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Slovenian alpine pastures in all seasons

velkavrh25. 11. 2013 09:21:46

Yesterday I went to Pokljuka to explore the local pastures. I drove to Rudno polje and from there past the biathlon center on the gravel road to Planina Uskovnica. To Uskovnica you can also go via a nice mountain road from Srednja vas in Bohinj. Years ago I went there from that village also on foot. There were already quite winter conditions. Not much snow - there 10 to 20 cm. On the road tire tracks were visible, and someone had already gone on foot ahead of me. The pasture is extensive. I think it has the most objects among Pokljuka pastures from old huts or rather smaller houses, to renovated buildings to barns or hayracks. I walked it lengthwise and crosswise and think I didn't see it all. It's so extensive. The plots or rather meadows than pastures are mostly fenced. They still graze here on a small scale. The meadows or pastures they mow. The pasture is also very visited in winter, so we can visit it even in deeper snow. The hut is open in winter too, but currently they have vacation.

Past Mrzlega studenca on Pokljuka - real winter.

The running tracks are already laid out.

Arrival at the alpine pasture - first the chapel greets us.

On the panel on the chapel, we learn everything about the chapel.

Beginning of the alpine pasture with buildings.

View from the chapel to the left side of the pasture.

We go along the path that runs roughly through the middle of the alpine pasture and right at the beginning on the left side we are at Žvanu-siriji.

This is Žvanov stan, a somewhat smaller hut. These huts are characteristic for the alpine pasture. They are built with shingles and here the shepherds stay who graze livestock even today and make cheese. At them the Sirarska pot is marked.

Next to the hut usually stands a shed or hayrack for hay storage. This is Žvanon skedenj. Under the shed there was a stable.

Added innovation - hayracks no longer come into consideration.

Further along the road we see an already abandoned hut - see how they built it.

However, many are already renovated and they use them for weekends.

We arrive at the second cheesemaking hut Jerom.

Next to the huts there are also mini gardens - not of course at all of them.

The pastures on the alpine pasture are mainly fenced.

The alpine pasture is alive, I saw quite a few cars at the huts.

The alpine pasture is guarded by a chapel and someone else.

In the heart of the alpine pasture is the mountain hut on Uskovnica.

In front of the hut entrance. They are currently on vacation. For New Year's Eve there are still some free spots announced.

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velkavrh25. 11. 2013 10:21:13

The next in line was Planina Šeh. Locals call it also just Ši or Šija. It is located somehow below Planina Uskovnica on the left side next to Planina Zajamniki, which are on the right side a bit higher than it, if looking from the direction of Srednja vas upwards. Below it there's only Planina Četeže. I went to it on the road that starts a bit above the bridge on the right side, if coming from Planina Uskovnica. But it's quite a long way - almost four km. There are also other paths, which run from Planina Praprotnica, on which I descended to the pasture once more. The pasture is somehow elongated. Up to the pasture sign everything is on the right side of the road. The central part of the pasture is nice - below there's a large meadow - on the upper edge there are huts. Higher above the main pasture there's also the upper part with nice renovated or completely new buildings.

Under the road we first spot the abandoned shed. with stable below.

The objects then line up along the road below,

Along the road we then reach the central part of the planina - unfortunately the inscription has faded a bit.

This is the central part of the planina.

On the planina we see nice renovated or newly built structures, and some old ones are visible too.

Further ahead one reaches the upper part of the planina.

At the end of the planina we are at Kovku-1136m.

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velkavrh25. 11. 2013 10:43:02

The next pasture was Praprotnica. I went to it when I returned on the road back to the road that leads to Uskovnica and soon we reach the first huts on the pasture. But I didn't walk the whole of it, because I decided to go further to Planina Zajamniki, but in between I somehow missed the path and arrived at the upper part of Planina Šeh. In summer I will check it again.

The first huts are on the right side by the road. Along the road we reach a hut where people live here all year and dairy products are available even in winter. I wasn't there.

On this part of the planina there are only a couple of huts,

Lower part of the planina, from here one continues to planina Zajamniki.

