Juliana Trail Highlights

The Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) a strong, thickset and shapely wild goat with greyish hair. It lives in mountain grasslands above the tree line, and in winter it moves to the tree line. The ibex is very agile and can achieve a standing high jump of 2m and a running jump of 4m.

Cross-breeds between the Alpine ibex and the domestic goat are quite common. Males have large, backwards-curving horns which were believed to have medicinal properties, which pushed the species near extinction in the 16th century.

Only ibexes in the area of Gran Paradiso, Italy survived and all present-day ibexes in Europe are descendants of the Gran Paradiso population. In Triglav National Park the reintroduction of the alpine ibex started in 1964, first in the Zadnjica Valley in Trenta.

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a highly adaptable species. It resides in forests, near human settlements, and even close to large towns. Red foxes are very agile and fast animals, mostly active at night, when they hunt for prey. They also feed on waste and carrion.

The red fox hunts rodents with the typical fox jump. It leaps, sailing high above its quarry, and then lands on its target, grabbing it with front claws. Most of the year red foxes lead a solitary life. They either dig their burrows or use the burrows constructed by badgers, and mark their territory with scent.

Red foxes reproduce once or twice a year, normally in winter. The gestation period lasts 52 days. In spring, the female gives birth to four to eight kits, who stay with their parents for about four months. Vixens help raise the kits. In the wild, red foxes survive an average of three to four years.

Areas that form part of the Natura 2000 network are the basis of nature protection in the European Union. More than a third of Slovenia’s territory (37%) is designated under Natura 2000, and a surprisingly large part of this nature’s treasure can be admired from the panoramic hill known as St. Peter’s (Sveti Peter). The views from the hill stretch over the densely-wooded Jelovica plateau, the Julian Alps, Triglav National Park, and most of the Karavanke mountain range and the Kamnik-Savinja Alps. The reason why so much of this territory is protected under Natura 2000 lies in the centuries’ old presence of man and his love of nature that is intricately interwoven in the natural environment.

The fat dormouse (Glis glis) is a nocturnal rodent. Its habitat includes beech and oak forests. Dormice are active during night time and sleep through the day in their dens and tree hollows. They feed mainly on beech mast and acorn. In Slovenia, the tradition of dormice hunting is still alive.

Food supply has a strong influence on the fertility of dormice as well as their hibernation process, which normally lasts from October to March. If food is scarce, dormice will even sleep through summer. In recent decades, fat dormice in Central Europe have been waking up from hibernation rather early, a phenomenon closely linked to climate change.

The confluence of both ‘alpine’ rivers – the Sava Dolinka and the Sava Bohinjka – is well-known as the site of a popular campsite. With its favourable and secluded location and the abundance of water features, Šobec is a preferred habitat of many small animals.

Squirrels can be seen chasing each other among pine trees, and the riparian area is home to amphibians and the non-venomous grass snake. Dragonflies are indicators of clean water. Šobec is also a paradise for birders, as swans, grebes, kingfishers, white-throated dippers, tits and many other bird species can be spotted here throughout the year. A perfect sport to listen to the birdsong in the chill of the river and the shadow of high trees.

The black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) is the largest in the woodpecker family. It can measure up to 46 cm. It lives in nearly all forests where it can find at least a few thick and old trees. The woodpecker makes a hole in a healthy tree and leaves the hollow for a few years to strengthen before using it as a nest.

The bird has several forms of voice communication. It uses a special call when in its home, while other calls are used for mating time, time to flee, or danger alert. Black woodpeckers feed on insects found in decaying tree trunks, ants being their favourite food.

Peat bogs are a special feature of the vast forests that cover the heart of the Pokljuka plateau. They are a unique ecosystem characterised by peat mosses and mysterious carnivorous plants that thrive in the acidic environment of Europe’s southernmost raised bogs.

Most Pokljuka wetlands are not open to visitors due to their exceptional importance that is further emphasised by the amount of water stored in the bogs.

However, hikers are welcome to learn more about this mysterious ecosystem by visiting the short themed trail that has been set up around the easily accessible Goreljek bog. A natural water reservoir, the Pokljuka plateau supplies water to the Radovna Valley, the Bled basin, and further to Bohinj. Have a glass of water, Pokljuka’s precious asset.

The Alpine newt (Mesotriton alpestris) is an amphibian, adapted to life in colder climates. In Triglav National Park alpine newts live at an altitude of 1100 to 1600m. They are frequently found in ponds, tyre tracks and puddles forming on skid trails.

