason for a visit, there are also other treats waiting for an unsuspecting visitor. Pastures below the mountain are full of Alpine Marmots (Marmota marmota). They were still asleep during our climb, but greeted us with loud whistles on the way down. Unfortunately they are quite a bit shyer compared to those ibexes.
In fact there are so many holes dug by these cute creatures all over the place that a careful step is highly recommended.

Near the starting point of the hike (Pecol) there is also a cottage where one can refresh after returning from the top. Amongst other things they offer a wast selection of dairy products. Most of the cheeses sold in the shop are made right there, but they also offer a variety of products from other nearby producers. Go check it out - they will be happy to give you a taste before you buy anything.

Despite everything I mentioned above, climbing Montaž is not for everyone. There is an impressive via ferrata waiting in the steep side of the mountain, the highlight of which is a 60 metres high Pipan's ladder. If you do not deal with heights all that well, this might not be a perfect choice for you.

Although I did not feel a need for using a harness it can come in handy - some of the sections are quite drafty. However, due to falling rocks, use of a helmet is a must. The rocks are very friable and since the side of the mountain is practically vertical in some sections, it is very easy to send an unintentional surprise towards the bottom. Even if there are no climbers above you, there are many ibexes that can also send an avalanche of rocks your way.

From a parking lot to the top there is about 3 hours of a relatively slow climb. The first half of it is a hike up to the base of the mountain side (a section of pastures is followed by a large scree). The second half is climbing the via ferrata section and then a short walk across the ridge to the metal cross set on the top of Jôf di Montasio.

If you enjoyed the photo material in this post, you should probably also check out another photos-only post from the top of Montaž.

Clicking on any one of above photos will reveal them all in a much more flattering resolution.

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Hiking in Slovenian hills

Hiking is a very popular activity in Slovenia. Since mountains and also hills of all kinds can be found in every corner of the country, that is not very odd at all.
If you like hiking, you just must visit Slovenia. It simply offers countless hiking opportunities for all kinds of hikers.
There is even a Slovenian hiking web page, with hiking tips and reports from many trips around Slovenia.

As a Slovenian, I also do it once in a while. I really don't have to go far to get in touch with nature.
That's one of good things about Slovenia - where ever you are, nature is never far away. Even when standing in the center of Slovenia's capital (Ljubljana), one doesn't need to go far to get in touch with nature. With a bit of luck, after a fifteen minute drive one could find himself next to a herd of cattle.


Since I live 60 kilometers west from the capital and a forest literally starts where our backyard ends, I am used to being close to nature.
A couple of weeks ago I decided to go hiking with a few friends. Nothing special, just a morning hike up a nearby hill (next to the small village of Ledine). We had a great time nevertheless.
The whole time we were accompanied by a young beagle dog. A very curious and full of energy representative of the breed.

It took us almost 2 hours to get to the top, where we were rewarded with great views of the Idrijca river valley.
We took a different - a bit shorter path back down.

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Up and down Jebel el Kelaa (Day 6)

Once again we woke up early in the cosy Ouarzazate Hotel with the intention of going hiking. But this time we weren't ready to give up so easily.

We got up, ate a quick breakfast we bought the day before. I put on my backpack and off we went. Well, almost...
When we tried to leave our hotel, the door was locked and the receptionist was nowhere to be found. We didn't want to give up the hike before it really begun, but there was nothing else we could do but wait.

So we went back to our room. The receptionist didn't take too long to return and we were out of the hotel in a minute.


Jebel el Kelaa was recommended to us both by Lonely Planet guide and a Swiss couple we met on the day before.
We found the northern gate out of the Chefchaouen Medina and followed a path uphill through the old graveyard. Sun was still hiding behind one of the mountains to the east, but it wasn't dark anymore.

It was easy to follow markings on rocks. Unfortunately we couldn't decipher the text accompanying them. The hike was quite pleasant. The winding track was not too steep, but it went on forever. We also had quite a slow pace and have stopped quite often to take photos.
During one of those stops we admired a group of falcons playing in midair, shooting past us while we were sitting on an edge of a cliff. They were too fast for me to take a decent photo. This reminded me that I must replace my Olympus C-5060 camera with a decent DSLR soon.


I also stopped a couple of times to disturb some dung beetles. There were quite a few of them, rolling little balls of dung around. M. is always complaining when I start bugging bugs. It was no different this time but in spite of that it was worth the effort. I got a few really nice macro shots.


