A Fairy Tale Forest Near the Small Village of Suhadole

The Mrzli studenec stream has been propelling the little water wheels since 1987 and they were first built there by Franc Repnik. In 1997, Franc also built a neatly designed log cabin with a symbolic “Koča pri Mlinčkih, 1997 m” (Cabin by the Water Wheels, 1997 m) sign. If it so happens that you get caught up in the rain, you can take shelter in the cabin.

After his death in 1998, Valter Nemec took over the care of the water wheels. His visions and ideas have made the water wheels quite famous, one could say. In less than a decade, 125 water wheels have been built. These water wheels come in all shapes and sizes, and some of them even produce interesting sounds – clickety-clack, clip clop...

From 2006 and until his death, Peter Podlipnik took over the care of the water wheels. Karel Matuš was his helping hand and he still looks after the water wheels.

During the last restoration in 2014, lots of people from Suhadole and Bukovica lent a hand and made sure that the place became even more enjoyable by adding a woodshed, a hayrack and a forest dwarf, among other things. The latter two, the hayrack and the forest dwarf, are the works of Franc Kubelj.

The place now offers small and large water wheels, a wooden bucket that fills up with the water from the stream and then empties itself, a cabin, a woodshed, a forest dwarf...

Two legends, which one is real?

Just a few hundred metres away you can find another attraction, the Žegnani studenec spring.

As I’m curious by nature, I followed the cart track and soon there I was, standing in front of another attraction, the Žegnani studenec spring. There was a tin cup tied to a small rock with a chain. Not only is the water pleasantly cool and safe to drink, it’s also said to have healing properties. Now, as for the reason behind the water’s healing properties, there are two stories circling around.

The folk legend says that the water restored the youth of an old baroness who lived nearby and drank the water.

Another story says that, a long time ago, a priest and a patron from Komenda crossed the hills and were headed to Ljubljana. They stopped by the spring to quench their thirst. On their way back they stopped again to bless the spring and that is where the spring got its name, which in English translates to The Blessed Spring.

Interestingly, the water in this spring doesn’t freeze in winter.

After years had passed and the villagers started sprucing up the place around the water wheels as well as the Žegnani studenec spring, they added neat little signs, such as “Water wheels” and “Žegnani studenec spring” and the last one is guarded by a statue of Mary.

On your way back from the healing/youth spring, you can stop for a few moments, sit down on a bench and enjoy some peace and quiet in this pleasant and tranquil forest oasis while listening to the sound of the water wheels and birds. Let the perfectly ordinary Carniolan forest take you to a magical world for a few moments.