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velkavrh25. 11. 2013 10:55:25

From the top of Planina Šeh an unmarked path leads into the valley to Jereka. The path went through the forest, then across some pasture, where there was actually only one hut with auxiliary buildings. In between I went across another pasture also with buildings. At the end I went past Planina Javornica. This pasture is located above Zgornje Podjelje where we descend on a quite steep cart track. Pictures from Planina Javornica I add at the end and also from the pasture where I photographed only this object with the associated building.

And also old huts. I'm not sure to which planina they belong.

This is already one of them. It looks like a barn with a hayloft above.

Descent to the first house in Zgornjem Podjelju.

This is proof that I really made it here.

It looks like this already from below. On the pasture there are only two huts with auxiliary buildings.

These are those houses on some pasture, past which I went.

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Mrki25. 11. 2013 19:15:05

On pictures 6, 7 and 8 it's Planina Javornica. Nice panoramic pasture on the way from Zajamniki to Zgornje Podjelje.
Planina Pokrovec is completely elsewhere - above Koprivnik.
I often notice that you visit many mountains and now pastures for the first time and then sell the path descriptions like dry gold, even though you're often mistaken.

velkavrh8. 12. 2013 10:58:49

Yesterday on a beautiful day past Planina Lipance. To the pasture we have several paths. Now in winter the most common is from Rudno polje. In summer usually start already from Planina Mrzli Studenec, where we turn right - marked on a nice forest road. On this road further we have two options. Somehow halfway through the forest a forest road branches right to the parking Medvedova konta. Somehow straight we drive to parking Na Rupah. Here is the NOB monument. Here turns right past the monument the forest path to Planina Lipanca, to which in between joins also the path from Medvedova konta and from Rudno polje. Of course we could also come to Planina Lipanca from Srenjski preval when descending from Viševnik. Yesterday the forest path from Mrzli Studenec to parking Pri Rupah was still drivable. The vehicle was on quite deep ice-covered tire tracks. The path to the pasture is fine. Crampons are recommended because the path is slightly icy in places. The pasture shone in the sun. Blejska koča was open and full of hikers. Many went further to Debelo peč.

This is how the road to the Na Rupah parking lot looked today from Mrzlega Studenca onwards.

This is already right below the planina.

The hillside below the planina has no snow.

The Lipanca highland itself comes into view.

On Planina Lipanca there is a planšarija with auxiliary buildings. In the summer or grazing season they also serve here.

Directly in front of Blejska koča there is apparently a somewhat abandoned building with a barn below and living spaces above.

This is Blejska koča. It is one of our highest huts, which is open throughout the winter every weekend, if not even the only one at this elevation.

This is the starting point for countless routes.

Another view of Planina Lipanco from the path to Debelo peč.

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velkavrh15. 12. 2013 11:21:43

Continuing with my winter visits to our mountains. Past Vrtaška planina I went on yesterday's tour to Vrtaški vrh. I was there for the first time. Vrtaška planina is already in the narrower area of Triglav National Park. We park at the end of Mojstrana on a small parking lot and immediately steeply up the hill. To the planina we walk about two and a half hours. Currently there's a huge amount of leaves at the start of the path, soon snow starts to show. At the protective fence for livestock we're already fully in snow. We reach the woodshed where the planina begins. Soon we spot the cargo cableway. After about 15 minutes we're on a large pasture where there's a large planšarija. During grazing season they definitely offer dairy products. At the planšarija there's even a little box with a book for entries. Worth visiting the planina in summer too.

This is how the path looks at the beginning.

Beautiful pasture on the alpine pasture.

The pasture area continues towards Sleme.

