Hiking in Bohinj

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It is one of those real tantrum tears moments. I feel my eyes oozing as we turned our backs on the trail that would lead us to the peak of Prsivec at over 1,700m. Ominously dark clouds threatened to close in on our hiking group, and our guide, Matic, advises us to turn back and walk along the gorge in the Bohinj valley rather than attempt another five hours’ of possibly miserable hiking in a downpour.  I am the only one of our group obstinate and stupid enough to want to soldier on. Not because of the lure of ‘bagging’ a peak, but I feel somehow compelled to keep going.

That’s the kind of magic that Bohinj, in the foothills of the Julian Alps, exerts over you. The backdrop of the Julian Alps, includes Mount Triglav - the highest peak in Slovenia at 2864 m, the glassy tranquillity of Lake Bohinj set in a valley carved out by the Bohinj glacier over 14,000 years ago and the birch and pine forests and the fields of wildflowers – it’s easy to see why this area was designated the Triglav National Park - Solvenia's only national park.

Slovenia is the third most densely populated country in Europe, by trees that is, which blanket over 50 per cent of the landscape. There’s a population of only 2 million Slovenes, and they are the ones you’re most likely to stumble across on hiking trails. The area is still largely undiscovered by Brits, although most people speak English, so language isn’t a problem.

It’s refreshing that you’re deeply unlikely to find British-style fry ups here, or even sometimes an English translation of the menu. Slovenian food is hearty, and varies between localities, influenced by its Italian, Austrian, Hungarian and Croatian neighbours. Meat features heavily on the menu, as do pasta or dumplings, salads, sauerkraut and nutty cakes. The ubiquitous wild blueberry firewater is an aperitif to lunch and dinner, and can be sweet or quite strong, a bit like Grappa. Wine is surprisingly delicious, and it is possible to quaff fruity Reislings, Pinot Noir and Muscat. The oldest vine in Europe is in the town of Maribor, in the east of Slovenia, where there’s a museum and you can do wine tastings.