UKC

Going to Slovenia this summer.  Is there any good easy climbing there ? I have found topos for places where we will not be able to leave the ground........

Also any advice on VFs and campsites near them would be much appreciated.

Camp site in Dovje/Mojstrana is good.  The sites in Trenta and Bohinj Bistrica are decent as well, but remote and busy respectively.

The sport I have tried there is nails.  Got completely defeated by a "5b"

Mountain/trad routes seem to be more accessible.

There is a v good VFs I can't remember the name of that goes up the N face of Prisank through the "window".  Take a small bag to avoid trouble on the chimney pitch.

Bamburg/Plemnice route on Triglav is another worthwhile one.  Start early to avoid getting cooked on the walk in.

I can dig more information out later if you like.

Thanks, if its not too much trouble I would be grateful for any other info. What you have posted is very helpful.

I stayed at a campsite right on Lake Bled for 2 weeks and it was lovely. The lake is really good for swimming and has a mini beach. Campsite was clean and well equipped with all amenities. There were many crags within 40mins drive from there. All of them well bolted and mostly easy access. I am sure I have a guide book for Slovenia and would be happy to photo a few pages for you if you know the area you are staying?

I have heard that the grading in the Bled area is a bit more sensible.  The crag I went to above Dovje was "interesting".

The place in Slovenia for low grades is Vipava, a long range of rocks outside the village. Has >150 routes below 6a and a campsite with it's own climbing wall by the village. 

http://www.kamp-tura.si/en

Kotecnik, Slovenia's 'summer' crag has about 50 >6a but again dotted about and the walk is twice what they say. There's a campsite quite near.

Crni Kal down near Osp has a lot of lower grades, again spread out, 90 >6a but it is very hot in summer and a bit polished, there's the campsite back in Osp to use.

Up near Triglav, on the south side by Bohinj there a crag called Bellevue behind the Hotel Bellevue which has about 40 lower grade routes popular with groups etc. That's on one corner of Lake Bohinj, I think it's called Ukanc then there's a campsite at the other end of the lake 2.5 miles away.

1) Rather than camping you could base yourself here https://en.rivercottageslovenia.com/home.php and benefit from direct access to the Walking/VF guidebook author. He can also point you at some sportclimbing, but I don't know about grades.

2) Be prepared for some BIG days on the VFs - lack of lifts mean a lot of uphill and downhill, at least 1000m each day (perhaps less if you stay up in huts on Triglav). Prisank window was good although 'kin sketchy in 6" of snow when we did it. Mala Mojstrovka is OK, Mangart is quite good. There's a lower VF at Mangart too. Can't comment on Triglav upper parts (above huts) as there was too much snow for us.  The Slovenian approach to risk is different to that taken further west in the Alps and you'll find unprotected sections where you would like protection....

Thanks, but I will buy a guide before we go, out of interest what guide do you have ?

Thanks, will bear that in  mind !

The best guidebook for pure VF is published by Rother.  It's only available in German unfortunately but it is easy enough to follow.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Klettersteige-Julische-Alpen-Karawanken-Kletterste...

"Mountaineering In Slovenia" is great for pictures and inspiration but vague about difficulty.  You can't tell the difference between a walk with a few stemples and a proper vf from the text.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mountaineering-Slovenia-Julian-Kamnik-Savinja/dp/9...

The Cicerone guide is probably better for information but rubbish as hill porn - the pictures are terrible.

For climbing the only source of info about mountain trad routes is "Popular climbing routes in Slovenia".

http://www.climb-europe.com/rockclimbingshop/Popular-Climbing-Routes-in-Slo...

It's a good book, but unfortunately comes as a hardback.  I see there is now an ebook version which looks potentially interesting if it can go on a phone...

And the latest version of the sport guide...  http://www.climb-europe.com/rockclimbingshop/Slovenia-Sports-Climbing-Guide...

As I said earlier I got stitched up when I tried a route out of that, but it seems it may have just been a toughly graded crag.  Physically this book is a bit of a doorstop - one rare case where you may be better off with the much more compact older edition.

For maps, the Sidarta 1:25k series are so much better than the older maps that you shouldn't consider anything else.

As of last september all of these were available in the bookshop at the alpine museum in Mojstrana.  The museum itself is small but very good and is certainly a worthwhile rainy day option.

Deciding between the Bled and Kranjska Gora side shouldn't be a major issue as you can drive between them in about an hour.

Thats great, we like the look of Bohinj so will visit there for part of the trip.

Great, thats very helpful, thank you.

http://www.climb-europe.com/rockclimbingshop/Slovenia-Sports-Climbing-Guide...