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GričarA18. 12. 2013 23:21:43

I'm wondering if anyone knows the path from Lučka Bela valley (podvolovlek) to Planina Dol?

ejti19. 12. 2013 00:08:22

This summer I was there. About 200 m before the signpost for Korošica (looking uphill) a quite eroded track branches left from the road (they drag wood). You go along this track and cross a dry streambed, then you soon come across a cairn and an arrow on a tree. The path is quite well traceable, soon you also hit a fixed cable that helps over a slightly awkward passage. Higher up I apparently missed the turn-off to planina Dol and went too far left, so in the end I reached the road that goes from behind Ušivec to Dol. With that I added another boring hour of walking on gravel...

otiv19. 12. 2013 15:49:07

@GričarA it's been a long time since I went on that path.
Initially you go along the road into Lučka Bela and somewhere after a kilometer you turn onto a cart track on the left side and follow it. How far I don't know, but there used to be white dots on the trees marking the path. Higher, when you reach below the cliffs, you need to find a passage over the rocks. Back then the path was still traceable, how it is today I don't know.
This is roughly written, as much as I still remember.
Good luck! nasmeh

GričarA19. 12. 2013 17:41:54

I'll go on Sunday, if I have some companion, then I'll need to take the machete along velik nasmeh

otiv19. 12. 2013 18:05:21

It can be slippery, maybe even snowy in the upper part, because it's a north slope and also steep.

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velkavrh25. 12. 2013 10:34:52

Yesterday despite the rainy weather I headed to Bohinj and started at Stara Fužina and from there above the village on the marked path to planina Vogar. The planina actually divides into two parts - planina Spodnji Vogar and planina Zgornji Vogar. Today I checked out Spodnji Vogar. The path is currently dry to the hut on the planina. But initially it's quite steep and rocky, like walking on a stone mulatjera. In the central part of the path there's still full of leaves. It's accessible in snow too. If it freezes then crampons are needed. To the hut it's just over an hour. The hut is closed now, but will be open during New Year's holidays. The planina is fairly spacious. Old cottages are mostly converted into pleasant weekend homes, some are completely new. Mostly wooden constructions. I was here in summer too, only I came via the road from the valley that leads to planina Blato, where there's a left turn-off for planina Vogar before reaching Blato. It's marked. Those ten km of mountain road, for which we pay 10 euros, is now almost fully asphalted. In summer I walked this road entirely on foot.

It takes us a good hour, and we're there.

After less than an hour we reach a viewpoint at the beginning of the pasture, where Lake Bohinj mirrors below us.

Just behind the viewpoint on the left by the path we spot the first huts of the Spodnji Vogar pasture.

Barn below and hayloft above. Such barns are also characteristic of the Uskovnica pasture.

Further on the left side. Owners still use wood for roofing.

Even in winter the buildings are prepared for stay. Firewood is prepared.

We reach the water trough on the pasture. Water is piped to the pasture from the nearby Hebed or Hebad pasture, which is somehow to the left of Vogar pasture.

Here they invite us to the Dolenc farm and to the Railway Workers' Hut Vogar-1050m.

Hunters are also present on the pasture.

Next to it is this ruin. There are hardly any other ruins. Owners take good care of their little houses, which they have turned into weekend cottages.

There was quite a bit of snow, but it has melted.

The hut is maintained by PD Železničar Ljubljana.

New Year's Eve will be. The hut will be open during New Year's holidays.

At the viewpoint. The lake is in plain view.

You should come here in summer and choose the hiking direction.

I would really like to sleep in the hayloft once. It's certainly been fifty years since as a kid I spent a whole week on vacation in Dolenjska sleeping in the hayloft.

Ahead winter begins. I don't know where the boundary between the pastures Spodnji and Zgornji Vogar is here.

This is the intersection where we leave the car if we come by car here from the valley via the road from Stara Fužina.

I decided to go to the parking lot from where you then go to Pršivec, left or right to Viševnik pasture.

In the middle of the path to the parking lot, below the road, I spotted a large pasture rather than a clearing with two huts. That should be Hebed pasture.

Both looked renovated. They are completely different from the huts on Vogar pasture. They are entirely wooden. On the map there should be one more hut which I didn't see.

From the parking lot I then set off along the pleasant marked path back to Vogar. The path runs quite a bit lower than the upper road.

