Friday 14 September: Ljubljana to Topsham

We kill a few hours wandering the streets of Ljubljana and drinking another cold brewed ruster buster coffee in our favourite cafe Tozd by the river. There are lots of students here so we feel cool and down with the kids. Our taxi picks us up at 11.00 and we have a rather white knuckle ride to the airport. Only a short delay and swift transfer in Frankfurt. Heathrow Express to Paddington where we meet Izzie for a glass of wine and to admire her beautiful diamond solitaire engagement ring. Exciting times ahead. The 19.03 train is rammed so we are grateful for our reserved seats. We make the Topsham connection with minutes to spare and are in bed exhausted by 11.00. What an adventurous trip we have had.

Thursday 13 September: Ljubljana

We enjoy a good hotel breakfast before setting off to walk up the hill to Ljubljana Castle (most people get the funicular!) The main draw is the viewing tower from which we get a view of the whole of the city of Ljubljana below and a hazy view of the mountains in the far distance. 900 years ago it was a fort, then the seat of the regional governor and subsequently a prison in the First World War. We the wander round some shops on the way to the Tivoli Gardens where we hoped to see red squirrels, but not today. A pleasant green parkland but we are feeling a bit too weary for much of a walk. We have tapas by the river at Tozd: delicious local salami and prosciutto with cheese, bread and olives washed down with a glass of local white wine for me and a craft beer called Human Fish for Simon. Back to our roof terrace pool to relax and cool off in the pool which is lovely for half an hour or so before two children arrive. Great! A further wander around the cobbled streets and Art Nouveau buildings thinking about booking somewhere for supper after our disappointment last night. Sadly most places seem booked up already so we will have to take our chance.

Wednesday 12 September Ribjec Laz to Ljubljana

We're awake very early as usual and even have to wait to be the first to breakfast at 7:30. Then we leave the Hotel Gasperin and walk down to the bus stop near the lake. The 08:47 is on time and we travel through the mist shrouded valley towards Ljubljana about two hours away. Plenty of hay racks and rickety wooden barns with neatly stacked logs on the way.

It's very hot and sunny when we get to the capital. We walk down through the narrow streets from the bus stop to the triple bridge and find the Vander Urban Resort, right on the river. It's a mixture of the D'Aranberg building in the McLaren Vale and Tate Modern; very funky! We stroll through the vibrant city., bicycles whizzing past us in great numbers. We have lunch at a recommended fish place under the colonnaded section next to the fish market, where we have delicious cold cured sardines, anchovies with cheese and cod pate and toast. And of course some chilled white wine! Then we visit the cathedral of St Nicholas with its over the top gold gilding and pink marble, have an ice cream by the river ( pretty much everything is by the river!) and feeling a bit weary go up to the roof terrace of our hotel and doze/read by the plunge pool. Suitably refreshed we head off downtown to the Union brewery for some unfiltered  ales (in my case a very dark malty one), obviously the trendy place to be. Then a somewhat solitary meal in a fish restaurant recommended in the guide book but apparently shunned by eaters! We compensate by having a negroni at a buzzy place by the Ljubjanica overlooking an impressive fountain on the other side.

Tuesday 11 September: Lake Bohinj

We wake early in our usual hiker's routine and have to wait until it is decent to go to breakfast. My morning hot shower is bliss! The valley is enshrouded in mist and it is strange to think of the mountain tops basking in bright sunlight and clear skies above. The hotel owner says this will happen until Spring. We know it will lift so we head off in good spirits down to the Lake. We take the upper south path which meanders pleasantly through the trees until we reach the crowds at the Vogel chairlift. Through the pastures of Ukanc we cross the bridge over the river and wonder at the clear green water before we start to climb up the popular path at the end of the lake towards Slap Savici. We pay our 3 euros entry fee and climb steep steps up to the impressive waterfall. There are two underground lakes that cascade their waters down the crevasse into an emerald green pool. It is spectacular indeed. A refreshing grapefruit Radler before walking down to Ukanc again where we find a spot on the beach near the campsite where we swim, sunbathe and snooze. It is hard to imagine this is the same place that we visited in the torrential rain on our arrival. Feeling somewhat weary we take the electric tourist boat back to Ribcev Laz admiring the splendid scenery on the way. There are people swimming, paddle boarding and canoeing as well as lots of cyclists and hikers. There is a lively buzz and we can now see why this place is so popular. A beer on the balcony as we begin to pack up in preparation for our departure to Ljubljana tomorrow.

Monday 10 September: to Ribcev Laz

Having seen the sunset last night we see the sunrise this morning. As I'm waiting for the sun to appear over the distant mountain range I chat to the Slovenian chap who shared our room last night. He's walking the trans-slovenian route from Maribor to the Adriatic. We have breakfast at 7 - just bread and honey and some sludgy Turkish coffee and are on the trail at 09:00. The route is slippery as it's north facing and damp, so it takes us a long time to get down the steep section. We get back into the tree line and after a while come across another hut where we stop for coffee. We see a deer in the nearby woods. Down we trek through birch forests and get a bit lost by a run down ski resort, and it takes us a while to get back onto the right route. Eventually we arrive wearily at Bohinjska Bistreca where we have a celebratory Union draft beer and some typically Slovenian food - mashed beans, sausage, sauerkraut and mustard! We then find the bus stop for the return to Ribcez Laz and a very welcome shower in the Hotel Gasperin from where we left in such heavy rain a week ago.

Sunday 9 September: to Crna Prst

We are up with the lark and on the track at 7.15. Blue skies and cloud inversion as we zigzag up the mountain side towards the summit of Vogel. The sun breaks out from the east as we reach the top and we see spectacular views of the top of Triglav clear in the clouds. We admire the incredible panorama and feel proud to see how far we have walked. The path down from Vogel is steep and we begin to meet groups of walkers who have come up in the cable car. The path meanders down and up through meadows with cows (we wonder how they got here!) scree slopes and narrow paths. After about 5 hours we reach the top of Rodica where the day walkers are having their lunch. We talk to a local couple whose daughter is walking in Cornwall. A light mist envelopes Rodica as we continue along the ridge. We are now on the dotted path on the map which is described as “very difficult” and my anxiety levels increase. The path is incredibly narrow at times with sheer drops on either side. “Airy” I think they call it! Terrifying is what I call it. There are a few tears after a particularly steep section but Simon is encouraging. I think this is probably the most challenging thing I have ever done. Ahead the path looks impossible but it does tend to improve as we approach. I can barely look down but keep my eyes firmly on the path ahead with Boots’s advice “bring your world in towards you" ringing loudly in my ears. My spirits are lifted by the frequent crops of Edelweiss and Gentian that line the path. Eventually we spot our hut perched on a cliff in the distance. It never seems to get any nearer but eventually after nearly 9 hours of walking we arrive. An incredible situation. I am so relieved to arrive safely that I feel like crying. Dom Zorka Jelincica na Crni Prsti is welcoming and despite a group of English on a tour there seems to be room for us tonight. I think I could sleep anywhere. What a day!
We drink beer outside and later watch the sunset in this idyllic setting.
We eat hungrily and are then invited to join in a game in a game of spoons with the KE Adventure Group which is fun.