Silence Whisperers At The Triglav National Park – Slovenia

According to the legend, mount Triglav, Slovenia’s highest peak (2864 m) is a three headed god who keeps a watchful eye over the earth, the sky and the underworld, and most recently over the Triglav National Park, which takes its name after this mountain. Covering an area of 84,805 hectars, it is among the largest natural parks in Europe. The sources of the Sava and Soca rivers are here, as well as the Valley of Seven Lakes. Chamois, mountain sheep, wild roosters, grouse, eagles, and marmots live here among unique plant species. Samples of older mountain architecture has been preserved, also remnants of the heritage from the past, such as alpine dairy farming. Lake Bohinj, Slovenia’s largest lake, with its unspoiled mountain surroundings is also found in Triglav National Park. At the edge of the park is the renowned Bled and its lake. Slovenia’s mountain world, for most included in the park, offers natural splendors, steep cliffs, lakes and seven thousand kilometers of marked and protected trails, 166 mountain lodges and recreation centers. The peaks are steep, the valleys deep, and the streams full of clear water. The slopes are blanketed by thick forests and the meadows filled with wild flowers.

WELCOME TO THE TRIGLAV NATIONAL PARK!
The western park of the Slovene Alps lies where the borders of Austria, Slovenia and Italy meet. This is also the unique geographical point where three major cultures meet, Romanic, Germanic and Slovene Slavic. The link between the people and the place of this region has been traditionally close.

Here above the Slovene Alps, one mountain visible from far around reigns supreme. Celebrated as Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn or Grossglockner, mount Triglav rules over a dream world and therefore has no equal. Majestic, dreamlike in its monumental and filigreed steepness and at times dangerous beauty, it is the true representative of the Slovene Alps. But Triglav is also the mountain where Slovenes touch the sky. Deep valleys, springs, waterfalls, rivers and lakes, romantic panoramas and countless picturesque details are along the trails.

A great deal of water disappears immediately into the limestone karst underworld. When the water resurfaces, it unites in streams and rivers. The most renowned of rivers is Soca, considered by many the most beautiful river in Europe. It’s water shimmers with an unique emerald color. In addition to two Alpine valley lakes, the untouched Lake Bohinj and the baroquely graceful Lake Bled, the high mountains are sprinkled with a string of tiny and picturesque lakes such as those in the Valley of Triglav Lakes, some 2, 000 m above sea level.

Alpine cousine? More than juicy forest blueberries and the unique teas made from a wide variety of herbs and flowers. Also not just fresh butter and cheese made from fragrant Alpine milk and mountain game served in various ways. Delicious local specialties are to be tasted. Different kinds of buckwheat "struklji" made with walnuts, fresh cottage cheese with raisins and other tasty fillings. The Slovene national desert "potica", a light cake usually filled with nuts and raisins. Also cracklings, dried sausage, smoked ham and minced lard. Homemade cherry, blueberry, fresh mushrooms are prepared in many different ways. Smoked pork stomach, homemade vines.

THE MAKING OF THE TRIGLAV NATIONAL PARK
The first proposal for the Triglav National Parks dates back to 1908. Following an initiative of the Nature Protection Section of the Museumological Society of Slovenia and the Slovene Alpine Society, a twenty year lease was taken covering the Triglav lakes valley and some 1400 hectares. The aim was to turn it into an "Alpine Protection Park" but where permanent conservation would not be possible. In 1961 the protection was renewed, area enlarged, covering some 2000 hectares and officially named the "Triglav National Park". Since 1981 the Triglav National Park covers an area of 838 square kilometers, including the picturesque Trenta valley.

The park takes its name after Mt Triglav (2864m), situated almost in the center of the protected territory. The Triglav valleys supply water for the two large river systems which have their source in the Julian Alps, the Soca and Sava river, flowing to the Adriatic and Black Sea. With the exception of the lake Bled, all of Slovenia's glacial lakes lie within the Triglav National Park, lake Bohinj being the largest one, and the Triglavska jezera, the Triglav lakes. Picturesque waterfalls, the Savica in the Bohinj area, the two Pericnik waterfalls in the Vrata valley, the Sum waterfall in the Vintgar ravine, the Skocniki waterfalls in Beli Potok, the two in Martuljek and Nadiza waterfalls in the Tamar valley.

