Napoleon's Bridge across the Nadiza river

Among the many beautiful spots that you can find in Slovenia there is also this stone bridge that crosses the Nadiza river.

It is called Napoleon's bridge because it was built at the time of the French Emperor's conquests, probably around 1812.

In summer the area is quite popular with people who want to enjoy the coolness of the air in the wood around the river and also a refreshing bath in its green waters.

The area is quiet and if you like you can have a short walk in the wood even though the Nadiza is more popular as a spot where you can swim rather than for walks. Its water can reach 20° in summer and since it is quite shallow it is appropriate for families with children and dogs.

 You get there climbing a small staircase made of wooden steps after which you can cross a small bridge which allows you to pass over a jump in the ground and a stream which comes from the other side of the road. The bridge has only one parapet, towards the jump because on the other side the bridge is at the same level as the ground and there are some stones which are covered with moss. The green of the moss is shining because of the light of the sun on it.

The moss doesn't grow in a uniform way on the stones but it forms some stripes so that the stones look like faces of goats, with ears and beard :)

Otliško Okno

Otliško Okno is a natural window overlooking the Vipava Valley.

Basically it is a huge hole in the rock, which has quite a peculiar shape, through which you can enjoy a spectacular view.

You start from the small village called Otlica

Then you follow an easy trail and during the walk you can meet goats grazing in the fields

 All the place is amazing considering its natural aspects and above all in early spring when you can see a lot of flowers starting to bloom and colouring the ground

And you have a chance of looking at the valley below and enjoy its beauty: The trees themselves seem to try to look better what is below.

The sun was shining and the wood had such warm colours that it was as a lamp was on inside it

And then at last you see the natural window!

The hole in the rock was made by the erosion of water during a process that lasted many centuries. But the legend says it was formed by the devil with its horn.

It is impressive and unique! You could spend hours sitting there admiring the beauty of this calm and quiet place

and the sunset made everything still more magic!

To the source of the River Hubelj

Hubelj is a small river, a stream according to some, which flows through the Vipava Valley in Slovenia. Its source is spectacular because the water comes from openings in the Sturska mountain forming some wonderful waterfalls.

The water is considered one of the cleanest in the country and there are some natural springs that offer drinking water.

All around the area is amazing because you can walk in the woods and see the river that jumps from rock to rock creating awesome effects.
When you are there the only sound you hear is the sound of the water that fills the air.

You can of course also enjoy the view of the first flowers of spring. We saw the first violets, both violet and white, and then lots of primroses.

'Long as there's a sun that sets

Primroses will have their glory

Long as there are violets

They will have a place in story'

               (W. Wordsworth)

The place is good also for those who like working out because they can find some tools which they can use

 On the road that leads to the river spring there's the small church of St. Anthony of Padua with its white façade, moon-shaped little window and a nice bell-gable

Not far from the church there are the remains of foundries that worked from the 15th to the 19th century.  It was Emperor Ferdinand who, in 1561, gave the permission to build them in the area taking advantage of the power provided by the strength of the river and of a very rich iron ore.
The remains of the walls are covered in ivy and other vegetation and they form quite an impressive view.

Along the Isonzo River

The river Isonzo, or Soča as it is called in the Slovenian language, is really impressive in the so-called Soča Valley where it is like an impetuous young boy always ready to run fast, jump, suddenly change its course and fall from dangerous peaks. Some places look like settings for a fairy tale as Andrew Adamson, the director of The Chronicles of Narnia, said.

The river is one of the most beautiful rivers thanks also to its water, which is so green that its nickname is 'Emerald beauty'
A lot of mountain rivers are green due to the small particles of bedrock suspended in the water, but what is typical of the Isonzo river is the fact that it maintains its colour as fas as its end in the Adriatic Sea.

Simon Gregorčič (1844-1906), one of Slovenia’s best-loved poets, dedicated a poem to the river
in which it describes it this way

...

I like to look into your lively waves, 

These green-blue waves; 

The dark green of highland grass 

And the cheerful azure of the heights 

Have flown together with delight; 

From the dew of the blue skies, 

From the dew of green mountains, 

You have drunk your beauty –

...