The females can grow up to 12cm, and the males are slightly smaller. Unlike in other newts, the belly of an alpine newt is bright orange-red. Alpine newts often undergo an incomplete transformation, which means that individuals may be sexually mature but will retain certain characteristics of a larva, e.g. gills.

Such newts were found in the Črno Jezero lake and the lake on the Planina pri Jezeru alpine meadow. During the mating season, male newts develop sky-blue stripes along their flanks and a white-black-spotted ridge on their backs.

Favourable soil and climate conditions, grasslands that have been managed sustainably for centuries, careful consideration of natural cycles, and avoidance of heavy machinery are responsible for the creation and preservation of brightly-coloured wildflower meadows that are Bohinj’s loveliest adornment.

The meadows are at their most beautiful at the end of May when Bohinj hosts the International Wild Flower Festival. Although lush and adapted to the harsh alpine climate, wildflower carpets are not meant to be trampled on by robust hiking footwear. By staying on trails, you will show that you respect this fragile natural environment and the privacy of its inhabitants and landowners.

The capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) is the largest member of the grouse family. The hen’s feathers are protective brown with black and silver barring, while male birds are dark metallic green. The capercaillie resides in mountainous mixed and coniferous forests. Hormonal disturbances may cause capercaillie to become aggressive and lose their fear of humans.

Studies show that this phenomenon might result from excessive human intervention into capercaillie habitats. The species is renowned for its mating display. In spring the males gather at courting grounds, called leks, posture themselves with raised and fanned tail feathers and sing their typical aria, which sounds like a series of 'clicks' and 'pops'.

It is generally known that the capercaillie does not respond to any activity in their surrounding while singing. Otherwise, the bird is very shy.

Lake Bohinj is the heart of Bohinj. It collects waters from the surrounding mountains and the water arteries from the foot of Triglav that flow through the Triglav Lakes and further down to Lake Bohinj and the Sava Bohinjka River. During a flash flood, the water level may rise by several metres. In the summer heat, the lake attracts crowds of bathers.

We hope that your visit to the lake and its coast will be a memorable experience. Please respect the access and visitation regime in place. Wild camping and bivouacking outside designated areas is not allowed.

The brown bear (Ursus arctos) population in Slovenia stands at 400 to 500, with most of the animals residing in the Kočevje forests. In Triglav National Park, individual brown bears are occasionally spotted on the Pokljuka plateau, in the Lower Bohinj Mountains, the Trenta Valley and the area of Tolmin.

The brown bear sleeps through the cold winter months in its den. During hibernation, its body temperature declines by 2 ˚C and its metabolic functions slow down slightly. The hibernation period is affected by weather conditions and food deficit. In three or more months in the den, the brown bear loses 30-50% of body weight, which it makes up for in the summer and autumn.

The brown bear can run very fast (60 km/h), swim and even climb. Brown bears feed on forest fruits, underground and green parts of plants, fungi, rodents and carrion. As predators, bears are also known to prey on cattle. The brown bear requires a large well-preserved habitat with minimum human impact.

The Peči ridge, which separates the Bohinj area from the Tolmin basin, marks the hydrological divide between the Soča and its tributaries that flow southwards into the Adriatic Sea, and the Sava, which drains into the Black Sea.

The watershed acts as a barrier between the mild Mediterranean climate and the cold alpine, or continental, Slovenia. Explore the differences between both sides of the ridge in terms of geomorphology, vegetation, and architecture, and marvel at the diversity of two different worlds.

The chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) is the most typical animal species inhabiting the alpine territory. In summer months the chamois prefers open rocky terrains above the tree line, and in winter it also resides in forests. In harsh winters chamois will even move to valleys. In summer chamois are active in the morning and evening, and in winter their activity is spread out throughout the day.

Chamois are social animals, but old bucks are usually solitary. The natural predators of chamois are the wolf and lynx, and the mountain eagle who preys on chamois young. Common causes of mortality include jumps from rock cliffs, avalanches, and diseases.

The valley of the Bača River, called Baška Grapa in Slovene, is an area of rugged and mountainous terrain that has developed on geologically diverse bedrock. In the geological past, the area was exposed to the erosive power of the Bača and its tributaries, as well as the transformations of massive glaciers receding from the Lower Bohinj Mountains (Spodnje Bohinjske gore).

The running water had excavated narrow valleys, or grape, with steep sides sloping at an average incline of about 35 degrees. As water is in high supply, the area abounds in springs, ravines, troughs, waterfalls and cascades. Rocky slopes are brought to life by the tiny and fragile star-like blossoms of the short-haired sandwort, which is endemic to these parts.

