UKC

Hi, got three weeks in Slovenia coming up with wife, she is not a climber but is a strong walker and not agin a bit of very simple scrambling. Chosen Slovenia because Trigalev looks like a proper pointy peak that we can do together with out the phaff of glaciers or ropes. Got bits a pieces of info but looking for any personal suggestions.
Looking at basing ourselves around Bled, any alternatives in the area, any recomenedations for campsites?
I will be taking my rock gear and hope to get two or three days sport climbing in, upto 7a. Any specific shops/websites/cliffs where it might be easier to find partners? Any specific cliffs/bouldering around Bled which are musts?
Will be doing Trigalev, would also like to do hut walk maybe 5/6 days. Loads of routes in guides, any stand out ones? Quietness trumps all. Does BMC membership get you discount in huts?
Might scooch off for a couple of days by the sea, any particualrly good spots?

Slightly sperate, but any good Slovenian book recomendations, like to read a local novel when I am away, got some great recomendations for India from UKC a few years ago, so any suggestions for Slovenia? Good story, quite long are main criteria, any genre, does not have to be "litrature" but dont mind if it is.

Many thanks in advance

Rich

In reply to Solsbury:

If you are going in from the Bled side then the camp site at Bohinjska Bistrica is a pretty good base. The lakes valley hut is pretty good, and the valley itself and surrounding ridges are well worth the effort.

You will probably want via ferrata kit for Triglav.

In reply to Solsbury:

Triglav is a busy, busy place. If you are climber and your partner a confident scrambler then VF kit should not really be needed. It's about 45mins or an hour to the summit from the hut(which is more like a hotel!)so fairly short scramble.
It's a great place - hope you enjoy!

In reply to Solsbury:

Lake Bohinj is great and has a lovely campsite - maybe a nicer option for basecamp than Bled. I traversed Triglav - went up the opposite ridge to the hordes then went down the normal route - good, airy scramble.

In reply to EricH: Slovenia is beautiful, but for coast I would hop down to Croatia!

In reply to Šljiva: also second bohinj suggestion, more natural, less touristy

The lakes valley hut is pretty good, and the valley itself and surrounding ridges are well worth the effort.
[img]http://www.filii.info/g.gif[/img]

In reply to Solsbury:

Recently been to Slovenia, with the aim to head into the Julian alps but only to encounter some pretty horrible rain hence called off the activity for a cultural experience.

First of all wild camping is against the law in the national park but there are plenty of camp sites around. Bled, is very busy especially at that time, and as someone's already mentioned, Bohinj will be a much better choice. Couldn't remember where exactly the campsite was but google will tell you for sure, if not, arrive, and ask around. There are also plenty of huts there in the mountains so a hut walk should be fairly do-able. The alps is big enough you can easily "get lost" in it for a couple of days, if you're up for the challenge you can even consider crossing from Kobarid towards Bohinj, that's a fairly long walk and takes in a fair few of the bigger summits, route finding is important according to locals unless you want to end up on practically a climb (solo), if you're lucky (or not) you might even get to see remnants from the war littered around in the deeper parts. Either way you've hit probably the best time to do Triglav.

Climbing wise there are a few crags up north and certainly some mountain routes to be explored, if not, the most popular spot would be down south closer to Italy, a place called Osp, which is close to the town Koper. Generally sport climbing for all levels and Koper is a good getaway, if you fancy something more touristic, From Koper you can get to Piran, where you can rent a bike and cycle down the coastline in the direction of Croatia, where you will see the salt pans, that time of the year I'd presume they'll be making salt in the traditional way. Further into croatia you can also enter the salt pans but not been that way so don't know what's on the other end. The sunset from the top of town at the old castle in Piran is also stunning.

On a different note, don't forget to try a Potica, which is a walnut cake thingy, very tasty, I'm trying to make my own now! And Pleskavica, cevapcici, and of course, drink plenty of slivovic or rakija! Local beer isn't too bad but compared to Niksico from Montenegro or Peja beer from Kosovo, it's a bit behind.

Hope the two cents helps!