Juliana Trail Slovenia
Juliana trail: From Tolmin to Bled
- We describe here only a part of the Juliana Trail, the one we hiked ourselves. The brochure recommends walking the trail in a clockwise direction. Once again we swim against the current on the trail from Tolmin to Bled (stages 11 - 5)
- Officially, the stage destinations are in villages and towns, where accommodation can easily be found. We deliberately stayed somewhere in the middle of the stage to be able to pitch our tent undisturbed. Who wants to know more about our exact places we stayed overnight erfahren möchte, is welcome to ask us directly.
- The gorgeous Soča Valley in the Triglav Nationalparkalthough it is part of the Alpe Adria and not of the Juliana Trail, is a must on a trip to Slovenia.
- A detour to the Bohinj lake and the Savica waterfall is worthwhile in any case.
- On the Kamp Bohinj Zlatorog in Ukanc you can camp in a forest directly on the banks of the lake.
- A little outside of Bled, you will find the River Camping Bled, uncomplicated and beautifully located on the river (unlike the camping Bled directly on the lake. There we were sent away because we would have to have stayed min. 2 nights).
- On https://www.bohinj.si/en/aktivnost/juliana-trail/ you can learn details about the Juliana Trail
- water
If you're not sure when you'll find the next water source, fill up your bottles every chance you get. Top tip: There are always water taps at cemeteries! - Way
Always know your destination. Even if trails like the Juliana Trail are very well marked, there are always gaps. Apps like maps.me help you not to lose your way! - Weather
Pay attention to the weather and prepare accordingly! Will it be hot? Do you always have enough water? Is it raining? Poncho handy? In the mountains, the weather can change dangerously without warning! - Weltwach
For us, Erik Lorenz‘ podcast „Weltwach“ is exciting entertainment, e.g. during steep climbs, during which we like to distract ourselves with some magical travel stories. Of course, there are many interesting podcasts for this purpose (another one we discovered on our hike: „Geschichten aus der Geschichte“ (stories from history, obviously in German))
We packed pretty well for our first time long-distance hiking. We always carried about between 11 and 14 kg per person, a weight that we didn't notice anymore after a few days.
You can find our packing list in this post
What were we particularly happy about?
- Shower bag (having running water in between for showering, brushing teeth, washing up is a nice luxury)
- Good, tested sleeping bags and mats are a must
- Waterproof lightweight tent
- good camera (despite the extra weight, it's simply more fun than a cell phone)
- 2 pairs of shoes (hiking shoes and either sandals or comfortable sneakers for non-hiking time).
- Hammocks (luxury of course, but were often used for sleeping or just relaxing)
- some wifi (to get necessary info about weather, campsites, etc.)
- maps.me highly recommended for offline navigation
- Rain ponchos (we often needed my big one as a rain tarp)
- Few clothes (1 set of hiking clothes + 1 set of evening/substitute clothes).
What would we no longer pack?
- Small grill (used only once and only to use it once)
- Water filter (at least in Slovenia not necessary, there you can find drinking water everywhere)
Day 0
After successfully completing the Alpe Adria Trail and having had enough of Croatian beach vacations, we once again had a decision to make: We had about 10 days left on our long-distance hike; so where to next?
Further into Croatia and explore the beautiful Istrian peninsula? Or back to Slovenia and resume the Juliana Trail in Tolmin, which circles the entire Triglav National Park?
Heat and drought versus green and wet. Always looking for water versus streams and rain.
For us, this was not an easy decision. But finally, we set off and marched the 12 km back to the Slovenian-Croatian border.
Here, the same procedure awaited us again as when crossing into Croatia. We, the only pedestrians, meandered between cars and motor homes, which were usually simply waved on, and were beckoned with the index finger to the cabin at the Croatian as well as the Slovenian post ("Come closer, you there"). Passports were scanned, but vaccination certificates not requested.
Okay, so onward. We knew that here in Mlini Most at the border soon a bus should/could drive or maybe not. We couldn't be quite sure about that.
On the Internet, we had tried to find a bus connection between here at the border and Tolmin. In vain.
On On arriva.si, one of the Slovenian bus companies, we just didn't get any further than Ljubljana. And the capital was also not really on the way to our destination. Only later, we were a little wiser and knew that there was the other company, nomago.sithat went to the Triglav National Park.
Well, the bus arrived on time and in Lucija we had a direct connection to Lubljana, where we arrived 2.5 hours later. There, however, we had to wait almost 3 hours for the next bus.
