Castles

A streak of sweat drops down Tone’s forehead in the hot summer sun yet he beams with pride to show us his twenty-year project; he named it “Trail of four waterfalls” (Slo. Pot štirih slapov). A school teacher by profession but also active in a local theater, a local tourist association and nature guiding in his spare time, he takes us to their cozy hut by a stream. Friendly and open locals welcome us with oven-baked trout; a welcome relief before a six-hour hike in the recently explored gorge.

Apparently the four waterfalls were only brought to public attention a little over two decades ago and Tone has been making great efforts to create a round 12-km marked trail ever since by finding passages in a labyrinth of vertical walls, fixing pitons, steel wire and stairs along the exposed slopes, and by putting signs to make it easier for hikers to find it. It’s been tough but worth it. Today he boasts a trail that has even impressed the legendary Slovenian Alpinist and extreme skier Davo Karničar.

Larches along the trail sparkle golden in the setting sun, the curvy land turns quiet, and views capture a playground of jagged peaks and endless golden forests underneath. That’s Kranjska Gora right now. If you’re into the great outdoors and would like to enjoy spectacular colors nature has painted so generously this year, then you should definitely take these two hiking trails around Kranjska Gora.

I have a confession to make. I don’t do CrossFit, Zumba, fitness, cardio boxing, boot camp, anything of the kind actually. My usual workout begins right there under a lonely hill to the north of Ljubljana. With its 366 m of elevation, Šmarna Gora is everything I need to stay in shape. The best time to go? Definitely morning.

It’s nice to have a favorite mountain. Cozy, even. Having outgrown a mere physical activity, its visits resemble more to active social events since you meet the same people every day, while also the trail seems like an old friend with its same familiar challenges on every single step. The half-an-hour standard timing makes Mt. Šmarna gora a favorite daily excerise not only for me, but also for others living in Ljubljana or somewhere nearby. If I usually prefer late afternoon hikes, I decided today to trade those for an early sunrise ascent. It was worth it.