An Italian poet, Celso Macor (1925-1998) was also charmed by the colour of its water and wrote 

...

Isonzo, so green and deep ....

...

When it reaches Gorizia, in Italy, it is more like an older and wiser man, much calmer and placid in its regular course but this doesn’t mean it is less beautiful.

The river doesn’t exactly flow through the town but you can see it on its outskirts, when you reach Gorizia from its western part.

It is particularly beautiful at sunset because the vegetation creates a fascinating atmosphere.

There are some parts where you can walk along the river and through the woods and there it is possible to see also a lot of spontaneous flowers which of course change according to the season.

Last weekend during a walk there we saw loads of snowdrops.

The Isonzo River is connected to the Great War and the 12 bloody battles that took place along its banks both in nowadays Slovenia and Italy. There are many places that are memories of those days and again the poet Simon Gregorčič is relevant here because he foretold all this forty years before the war broke out and the events along the river occured.

...

 "A clear arch will stretch above you, 

Around you a hail of lead, 

Rain of blood and streams of tears, 

Lightning and thunder – oh, stifling battle! 

Bitter steel will strike upon these lands, 

And you will flow full of blood: 

Our blood will nourish you, 

The enemy’s will muddy you!" 

...

A walk in the Panovec Forest

Sometimes we can find beautiful and gorgeous places just in our backyard. 

Last weekend we went for a walk in the Panovec Forest.

Panovec is very close to the centre of Nova Gorica and it is quite a nice recreational area. You can work out there thanks to some equipment you find and you also can go cycling, jogging and running since there are different tracks. And of course you can have wonderful walks in the woods.

The forest is interesting because it offers a great diversity of flora and it is also really important to local people: in 1985 it was declared as Natural Monument.

As for the flora, we saw a carpet of crocuses, both blue and white, which gave a joyful colour to the underwood. 

According to classical mythology, Crocus was a mortal boy who fell in love with a nymph. His love was unhappy and the gods turned him into the plant which bears his name.

There is also another variation of the myth according to which Crocus was killed by Hermes in an accident during a game of discus. Hermes was so desperate that he turned the body of the young victim into a flower.

Whatever the story, I think crocuses are delightful to see even because they throw a shade of colour to the wood which is still wearing its winter clothes.

Here and there there were also primroses, which prefer hidden spots and grow on the edge of the path instead of open spaces.

In Latin the name of this shy flower is primula, just like in Italian and the name comes from primum which stands for first and it refers to the fact that primroses are among the first flowers to appear in spring. Its English name, primrose, means more or less the same since it comes again from Latin and stands for prima rosa, first rose.

A remarkable aspect of the forest is the variety of plants in its understory. At first there are crocuses and other small flowers, then while you climb the hill a bit you meet a lot of butcher’s broom and holly, and finally you can see a lot of small fir trees.

....

And you can see the primroses

At the beginning of January

And on the butcher's broom

Red balls

Hanging

Like on a Christmas Tree

...

(Celso Macor)

Tolminska Korita

Tolmin is the largest town in the Soča Valley; it is situated on the southern rim of the Julian Alps and is surrounded by an area of incredible natural beauty.

The most famous attraction nearby is the Tolmin Gorge - Tolminska Korita. The gorges start at the confluence of two rivers, the Tolminka and the Zadlašča. While going down the steps which lead you to the rivers you can hear the fresh noise of their water that runs quick and happily in the gorge creating a lot of small waterfalls.

The gorge formed by the Tolminka is about 60 m. deep and is really gorgeous. You realize how small you are in front of such majesty.

The most impressive aspect is the water and its turquoise colour, really crystalline and transparent! You must pay attention not to walk in the water, it is so clear to be almost invisible!

You can easily walk along the place thanks to the bridges that have been built and the most striking is the so-called Devil's Bridge, which is 60 m high and just above the precipice. From there you can have a great view of the gorge and also feel the thrills of being over an abyss

While walking you get to a point where a big rock probably fell from above and got stuck between the two sides of the mountain. If you look carefully, it looks like a stuffed animal and for this reason it is called Bear's Head. Can you spot it in the photo? 

All around the area there are lots of flowers: snowdrops, crocuses, pulmonaria and heather!