The Walk of Peace Hike
Slovenia
Mausoleum Vodice Hike
At the north of Nova Gorica and with a height of 682 meters we find Sveta Gora (Sacred Mountain), from which, for over 400 years, pilgrims, tourists and now us, have had the privilege of seeing and being surrounded by the Julian Alps, Venice, mountains Kamnik mountains and the Dolomites.
If we pay attention to the sides of the road that takes us to the monastery, we will see caves, trenches and passages that cross the mountain from side to side, inside it is quite cold and there are plenty of mosquitoes. You shouldn`t forget a front light If you decide to cross it.
Once at the top of Sveta Gora we find a church and Franciscan monastery, and without a doubt, the gem and most spectacular part of this site, its stunning views and tranquility of Julian Alps ✌️
Passing the parking, we see a dirt road on the left hand side that leads us to the Mausoleum Vodice. It is not signposted but without detouring from the road is easy to reach. The route is no very long, half way downhill and the other half uphill, and again, the views are worth the walk.
The Mausoleum Vodice was lifted in honor of general Maurizio Ferrante, who wanted to be buried in the same site where their soldiers died during the First War Worldwide.
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Kozjac Waterfall Hike
One of Slovenia’s most picturesque waterfalls
The walk to the beautiful Kozka Waterfall can be started from different points.
- Departing from the Gradic hill where the church of St. Antonio is located and around which Benito Mussolini built an ossuary in 1938, to bring the remains of 7014 soldiers who were buried in cemeteries nearby during the First World War. This is one of many monuments included in the Walk of Peace, and from which we have sweeping views of the valley. The waterfall is located about 3.5 lilometers from here.
- Departing from the Napoleon Bridge. The old bridge was built in 1750 and received that name after Napoleon troops crossed it. Later on, in 1915 and right after the First World War was declared, the Austrian soldiers destroyed it. Approximately a 2 kilometers path runs between this point and the waterfall.
Passing the bridge we find the Camping Koren in our left hand side and a little further up on the right with a car park very close to the road which leads us to the waterfall, from here onwards the road is already marked. It is a dirt road that opens on the left hand side, well signposted. The hike is gorgeous, full of nature, with caves on the sides of the mountain and small natural swimming pools along the stream that take us to Kozjac. Part of the way back can be done by the opposite side of the Soca, crossing the suspension bridge that we find half way down the route.
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Memorial of the Holy Spirit Hike
The road to reach the church begins from Zatolmin, asphalted up to shortly after leaving the village, where it starts a track of gravel. In this there are some sections in which two cars do not have space to go at the same time, but it is not bad condition.
Many people walk the approximately 7 km to the Memorial and many others arrive at the grazing land surrounding Javorca by car or by camper van in our case.
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The route runs between trees, by the side of the mountain and leaving on the right hand side the Gorges of Tolmin, by which you can also walk .
If you explore a bit the area closest to the Memorial where the cars are parked, you will find a bunker which looked quite large, with rooms on both sides, several corridors and holes that seem to lead to a lower level of the bunker. We went with a torch and even then there was not much visibility, it is possible to encounter a step, put the foot in a puddle or not see a hole, but if you walk carefully it is worth entering.
Javorca is the only memorial of the Austro-Hungarian army still standing, and as we were told by the parish priest or seller of entry tickets (2€/person), not only was it started to be built by the soldiers in 1916 as a memorial for their fallen comrades, but as a tool to occupy the minds of those who returned from fighting in the front, and keep them occupied and not give them time to think and ask themselves what the hell they were doing killing each other, which would lead to the withdrawal of many of them or lowering into depression.
The Church welcomes masses of any religion and from the stone stairs the views over the valley Tolminka are beautiful.
Timetables:
18/04 – 30/06 Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays from 10.00 to 17.00
1/07 – 31/08 every day from 10.00 to 19.00
1/09 – 20/09 every day from 10.00 to 17.00
9/26 – 1/11 Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays from 10.00 to 17.00
Sabotin Hike
It is a circular route that you can start at the top of the Sabotin mountain, accessing with a vehicle or from the bridge Solkan, parking in the immediate vicinity of the same.
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The route is marked and is quite simple to follow, in about 3 hours you can finish it, but it is worthwhile to sit and enjoy the views, and soak up the history offered by both caves and tunnels where the soldiers lived, as well as museums where you can find photographs and hundreds of utensils abandoned after the war.
If you cross the bridge Solkan you will see a red sign on the left hand side that marks the beginning of the route, by going underneath the same bridge, you continue on a path of sand and stones that extends along the Soca and that brings you to the largest stone arch in the world. The following signal that you find takes you into the forest and the first tunnels built between 1915 and 1917. This is where the climb to the top of the mountain begins.
Once at the top and with a landscape that opens on both sides of Sabotin, continue to the church of St Valentine, where you start the descent.
We started to walk near the church, after spending a very entertaining night with the owners of one of the two bars that are at the top of the mountain ✌️
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