We bridged the detour via the capital and the waiting time with some sightseeing in the old town, which was bubbling with bars, restaurants, and cool antique stores. Now we knew that we could look forward to the end of our hike when we would return here again for 3 days.
From Lubljana back into the mountains to Tolmin it was pretty much another 2.5 hours drive. We arrived in the dark. Since we had already passed by here on the Alpe Adria Trail, we already knew a suitable campsite to spend the night.
The trail marking on the Juliana Trail is not always optimal, sometimes even non-existent. Can you find it in the following photo?
(Drag to the left for resolving)
Day 1 - Stage 11/10 of the Juliana Trail, 12 km
At Kamp Siber in Tolmin, they are easy-going. "Pick any place, we can do check-in tomorrow," we were instructed at the reception last night.
By now, we were experienced in pitching tents. So it stood quickly even in the dark. Good thing because shortly after it began to rain and did not stop almost the whole night.
But we wanted it that way. Better to enjoy the luxury of too much water than to wither halfway.
This morning the sun is shining again. Everything can dry and after shopping in town we set off on our last week of long-distance hiking.
The short stage to Most na Soči (č is pronounced ch as in Chicago) runs along the beautiful green Soča (a small part also on the main road, which is unpleasant). At the stage destination we treat ourselves to a sweet snack to get ready for the next climb.
It is not long in coming, but it rewards with a magnificent view over the Soča valley and Tolmin.
Meanwhile, the morning sun is replaced by afternoon rain. But this only adds to the wonderful mystique of the landscape.
Through a typical Central European mixed forest, the path leads us back down to the next village. There we follow the road downhill until we finally find a suitable place to spend the night in a somewhat hidden quarry (for this the app park4night is also quite helpful for hikers).
Put up the tent, cook, enjoy the last warming rays of the sun and go to sleep.
Highlight of the Day
The Senica viewpoint over the Soča River and Tolmin
Day 2 - Stage 10/9 of the Juliana Trail, 18 km
Today is the first and fortunately only morning when we have to pack up our tent in a drizzle. That happens in no time, breakfast is later.
Again, sharp, steep mountain slopes pile up in front of us. First all down, then steeply up again. At least the weather is gradually improving.
Since we can't find a good place to picnic anywhere (we are spoiled with good resting places in Switzerland), we eat our muesli on the steep forest path without further ado.
Green, lush, mossy forests surround us. It is magical! Then the sun finally comes out again.
After a steep descent, we reach the stage destination Grahovo ob Bači, where we - oh, how wonderful! - find a restaurant. Most Slovenian mountain villages are deserted, without a place to stop or a store, so we are always happy to find the smallest tavern or the most ordinary pizzeria.
Like here. Pizza and white wine with a view and sunshine. How did we deserve this again!
The reserves replenished, we fly on. And not enough surprises, shortly after we find a lonely bathing place. It is cold but refreshing.
When we have found the right way again, it goes uphill again. Up, up, up.
Finally, we reach the ridge where we pitch our tent. Not too early. Because already the wind blows in the next shower. But we are lucky and it merely brushes us.
But the tenacious wind that blows through the whole night makes us sleep only fitfully.
Highlight of the Day
Pizza and wine in Grahovo ob Bači (under other circumstances it would not even have been a good pizza, but today it is delicious!)
Day 3 - Stage 9/8 of the Juliana Trail, 18 km
The night was cold. Quickly we take down our tent on the ridge and look for some morning sun and water.
Warmed up and invigorated, we continue marching up and down the green hills.
To reduce today's hike by about 100 meters in altitude, we skip the finish of stage 8/9 and don't descend to the valley. The Juliana as well as the Alpe Adria Trail like to chase us up and down the steep slopes. 700 meters of altitude are enough for us today.
As the path finally pushes us up through an enchanting beech forest, it begins to rain and thunder heavily. Again our ponchos prove that they are worth every cent.
Heads down and up we go through the green dampness. On the way, we meet a giant earthworm, arm long! We have never seen anything like it.
Since we like to listen to the exciting podcast "Weltwach, we don't even notice how quickly we arrive at the top of the hill.
We are amazed by the view over the mountains, the stormy sky, and the path we have already walked.
From here we follow the way downhill. Idyllic little houses lie everywhere surrounded by pine groves and willows.
We hide again somewhere in the middle of the bushes and cook something warm, while the sun disappears behind the Triglav mountains.