The caddisflies (Trichoptera) are an order of insects. Mature caddisflies are moth-like animals having two pairs of hairy membranous wings and long, thread-like antennas. Caddisflies have aquatic larvae that carry protective cases made of small pebbles and other debris.

They are an important source of food for fish, aquatic birds and other predators. Caddisflies use silk excreted from salivary glands near their mouths for building their protective cases. They wrap the silk threads around themselves and decorate them with various materials.

Most caddisfly species live near springs and in streams, less frequently in standing water bodies. Highly sensitive to pollution, caddisflies feature importantly in the bioassessment surveys of streams and other water bodies.

The white-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus) is slightly larger than the sparrow. It has short wings and rather long and strong feet. The dipper lives in areas near clear mountain rivers with many rapids and rocks.

It searches for food under the water surface, using its bill to turn over stones in search of aquatic insect larvae and other tiny animals. The dipper’s moss-made nest is near the water, built into a crack or hollow in the rock, on the shore, entangled in tree roots or mounted on the supports of a bridge. The white-throated dipper is the only passerine bird that can dive as well as swim.

The Julian Alps are a treasure trove of geological phenomena. The predominating bedrock is limestone. Limestone is a sedimentary rock that formed on the sea floor. Certain types of limestone were typically found in this area and are therefore named after the places where they occur. Volče, a town near Most na Soči, lent its name to the slabs of limestone common in this part of the Julian Alps. The slabs are soft and brittle in structure, only 10cm thick and cross folded.

Clearly visible and easily accessible layers of Volče limestone, commonly known as the “limestone strata of Modrej”, can be admired near the village of Modrej, along the state road between Tolmin and Most na Soči, on the Juliana Trail. North of the village, across the road from the accumulation lake on the Soča River, at its narrowest end, is a set of folded limestone strata that is accessible through the protective Pod Ključem galleries.

The Modrej limestone is an exciting geological feature which remains hidden from visitors who are pacing through these parts but provides curious and observant hikers with joy, admiration and memorable experience. The diversity of geological phenomena in the Julian Alps area is exceptional and is the basis for the area’s equally stunning biodiversity.

The Soča trout (Salmo marmoratus) is a freshwater fish species endemic to the rivers draining to the Adriatic Sea. In Slovenia, it can be found in the Soča and its tributaries, as well as in the Reka and the Rižana rivers. The largest Soča trout caught measured 121cm and weighed 25kg.

The Soča trout is famous for its relatively large head and a characteristic marbled colour pattern on a grey-white skin. It is among the most threatened species, its population declining because of pollution, destruction of the natural environment and, most importantly, ongoing crossbreeding with the brook trout, which was brought to the Soča trout’s natural habitat at the beginning of the 20th century.

The alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba) is at home in rocky mountains. Swifts have very short legs which make it hard for them to walk. With all four toes facing forward, the swift lands on vertical rock faces rather than on flat surfaces. It nests in vertical cracks in steep rocks and overhangs. In autumn alpine swifts migrate to tropical Africa and India. Their diet consists mainly of insects, which they snatch whilst in flight.

Soča River is one of Europe’s most beautiful rivers. It is admired for its colour and its many interesting geomorphological forms. Its emerald-green water changes its colour through seasons. In spring, the melting of snow turns the water milky blue, and after heavy rains, the river is brownish and muddy since most of its tributaries are fed by torrents.

Another typical feature of the river is the endemic Soča trout (Salmo trutta marmoratus). Several entry-exit points have been set up along the river. A visit to the bank is a memorable experience which requires an attentive, respectful visitor who brings nothing to the environment and takes nothing away, except the memories stored in the heart or on a memory card.

The golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) used to inhabit lowland forests. Hunted by humans, it withdrew to higher, more inaccessible places which are now its habitat. It is a predator, able to snatch up large animals, e.g. hares, capercaillie, marmots or foxes, and even chamois kits.

It is not uncommon that the prey will exceed the eagle’s body size and will need lots of energy to be taken away. Boasting a wingspan of 2m, the golden eagle is the largest bird in Slovenia. Golden eagles nest in inaccessible and hidden rock shelves, rock crevices, and an occasional tree.

The female lays two eggs. After about 40 days, the young will hatch, but only a quarter of them will ever reach maturity.