The limestone is predominant. In some places the limestone has deposited in thick layers. Triglav is the most picturesque peak in parks`s mountain grouping. Others are Jalovec, 2645m and Mangart, 2679m, Prisojnik 2547m, Razor 2601m, Skrlatica 2738m and the Martuljek group with Spik 2472m, Bohinj mountain ridge with Krn 2244m. The Julian Alps are dissected with deep valleys, slopes smoothed by glaciers and the bottoms flat, or covered with the sediments originating from glacial and postglacial periods. The only large plateau is the wooden Pokljuka, some 1200 m above sea-level. Most of the Triglav park area is rich in karst. The rich flora of in the park is for the most part alpine. Several indigenous species, the Soca trout, the golden eagle, the capercaillie, the black grouse, chamois, the ibex, the marmot and the mufflon have been reintroduced into the park.

The mountain way of life left its mark in this mountainous region of Slovenia. Iron ore manufacturing reached its peak during 15th and 16th centuries, when the ironworks in the Trenta valley, Bohinj area and Jesenice were established. Forests provided valuable charcoal for iron manufacturing. The Triglav park settlements have their own characteristic rural architecture, dairy farms and adjacent alpine pastures.

Mountaineering is one of the earliest and most popular activities in this region. In 1778 four men from Bohinj made the first ascent to Triglav. The Slovene Alpine Society was found in 1872 and which played an important role in the awakening of the Slovene national consciousness. But the relationship between nature and man, and mountains and man, presented the most challenging issue to the Slovene cultural man. Is mountaineering merely a sport, an activity, or much more.

WHAT TO SEE
Between 1914 and 1918, the Soca Front became one of the bloodiest battlefields in history and more than a million soldiers perished. In Kobarid, visitors can view the historical overview of this battlefield in the Kobarid museum that won the title of European Museum of the Year, in 1993.
Important passes across Julian Alps left a series of intriguing cultural reminders and archeological finds
More recent historical landmarks include the remarkable tower on the top of Mount Triglav
In Trenta valley is the "Juliana Alpine Botanical Garden" not to be missed in June when it is decked in Alpine flowers.
The large and attractive Triglav National Park Information Center can found in Trenta. In Mojstrana the Triglav Museum is well worth visiting.

WHAT TO DO
Sky diving, hang gliding, classic alpine climbing, walking, hiking, sunbathing, skiing
Climbers will be challenged not only by the 1,500 m of Mount Triglav`a legendary North Wall but also by several other climbs.
Bovec and Lesce near Bled offer small airports popular for parachuting and serve as sailplane center
Bled Golf Course, several well maintained tennis courts
Horseback riders can take advance of equestrian centers and tourism farms
Most tourist resorts offer bicycle rental services

The Triglav National Park is administered by Triglav National Park Authority (TNPA). TNPA organizes and hosts a number of activities. It also publishes the "World Under Triglav" magazine, covering features about people who made TNP possible, and who live in TNP, about heritage and culture of the Julian Alps and other interesting features. It publishes informative and educational leaflets about the Triglav National Park, which can be requested free of charge. It further organizes a number of interesting workshops, lectures, exhibitions, cultural events, photographic exhibitions, trips, educational tours about the park. The park guardians, for example, are active throughout winter and are servicing the parks infrastructure, or doing professional research and caring for animals.

Some 17.000 visitors visited the Tirglav National Park last year. Regular educational tours for school children and students from UK, France and Italy are being organized.

THE TRIGLAV NATIONAL PARK IN BRIEF
The Triglav National Park in Slovenia is one of the oldest parks in the Alpine region. It covers almost the entire area of the Slovene Julian Alps. Located in the north-west of Slovenia, it takes its name after mount Triglav (2864m) and covers an area of 83807 ha. The Triglav National Park offers living nature, rivers, waters falls, woods, lakes.

Slovenia, a green and diverse country that lies between the Alps, the Mediterranean, and the Panonian plain, offers many splendors, snow covered mountains, a Mediterranean coast, beautiful karst caves and thermal springs, deep gorges created by clear mountains river, wide vistas of slow flatland rivers, mountain lakes and vanishing karst lakes, ancient villages and medieval towns, old castles, vineyards and mysterious primeval forests.

HOW TO GET THERE:
The Slovene national airline Adria flies to most European cities. Or by train, bus, car to the Slovene capital Ljubljana.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I wish to thank Ms. Mojca Smolej from the Triglav National Park Authority in Bled, Slovenia for her efficient response and for kindly providing valuable information about Triglav National Park.

Triglav National Park Slovenia
Triglav National Park Web Site