How we enjoy it! Constantly being outside, with the sun into bed and with it up again, all the animal sounds around us, not a soul in sight.
But up here it's getting cold. So we hole up in the tent early and read each other to sleep.
Highlight of the Day
The view from Lovski Dom (hunting lodge) of Podbrdo, where we are rewarded with sun after a stormy steep climb.
Day 4 - Stage 8/7 of the Juliana Trail, 15 km
The next morning we pack with freezing fingers, knowing that it will be better today. The sun shows itself early in the morning.
Down in the valley, however, there is still a picturesque veil of fog, which we are now heading for.
At 16°C we arrive in Bohinjska Bistrica, where we fortify ourselves with black coffee and a piece of warm strudel at Café Štrudl (pronounced Shtrudl).
The town is the eastern stepping stone to the Triglav National Park with many accommodations, restaurants, and a museum.
We continue hiking to the popular Bohinj Lake, a pearl of the Julian Alps.
At the camping in Ukanc, we can camp in the little forest right on the shore of the lake. Of course, not alone, because everywhere where beautiful waters are to be found, one meets crowds of people.
But that makes little difference to us right now. Otherwise, we are always nearly all alone in nature. Hence a little socializing doesn't do us any harm.
Here we want to wait for better weather and explore the surroundings of the turquoise lake.
And of course, once again take a shower and wash everything...
Highlight of the Day
Naturally, Lake Bohinj, which shimmers in all shades of green-gray between the rocky mountains. A paradise for all nature lovers, children, and adults alike.
Day 5 - Having a break at the lake
It is cold again this morning because this time we are also sitting under the fog cover.
That doesn't seem to matter to other campers, who are more hot-blooded than we are and throw themselves into the lake early.
Most, however, explore the lake in canoes or SUPs (stand-up paddles).
We on the other hand prefer to go for a walk until the sun finally appears at noon.
As we soon realize, we are not the only ones who have heard of the Slap (waterfall) Savica, about 6 km away. At the latest at the entrance booth, where we pay 3 Euros per person, it is clear that the waterfall is a famous tourist destination.
Steeply climb the stairs through the forest to a shelter by the waterfall.
It's a bit crowded up there among all the sightseers, but of course the fall is a postcard view, although it's not spewing too much water at the moment.
In white foam, it falls down between the rocks into a turquoise green pool.
People line up in front of the barrier to get the best possible shot. So do we.
Back at camp, we relax on the shore of the lake and live into the day. Later we eat something tasty with local beer, play ping pong and read in the hammock before snuggling into our sleeping bags.
Highlight of the Day
Although we don't usually think much of tourist hotspots, the Slap Savica is a natural spectacle not to be missed when visiting Lake Bohinj!
Day 6 - Stage 7/6 of the Juliana Trail, 14 km
Today we are in no hurry. The sun pierces the fog cloud a little earlier today and promises a wonderful day.
Only at noon and only after we have showered again, we leave.
We walk along the quieter lakeshore, without road, without traffic.
In the village of Stara Fužina (Old Hammer), where we shop, we resume the official Juliana Trail.
The trail only touches the lake. But it would have been a pity not to stop here for two nights.
Along green pastures, farming villages, and pointed hills we walk through the flat valley.
We don't want to go too far today. Because soon the way will rise again to cool heights. And besides, you should not camp wild in the national park.
Therefore, we set up camp just outside the gates of the national park; again, somewhere in a grove on the edge of the trail.
We enjoy the sun and the view over the mountains and the lake in the distance, all to ourselves.
Tomorrow we have a tough stage ahead of us. That means early rise and shine!
Highlight of the Day
Today the whole day was just nice and pleasant, sunny and dry. Besides, the route, except for the end, was pretty flat through lush green land decorated with steep rock walls.
Day 7 - Stage 6/5 of the Juliana Trail, 25 km
We're up at 6 am as we have a long stretch ahead of us today. But also to reach a nearby viewpoint early and watch the rising sun as it illuminates the valley deep below us.
And we are not disappointed. The sight is simply magnificent!
All to ourselves we get to enjoy this place in silence, drink coffee and let the first rays of the sun warm us.
We look far over the valley. But Lake Bohinj is once again under a cloud of fog. Well, even so, the sight impresses, which leads to the fact that we linger here a little longer than planned.
Finally, however, we set off and hike through pretty little villages, over cow pastures, and through mixed forests, accompanied by the sun up to about 1300m altitude.