The Koritnica is a vibrant alpine river that, together with its tributaries, collects water from four valleys: Loška Koritnica, Predelica, Možnica and Bavšica. The high relative altitude difference between the mountain peaks and the valley floor increases the erosive power of the water after heavy rains. In the area of the Kluže Fortress, water has been carving, since prehistoric times, the deepest river gorge in Slovenia, which reaches a depth of more than 70m. On the stretch of the Juliana Trail between Log pod Mangrtom and Bovec, hikers will enjoy spectacular views of the ‘strait’ at Kluže.

The ancient, strategically important Kluže passage would never come to existence had it not been for the stubborn and persistent Koritnica River, which has been chiselling, abrading and taking away millennia-old bedrock of the Julian Alps. In Triglav National Park, the Kortinica is not used for recreation activities, and in the Kluže area, it is protected as a natural monument. This majestic work of nature is best observed from the river shore. Be respectful and act as an attentive and careful visitor who leaves nothing but his footprints behind. Downstream from Kluže, the Koritnica attracts small rafts, kayaks and canoes, as well as catch & release fishermen.

The rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) is a small gamebird in the grouse family. The bird inhabits grassy slopes strewn with rocks and small shrubs, just above the tree line. Rock ptarmigans are seasonally camouflaged: their feathers moult from white in winter to greyish brown in summer.

They have white feathers covering their legs and feet up to toes. In winter the males can be distinguished from the females by a dark stripe that extends from behind each eye to the bill. Both males and females have a red comb above their eyes. In spring females moult earlier than males. This way, the female incubating its eggs is still safely camouflaged, while the male’s white winter plumage distracts predators away from the nest.

The bird nests in mid-July. It lays 6-15 eggs into a shallow pit and incubates them for approximately 24 days. It feeds on seeds, fruits, sprouts, buds, leaves, and adds insects and other animals to its diet in the summer.

The mountain landscape of the Julian Alps is an open book on a geological history spanning more than 200 million years. Layer after layer the sea deposited limestone sediments, creating rock faces of the Julian Alps that rise more than a thousand metres high. The diversity and age of marine environments, in which these rocks were formed, is also manifested in numerous beautifully preserved fossil remains.

At many sites within the national park, the visitor’s eye will be caught by images from the petrified seafloor, including seashells, anemone, searching and corals. The Mangart and Loška Stena massifs are a display of impressive geological phenomena. Although mountain chains seem majestic and permanent, they are nothing but a flicker in the geological time.

Erosion always wins, regardless of the power of internal forces. Precipitation in the form of rain, snow and ice can modify the limestone surface and the underground world of the Julian Alps.

The alpine salamander (Salamandra atra) spends most of its time in hideouts within tiny cracks, crevices, cavities and under decaying bark. The only time it leaves these safe havens is in the morning or at night when air humidity is highest.

After the rain, it also comes outside in the daytime. The salamander avoids high temperatures and wind. The alpine salamander has poison glands running along both sides of its body to scare away predators. It prefers mixed forests, areas above the tree line, grasslands and rocky pasturelands. The species has efficiently adapted to life at higher elevations and in the dry karst territory.

Thanks to its black skin, the salamander warms up fast in the sun even in the cold mountains. Unlike other amphibians, it does not need water to reproduce. The female gives birth to live young, who look like mature specimens and are able to live on land. The phenomenon is known as ovoviviparity.

In 1992, the area of Zelenci has been proclaimed a nature reserve by way of a Decree of the Municipality of Jesenice. The reserve is home to a wide range of interesting plants, including the carnivorous sundews, while the fauna is dominated by amphibians and bird breeders.

The westernmost part of the reserve is taken up by the emerald-green tarn. Groundwater seeps through the permeable floor of Lake Kreda, stirring up the silt and bubbling to the surface like small volcanoes, which is a unique case in Slovenia.

The water with its many crystal-clear and cool springs has a permanent temperature of 6 degrees Celsius. Special wooden bridges take visitors safely to the lake and around its marshy surroundings.

Eurasian pygmy owl (Glaucidium passerinum) is a very small owl, measuring 15 to 20cm. It is found in boreal coniferous forests. Pygmy owls nest in tree cavities. They prey on small mammals and birds.

The call of the Eurasian pygmy owl sends passerines flying away in fear they might become prey themselves.

Unlike other owls, the Eurasian pygmy owl is mostly active at dawn, dusk, and even daytime during the nesting period. At night the owl rests, and its call can only exceptionally be heard during bright, moonlit nights. When excited, the owl will cock its tail, flicking it from side to side.