Almost all the way to the top there were remains of marijuana harvest on both sides of the track. As a local explained they harvest it at the end of August and in the next months it is time to turn it into hashish.

It took us approximately four hours to get to the top.

Actually we are still not sure if it actually was the top. At 1600 meters there were a couple options to continue. We took the most obvious one and made it to the top.


There we enjoyed a meal of local bread and a few peaces of soft cheese we brought with us. As we learned buying them, those soft cheese pieces, wrapped in aluminum foil were not sold in prepacked boxes, but piece by piece. Surprisingly also cigarettes (by cigarette not box) and chocolate (by square not tablet) are sold in a similar manner in the Medina streets.
After enjoying the snack and a beautiful view we went back down. It took us two and a half hours to get back to the town. First we freshened up with a fresh orange-banana juice and then relaxed until diner.

We were pleasantly tired therefor a paella we ordered seemed even more delicious.
Another fresh orange juice followed (these fruit juices simply rule - they cost one third of the price we're used to back home and are even more delicious). As usually the day ended with a pot of mint tea.

Chefchaouen Vacations

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Hiking in the Slovenian region of Primorska

A couple of weekends ago I accompanied M. on a hiking trip to Vremščica. It was a day trip with a choir she sings in. I occasionally tag along for company and not because of my (non existent) singing abilities. It has been a while since I went on such a trip with them. You can read about the last time before this, when I joined them on a trip to the land of Teran and pršut.

Hiking was not the main theme of this trip. Vremscica rises 1027 meters above sea level and is situated in the Slovenian region of Primorska. Even thou it is not very high, it offers a great view of the surrounding area all the way to the Adriatic sea. It is an easy hike to the top. For the lazy ones there is also a road leading almost to the top. One just has to walk the final 20 minutes to the top.

We made quite a few stops on our way to the top. It was because of those extra delicious strawberries growing by the path.


When we reached the top, a singing session followed. A group of random hikers was quite excited about it and rewarded our eager singers with a loud applause.

Before the descent, we also visited a church just under the top of Vremscica. It is still under construction. We were told that a local priest and stone mason (both in one person) has a great part in building the little church. I guess if you know all this, you can not be surprised when you see it is mostly put together from local stone. In fact I couldn't see any other material that would have been used so far.


It is gonna be a cute little church when it is finished.

After another round of singing it was time to descend to a farm run by the Veterinary Faculty. We ate something at a simple inn which was also a part of the farm. They offer only a few dishes (mostly traditional food), but everything was very tasty.


Before we went home we also took advantage of the offer of fresh cottage cheese and some other cheese products. It wasn't very cheap, but really fresh and very good. If I go by there again, I'll definitely stop by and buy a piece of cheese.

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Cinque Terre trail times information

When planning a hiking trip it is crucial to know how long will it take to reach your destination. That is why hiking distances are usually measured in hours.

Last week I came across a table including most of the paths in the Cinque Terre National Park. Walking times are a big part of it.


Unfortunately this was a bit late for me, because I just got back from the area. Here it is anyway - only for you.

Cinque Terre Hiking Trails

Route#	Start	Destination	Walking Time
The Cinque Terre Lower Trail from Monterosso to Riomaggiore
2	Monterosso	Riomaggiore	5 hr
The Cinque Terre Lower Trail from Monterosso to Riomaggiore
2	Monterosso	Vernazza	1 hr 45 min
2	Vernazza	Corniglia	1 hr 45 min
2	Corniglia	Riomaggiore	1 hr 30 min
The High Trail from Levanto to Portovenere
1	Levanto	Portovenere	12 hr
The High Trail from Levanto to Portovenere (part by part)
1	Levanto	Colla di Gritta	2 hr 30 min
1	Colla di Gritta	Drignana	1 hr 30 min
1	Drignana	Cigoletta	2 hr
1	Cigoletta	La Croce	1 hr 45 min
1	La Croce	Telegrafo	1 hr 15 min
1	Telegrafo	Portovenere	3 hr
Trails Up from the Cinque Terre Towns
9	Monterosso	Soviore	1 hr 30 min
17	Soviore	P.So Bardelone	2 hr
7	Vernazza	Ricco D. Golfo	3 hr 30 min
8	Vernazza	Drignana	1 hr 30 min
Trails from Levanto
1 and 10	Levanto	Monterosso	2 hr
14	Levanto	Colla D. Bagari	1 hr 30 min
19	Levanto	Foce di Lavaggio	2 hr
21	Levanto	Foce di Montale	2 hr 15 min
18	Levanto	P.So Bardelone	2 hr
12	Levanto	Colla di Gritta	1 hr 15 min

You can find the original table on the Slow Travel web page.