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velkavrh31. 12. 2013 16:44:53

Today on New Year's Eve to Kofce. I went up from Podljubelj from Matizovec-1072m. In front of this high mountain farm there's an arranged large parking lot. Here we leave the car and past the farm and the higher lying sawmill left onto the marked path to Kofce. The path is steep from the start and already snowy. The higher we go, the more snow there is. The track is trodden. After an hour of walking we're below the hut at Kofce. Smoke is coming from the chimney. Next to it is the planšarija with barn, which in summer is also open to visitors. The planina is a grazing one. Unfortunately no views today. On the way back snow was already falling.

View from Matizovec farm to Košuto-Veliki vrh ridge.

The pasture is fenced, they graze in summer.

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velkavrh31. 12. 2013 17:06:44

The second planina today was planina Ilovica, which is just over ten minutes away from Kofce when going towards planina Šija. Here there are just two old cottages and one wooden weekend house at the bottom of the planina.

Further there was no track. In places I stepped into the snow up to my knees.

This is the third building on the pasture.

Already above Ilovica pasture. It started to snow.

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velkavrh31. 12. 2013 17:22:45

Today also the third planina. That's planina Šija-1553m. That elevation is written on the Scout hut at planina Šija, which is serviced in summer. Here there's also a large planšarija with barn, where in summer during grazing season they gladly serve. Next to the hut there are still two objects. Next to the hut a little house I don't know what it's for. A bit higher is the Mountain Rescue hut. The hut was made from a former customs post.

Already from afar we see Šija pasture with the hut.

Little house next to the hut. It started to snow.

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velkavrh12. 01. 2014 11:23:32

Yesterday I went again to explore the Pokljuka highlands. I decided for the easily accessible Pokljuka Planina. We drive to Bled and then to Gorje. At the end of Zorne Gorje we turn right into Krnica and drive to the large parking lot for Pokljuka Gorge. Here we leave the vehicle. We continue on the right road, to the left goes to Pokljuka Gorge. Soon we are at a new intersection at St. Nicholas. There are two options ahead, we can go on the mountain road to the right, which is only suitable for tractors, or on the abandoned cart track to the left, which runs along the edge of fenced pastures on Pokljuka Planina. Here we see long-abandoned and now only stone ruins of quite large homesteads. Next to it is a wooden hut with a hay feeder. I assume for wildlife, because there's also a salt lick. We reach two wooden huts. Nearby, both paths meet. Further we walk on the left side of the planina. We spot a nice chapel and next to it on the other side of the path the high mountain homestead Pr Figovca. No one lives here permanently, but in summer they graze here. A bit higher there's another homestead, but only the barn is in use, the other buildings are in ruins. Unfortunately, this beautiful planina, according to the local, rarely gets visitors.

Here to the right turns the mountain road to Pokljuka plateau.

Abandoned cart track used as a hiking path.

The cart track runs along the fenced pastures of Pokljuka plateau.

Here I find long-abandoned dwellings. Only stone ruins remain of them.

It looks like there once stood a large farmstead with several buildings.

Now only a wooden hut with a feeding trough stands there.

It looks like they haven't forgotten about wildlife - salt lick.

Higher up I come across two more wooden buildings. Behind the huts the paths merge and from here the path runs along the left edge of the plateau. The pastures are fenced.

Opposite the chapel is the high mountain farmstead Pr Figovco.

At the fence is a well from the year 1906.

They had a large barn which they still use today because grazing still takes place here. No one lives permanently on the farmstead.

Here only the barn is in use during the grazing season.

The other buildings have long collapsed.

velkavrh12. 01. 2014 12:09:46

Further I headed to Planina Meja Dolina. From Pokljuka Planina there is a marked path to Planina Klek. I didn't get there because it was too far and about halfway from Pokljuka Planina to Planina Meja Dolina snow started and there was more and more of it. It wasn't trampled. But there were ski tracks. Soon after Pokljuka Planina there should be Spodnji Pokljuški Rovti. There should even be a mountain road leading to them. On the map buildings are marked there. Since the rovti are above the path I didn't see them. But I passed Pustotnik Rovt, where there's a small log cabin. Through these forests there are lots of forest roads and paths, so you have to be careful not to get lost. Markings are rare, but there are signposts for Klek in between. After about an hour of walking I arrived at the abandoned Planina Meja Dolina. Here there's only an abandoned hut. Due to increasingly difficult wading I turned back here.

