My boyfriend and I spent the first week of the new year in the Notranjska (Inner Carniola) region or, more specifically, in a charming little village of Stari trg pri Ložu. It neighbours the village of Bloška Polica in the north, the Snežnik forest reserve in the south, and forests in the west that lead to the intermittent Lake Cerknica. The Notranjska region is perhaps a little less known part of Slovenia, but by no means any less interesting. The soluble karst limestone contributed to the formation of a rather special and interesting world with unique geographical and meteorological features that are non-existent in other parts of Slovenia. Rakov Škocjan and Križna Cave, a cave and a water cave respectively, are particularly interesting. Another phenomenon is the only intermittent lake in Slovenia and one of the largest in Europe. When reaching full pool, Lake Cerknica becomes Slovenia’s largest lake with its 30 sq. km. Cerknica is also the birthplace of the oldest skis in Europe – the Bloke skis. Close nearby, on Mount Slivnica, there is – according to myth – a witches’ gathering place. And a stone’s throw from the Bloke municipality stands the romantic Snežnik Castle. Lately, however, the Notranjska region has been becoming an increasingly popular destination due to bear watching. We paid the region a visit on Friday after lunch and stayed until Sunday.
Our first stop was Zavrh where we looked for the house where Martin Krpan, a national hero who is still very much alive in Slovenian mythology, grew up. He was brave and resourceful, and peddled English salt on his mare from Trieste to Vienna. Since he was so strong, the Emperor summoned him to Vienna where he would defeat the terrifying giant Brdaus. Only the foundation remains of the house. Just a few hundred metres from there stands the Saint Ulrich church.
We turned back towards the main road (748) that leads to Stari trg pri Ložu. We looked for the Ars Viva Youth Hostel that is part of the Hostelling International network. We spent two nights there. We were captivated by the hostel and felt quite at home there. The hostel’s story is one of hospitality, kindness, wonderful people, bold and unusual ideas, and elaborate details. What was once a farm building is now a cosy and clean hostel with nice rooms and bathrooms, a reading room, a computer room, a large park area, a charging station that takes up to two electric cars, and an amphitheatre, while a pool, which will be covered by a shed, and a dining room are still under construction. HI membership card holders will get 10% off when booking on the hostel’s website. You can find more information and photos of the hostel in the article here.
We got up early in the morning and headed to Snežnik Castle. Simply arriving to the castle is awe-inspiring as the stone bridge (currently being renovated) gives way to a beautiful tree-lined road. The romantic mansion is located in a clearing, surrounded by woods and the tree-lined road as well as charming surroundings, and away from urban areas. The castle is reflected in the pond underneath, which makes for wonderful photos. We went inside the castle; tours start every hour on the hour starting at 10 a.m. You can only enter with a castle guide who knows all the interesting facts and stories that unfolded at the castle. The latter houses numerous exhibits of historical and cultural importance. These include many hunting trophies, one of Slovenia’s five oldest pianos stored in the wedding hall, the first refrigerator on exhibit in the basement, a Luther Bible safeguarded in the library, and a menu for princes and servants on display in the dining hall, among others. You can read more about Snežnik Castle here. With your HI card you’re entitled to a 10% discount on your ticket purchase.
When we were driving towards Stari trg we spotted a church sitting atop a small hill. Convinced that the church will offer a good view of the valley, we took the forest roads – driving, of course, with some help from Google Maps and our guts. We parked the car near a lonely farm and then walked on foot for the next 900 metres. There’s a path going to the hilltop, winding through shrines of the Stations of the Cross, and the top of Mount Križna offers a gorgeous view of Lož, Bloke and Lake Cerknica.
In the afternoon, we visited Križna Cave. There’s a guided tour of the cave at 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and the admission fee is 10 euros per person. We were outside the cave 15 minutes before the tour started and were handed water-proof boots and a torchlight. We highly recommend visiting the cave because it’s simply gorgeous and significantly less touristy than, say, Postojna Cave, and in a way an even more authentic example of a karst cave. The only source of light in the cave were our torchlights. Along with dripstones, we also wondered at bats that were hanging/sleeping on the ceiling turned upside down. Our guide took us through approximately one tenth of the cave, mostly on land and the last part we toured by boat. We turned off our torchlights for a few moments and let ourselves be engulfed by pitch darkness. You can visit the cave as part of a 4- or 7-hour boat tour by booking in advance, and the Association of Križna Cave makes sure only a certain number of visitors enter the cave to ensure the cave remains a natural habitat with as little human interference as possible.
On the final day we visited the Napoleon Bridge in Velike Bloke over Bloščica and got some sunshine at Lake Bloke later in the afternoon. There’s a nice and light trail circling the lake. A really cute wooden fishing bear resides by the lake that especially children will find quite an attraction. Children can also use the large playground, timber slide and wooden recliners overlooking the lake. Lake Bloke is a pleasant destination perfect during both winter and summer, and the place must be a true paradise during the latter.
You can also take a look at our adventures in a short film here.
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