We were sad to leave the place without trying out at least a couple more of the tempting paths. We had to head back home at least a few days too early. Maybe next time...

If you liked this post and are interested in more information on our trip, please click on this link or on the Cinque Terre label in the right frame.

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A hike from Vernazza to Monterosso

Before we knew it, our last day reserved for hiking in the Cinque Terre National Park came along.

At the beginning of our trip we were a bit sceptical about the amount of time we had planned. I guess most tourists make a one day trip to the area. I have to say we weren't bored for a single moment during our four day stay and could easily spend another couple of days there.

The plan for this day was to visit the last two towns of Cinque Terre. We liked our experience the day before, so this time we had a similar plan - hiking up and down less crowded paths.


We started with a train to Vernazza where we concluded our last hike. First we visited a church in the center of the town and slowly headed uphill towards the sanctuary of Madonna di Reggio, following the path number 8. After 15 minutes or so we reached a place with a really fine view of Vernazza.


Also a strange "vehicle" caught my attention. It was some kind of a cart mounted to a single rail. The whole thing seemed more like a roller-coaster to me but had some kind of a transport trailer attached to it. The rail went around the corner of a really steep slope, so I guess riding it has to be quite an interesting experience.


After enjoying the view for a while, we went on our way. The path was relatively steep and M. was occasionally complaining (she likes hiking, but only until the path doesn't get too steep).

In an hour or so we reached the sanctuary, where we were able to freshen up by an old fountain. There were quite a few people around - it seemed that this place was quite a popular destination.

We didn't stick around for a long time. Soon we moved on towards our destination of the day. First we took a road uphill, but soon found a path which lead us to Santuario della Madonna di Soviore.


From there it was just a 45 minute descent to the town of Monterosso down the path number 9.

When we were nearing Monterosso it didn't seem very similar to the other four towns.
We headed straight to the sandy beach and into the sea. Only knee deep, but it was enough (Tyrrhenian Sea is still cold in the beginning of May). It was quite amusing to watch some trying-to-look-tough guys jumping in and then screaming and crying like babies. To me this seemed just so typical for a group of Italian guys.

When we got bored of sitting by the sea, we decided to look for the train station and check the timetable.
At first we couldn't find the station but signs eventually led us to a underground passageway leading to the other side of the hill. It was quite a surprise to find the other half of the city of Monterosso. And it was the nicer half. This inevitably postponed our departure.

In spite of that I still think Monterosso is the most commercial of the 5 towns. It is easily accessible with a vehicle and I would also say it has more hotels then the other four. Besides that it has a long stretch of sandy beach, which I guess is a people magnet by itself.

An hour and a half and an ice-cream later we finally caught a train to Levanto.

If you liked this post and are interested in more information about our trip, you are welcome to click on the Cinque Terre label in the right frame.

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Corniglia - San Bernardino - Vernazza

Since we weren't too excited about the path we chose on the day before, M. and I were hoping for a bit less crowded hike from Corniglia to Vernazza.

Once again we started our day in Levanto, from where we took a train to Corniglia. This time it took us a bit longer then expected. The train was packed and there literally wasn't enough place to squeeze ourselves in. We weren't the only ones with such a problem and some of the people were getting really pissed. I felt sorry for the railroad workers, because most of the anger was directed their way.

After a while another train showed up and everything was well again. Although it was an InterCity train, we didn't have to pay for the ride (Cinque Terre Train Card normally doesn't cover first class trains and fast trains, but this was a special occasion). The train even made a few extra stops.


Once we got off the train at the Corniglia train station, we first had to make a climb to the town (it sits high on a hill above the station). Our Cinque Terre Train Card also included a mini bus ride from the station to Corniglia.
Despite that, we didn't feel like waiting for the bus. Fifteen minutes and some huffin' and puffin' later we arrived to the town just at the same time as the bus from the train station.

We checked out the town with its spectacular views and bought some goat cheese for the way.


After that we were on our way further uphill. With every step the view of Vernazza kept getting better and better.
Our aim for the day was getting to the town of Vernazza but first we decided to make a stop at the little village of San Bernardino. It is situated roughly half way between Corniglia and Vernazza, but a bit higher up on the top of one of the surrounding hills. We followed the paths 7/b and 7/d to S. Bernardino and number 7 from there to Vernazza.