New wooden hut on Pustotnikovem rovtu, at least that's what the owners told me. Previously there were only ruins here.

Monument along the path depicting the accident of 1900.

Heading in the direction of planina Klek.

There are quite a few junctions on the path.

The ski track guides me to the right path.

I reach planina Meja dolina-1372m. But I have no luck with the weather, fog is descending.

Decaying hut on the planina-of course approached. Here they long ago burned charcoal and there were more of their dwellings. Beech has long been absent from Pokljuka for that very reason.

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velkavrh26. 01. 2014 15:40:16

Today I headed to the Suha pasture-1385m. I started in Ribčev laz and went along the marked path that leads further to Rodica. At first we walk along the stream, which we also cross. To the pasture it's two and a half hours. Today in winter conditions it took of course more. Soon after crossing the stream, snow started and there was more and more of it. On the path there are steep sections and flats alternating. The path also runs along an abandoned cart track-a bit strenuous. It's well marked all the way. I went there for the first time. The pasture is medium-sized and located in a kind of amphitheater of Špik, Mala Rodica, Debeleg vrh and Zavitara, I don't see the last two peaks on the Triglav National Park map. The pasture is grazing with its own spring. I tried that water two years ago-it was tasty. On the pasture there are three buildings that seem to be used for weekends too. Ruins of long-abandoned huts are also visible.

Start of the hiking path to Planina Suho.

Start of Suha mountain pasture. There in the middle back should be the peaks Skakavec, behind Zavitar, continuing from Skakavca then Debeli vrh.

Quite an expansive mountain pasture with a snow-covered ridge in the background. Up there the path runs to the pass Čez Suho, across Lepe Suhe, at about 1803 m and then Rodica follows.

On the left is that peak - I'm not sure which one - I think it's Vrh Okroglice - 1670 m, at least that's how it appears on the Sidarte map - Julijske Alpe V and Z part TNP.

The owner was here recently, because it's completely mowed.

A little further on the same side hides another weekend hut.

Of the old homesteads only ruins remain.

On the left side under the water trough for watering livestock there is another building. This one is really used as a shepherd's hut. Two years ago I met the owners here who came to check on their grazing livestock.

The sun and clouds were playing. I can barely see the touring skier anymore. On the way back I met two more.

This is how I saw Suha mountain pasture two years ago high up, when I arrived via the abandoned mule track from Poljane pasture. In any case, that path went right past Suharski Kosmatec and Okroglice.

Summer scene of a lively mountain pasture.

Summer 2012 - yes winter hides many things.

If I'm not mistaken, the Čez Suho pass, Lepa Suha and Rodica on the left are nicely visible here. Between Lepa Suha and Rodica there should also be Mala Rodica.

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velkavrh1. 03. 2014 16:48:30

After more than a month, back to the Bohinj end. I drove the same way to Stara Fužina and then along the mountain road to the turnoff for Voje. From here it wasn't plowed anymore. There were tire tracks-perhaps it would be for some high clearance terrain vehicle. From the turnoff it's about half an hour to Dom na Vojah. The hut is not open. From there along the logging trail further. The weather wasn't ideal, snow was falling too, fog came down. Conditions for good shots were bad. The trail sank in places to the knees-tiring.

Voje are actually an alpine valley surrounded on all sides by lower peaks-mostly forested. On the central part of the pasture, which is fairly wide and also long, there are lots of buildings. Mostly renovated and used more for weekends. Some are completely new. Mostly ground-level small gabled roofs. There are more double buildings-hut and hayloft or barn, or one building has dual use. Some completely new small log cabins too. No abandoned buildings except one ruin already for the Skok refreshment place I saw. I was here in summer too and the pastures are fenced. No livestock seen, but I saw that it's mowed. The pasture ends in the upper part with the Slap refreshment place-popular summer spot and as a finale we can visit the beautiful Mostnica waterfall.