The boundaries between the national park and inhabited land are not always clear to us. What is certain is that the area we pass through is farmed. This is evident from the cattle pastures, the logging in the woods, and the small residential areas, which may only be used as vacation homes nowadays.
Either way, the area is enchanting. Behind the forests and pastures, the sharp mountains of the Triglav range rise into the sky, we walk through moorlands and, who would have thought it, once again we unexpectedly find a restaurant - the muuu bar (moo bar).
But the big highlight of the day still awaits us. We enter it in the evening after having already hiked 25 km.
First, we descend the path steeply through the forest, then we follow a thin grade, and later an even steeper earth staircase leads us down into a dark hole.
We walk with open mouths through the big cave, then further into a huge gorge.
We continue climbing the stone stairs, vertical rock walls shoot up to the left and right. One might expect that such a marvelous place would be teeming with people. But we are the only small figures in the middle of a natural wonder.
Further up, a wooden gallery was built into the rock face. I now walk along of it, look down on Seraina in the depths and feel like the last adventurer.
A metal staircase leads me through a narrow crevice. Darkness surrounds me. I feel my way through it until all of a sudden golden rays of sunshine shoot toward me. I step out of the cave as if into another world.
Ahead of me, the path continues to wind past dense ferns and tall trees until it gets lost somewhere in the forest.
Nearby we find our last, wild sleeping place in the forest. It is not far from Bled and thus the end of our long-distance hike.
Highlight of the Day
This is clearly the Pokljuka Gorge which for me is a real highlight of the whole tour.
But also the viewpoint on Vodnikov Razglednik at the beginning of the day was quite something.
Day 8 - Stage 5 of the Juliana Trail, 14 km
Quickly we have packed up again and are on the road, through the first settlements before Bled. Directly on the lake is the camping Bled. In this 5-star campground, they don't want us, because you have to stay at least 2 nights.
So we set off in the direction of Bled on the other side of the lake.
With crowds of other tourists, we walk along the shore and photograph what we can.
The pilgrimage church of the Assumption of Mary on the small island in the middle of the lake and the castle of Bled in the background, which towers over the city, are famous motifs. Just type "Bled" in the search engine and look at the pictures.
The fish on the shore are also often photographed. Not because they are particularly special, but because the water of the lake shimmers so brightly turquoise that it seems almost ghostly.
A few kilometers outside Bled we find River Camping Bled, beautifully situated under pine trees by the river.
There we meet already for the third time the Belgian Dave, who curves through Slovenia with his dog Stella and an old ex-military ambulance Mercedes converted to a camper. Each time we joke that we will certainly meet again; so at Lake Bohinj, then here in Bled, and later even for the fourth time in the megacity of Ljubljana.
Highlight of the Day
The views of the lake, the castle, and the church on the island, but also the feeling of having reached our final destination. For the time being.
It is our last night in the tent. However, before it dawns, we stroll to Bled Castle and dine in a local restaurant worth mentioning.
A wonderful end to a wonderful journey on foot.
I reflect and go into raptures. We have never traveled so slowly before. In your own car or public transport, it's a completely different feeling of traveling.
On foot, we got a lot of impressions every day and got to know the areas and landscapes immediately around us.
We had to fight for every kilometer ourselves. A lot of time to perceive, think about, and store everything around and also inside us.
From Jesenice via Kranjska Gora on the Alpe Adria Trail, along the Soča to Tolmin. Over the mountain to the open-air museum about the 1st World War a first time to Italy. Different language, different customs. Criss-cross over the hills and through the woods, always back and forth across the Slovenian-Italian border, around Trieste to Muggia, where the first trail ended. On to Piran, a few days vacation in Croatia by the sea, and back to Triglav National Park to finish our hike with the Juliana Trail. All this in only 5 weeks.
5 weeks in nature, packed with adventures and new experiences. Sometimes cursing, but mostly in a good mood, we mastered our first long-distance hike with bravado.
If you've never done it before, you should definitely get your backpack on for a few days or weeks and try it out for yourself. You will definitely be rewarded.
Für uns ist aber erstmal genug. Morgen nehmen wir den Zug nach Ljubljana, wo wir 3 Tage lang die Stadt erkunden wollen. Zurück in die Zivilisation mit all ihren Vorzügen und Lastern.
Juliana Trail Slovenia Photo Movie
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By the way, we did stages 2 and 1 of the Juliana Trail at the very beginning of our Slovenia long-distance hike, before we turned onto the Alpe Adria Trail route in Kranjska Gora. You can read about it in the report:
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