We walked slowly and stopped quite often to take photos. Despite that it took us only 1 hour and 10 minutes to reach San Bernardino and 1 hour and a half to get from there to Vernazza.

We took time for a light meal when in S. Bernardino. Sitting on a bench next to the church and enjoying some prosciutto crudo with formaggio caprino (that's Italian for salted raw ham and goat cheese) we bought before. Delicious!


After finishing our meal, we made a stop at a cafe just around the corner. We ordered two glasses of local white wine and got some potato chips and olives with it. It all went together real well and was an excellent alternative to our missing dessert.

While sitting in front of the cafe, we noticed they also offer accommodation, but we didn't inquire about the price.

The following descent to Vernazza once again offered spectacular views calling for many photo stops.
When finally in Vernazza we thought of climbing the tower overlooking the town. We found out there is an entrance fee and decided to rather just cool off by the see and watch waves splashing on the rocks. After all it was hard to expect the tower view would top what we saw earlier.


A train ride back to Levanto and a 10 minute walk to Acqua Dolce camping was all it was left for us to do this day. We had more hiking planned for the next day, so it was soon time to call it a day and turn in for the night.

If you liked this post and are interested in more information on our trip, please click on this link or on the Cinque Terre label in the right frame.

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From Manarola to Corniglia

Wandering around Manarola, we accidentally stumbled upon a small museum.
The museum offers free entrance for owners of Cinque Terre Card and features a video presentation (in Italian and English) about the history of wine making in the region. They also sell wine. You can buy a half liter bottle of their best CinqueTerre Sciacchetra for 100 EUR.
After visiting the wine museum and enjoying some cooling off by the sea in Manarola it was time to move on towards the town of Corniglia.


Before we went on, we climbed to the town's cemetery. The cemetery itself is nothing special, but it offers some really nice views of Manarola.

We continued using the Blue Path (Sentiero Azzurro) marked with number 2 on most maps (you can check out a map in my previous post for details).
This part of the way didn't take us long, but despite that we decided not to visit Corniglia on the same day. A few hundred steps uphill were another reason why we didn't do it.


The coastal path, as the name suggests, is relatively close to the sea. The town of Corniglia on the other hand is about hundred meters higher on a hill/cliff.
Train stations of all other Cinque Terre towns are on the same level with towns and relatively near sea level. The Corniglia train station is just next to the coastal path but some 20 minutes walking distance away from the town. It is not the distance, but the climb that might be a turnoff for some.


When we caught a train for Levanto it was already late in the afternoon.
Freshly cooked spaghetti con pesto Genovese with some freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and a glass of Chianti Classico in front of our tent concluded a perfect evening.

If you liked this post and are interested in more information on our trip, please click on this link or on the Cinque Terre label in the right frame.

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Via del Amore

I could also title this post "The most overrated part of Cinque Terre". In my opinion, that's just what Via del Amore is.

The fact is that this Path of Lovers is connecting two very charming towns - Riomaggiore and Manarola (the only green path on the map), but the path itself is nothing special. Yes, one can see some really interesting rock formations on the way from one city to the other, but that's about it.


Also the path is asphalted and nicely maintained, which if you ask me, is a downside really. As a consequence of that, even more crowds are drawn here - in fact I suppose this is the busiest part of Cinque Terre. It seems like all of the Japanese tourists visiting the area, come to check this place out. High heels and a Gucci (Armani or Versace) shopping bag are a must.

The thing that is supposed to be the most charming feature of this area are countless love graffiti covering almost every rock. It is supposed to be the cutest thing on the planet but I didn't see it that way. To me those scribblings seemed just as inappropriate as anywhere else.

Regardless of all that, M. and I have enjoyed the walk and the view, but if we knew what to expect, we would have probably taken one of the less crowded paths connecting the two towns. Other paths are situated a bit higher uphill and therefore offer better views.

We arrived to Riomaggiore in the morning, using a train. After a slow stroll around the little town and a short stop at the local church, we took the path to Manarola.

The second town looked even more charming then the first and we really took our time walking slowly.


In Manarola M. reminded me that her sugar level is getting low. A delicious chocolate ice-cream was just what she needed before we moved on. Our plan was to reach Corniglia on the same day.
More on that in the next post...

If you liked this post and are interested in more information on our trip, please click on this link or on the Cinque Terre label in the right frame.

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