Day 5: Kranjska Gora to Trenta Slovenia

We have only good things to say about Kranjska Gora. Our inn hosts were friendly, the truffle & deer prosciutto pizza at the local pizzeria was outstanding, and the beer was cold.

Day 3 on the Alpe Adria Trail

Our view up the valley where our trail led

There were times today when the snowy peaks were so gorgeous that they truly took our breath away.

We had a long hike ahead of us today, with few lunch options on the trail. One of the wonderful things about these inns we’re staying at is that they’re happy to let us pack our own lunch for the trail, using the fresh bread, cured meats, and cheeses that they serve for breakfast. It’s been a big help on these long hikes without towns along the way.

Alpine Cow = Contented Cow

This area is steeped in World War I history. On the ascent, we passed a small Russian chapel that was built in honor of Russian POWs during WW I, who were tasked with building the road to the pass. An avalanche took out their POW camp, killing hundreds.

Today’s walk took us to the highest mountain pass that’s accessible by car in Slovenia (5600 ft), named Vršič Pass. This pass once formed the border between Italy and Yugoslavia.

We left the snow as we dropped from the pass. We probably won’t see any more snow along our path

After the pass, the trail dropped steeply into a thick forest, and we followed the crystal-clear Soca River for most of the 3500 ft descent. The views were spectacular, but the day was a bit grueling. Our toes are very grumpy from all the downhill. The moleskin is coming out tomorrow!

Our destination for the night is 14.5 miles down the trail in Trenta, Slovenia.

Trenta is a tiny little town with very few lodging options. As we were leaving Kranjska Gora at 10 this morning, Bob called ahead to book one of four apartments attached to the Visitors Center in Trenta. These apartments are highly rated by hikers. Although there was availability, the guy Bob spoke with refused to book us an apartment because he said it was impossible for us to arrive in Trenta by 6 pm when the visitor center closed. We were incensed, but that guy’s doubt only motivated us more. Determined, we made it to the Visitors Center by 4:30 pm, well before closing time, and secured our apartment. The apartment is great and was worth the pace we kept all day. We were disappointed that the guy who doubted us wasn’t around when we arrived, but it’s probably for the best!

Welcome to the Trenta Visitor Center!

The only place to grab food tonight was a pizzeria across the street from our apartment. It’s a tiny place with one big communal table. We enjoyed dinner and beer with friendly people from Austria, The Netherlands, and Denmark. It was a great time!

Tomorrow we head to Bověc, Slovenia. It’s a 14 mile descent.

Good night, friends!