EURO TOUR 2023 - Stage 9 - Julian Alps - Bovec (Slovenia)

Stage 9 - The Sôca Valley - Julian Alps - Bovec - Sat 7th Oct to Mon 9th Oct

So off I set into the mountains…saying farewell to my lovely chatty camp neighbours (Jonathon:French and Gaia: Italian)….first, the climb over Vrsic pass.

Quite a climb! Right into the heart of the Julian Alps….it was a Saturday, and not a cloud in the sky….explaining perhaps why this natural beauty was spoilt by the huge numbers of visitors, there wasn’t an impossible spot left to dump a car, it was that bad.

Later I commented my observations to the guy at the campsite , and he said it’s worse in July and August, how could it be!?

I eventually descended along the beautiful Sôca River, to my target destination, Bovec. The activity centre of the region….very quickly I was set up on a nearby campsite, and jumped on the bicicleta for a spin up and down the valley……

It was an ok ride, but the planned trail was blocked due to work, so I returned a little early, still 2 hours…not all but an emphasis on outdoor activities are based around the River Sôca, from kayaking, white water rafting to canyoning….

Also there is a well worn trail, the not unsurprisingly named Sôca Trail, typically completed by catching a bus to the start upstream, then walking back to Bovec. Unfortunately though the bus had stopped running for the season!

Furthermore, I tried to dig the knowledge of the guy at the campsite….but cycling particularly (off road) sounded limited, and the hiking suggestions did not excite.

For the evening I went into the village, and found a real ale bar, “Thirsty Rivers Brewing”, plus a basic burger….and live entertainment from a young girl plus guitar singing UK and US classics….included Wonderwall, Wish You Were Here and Beatles stuff…

The following morning I decided to make a list of accessible sites to visit, then do a combo road trip / short bike day. It lasted one waterfall! For some reason I felt lethargic, so I returned to my tent, had a Kip…felt better…and set off to a small lake (Krn) in the mountains.

The road ran out , 5km from the lake, into a rough track. I asked two guys on bikes if it were possible to ride up to the lake on my gravel bike….they assured me it was….it took me longer to sort my bike out than the ride!

Not sure what they were referring to, but the only access was a very narrow, rocky and steep path…that clearly stated  “bikes prohibited”??

So bike back in car, and spent some time on the Sôca Valley, stopping occasionally to check out the small gorges, and rapids..it is a very attractive river..with stunning blues and white water, with that magnificent massif backdrop.

But overall, I have been a little disappointed with this region..Perhaps I’d have been better staying nearer Bled, at Kranjska Gora..there seemed to be more possibilities for trail riding there? 

A couple more beers in the village, and by the morning, on the move again.

So that was Slovenia! ** see next stage! The one place I really wanted to visit..in conclusion though, without doubt I’ve been very spoilt, but overall I was a tad disappointed. Lake Bled itself is very photogenic, but the surrounding hills are nothing special and mainly forest covered.

The journey into the Julian Alps was very impressive, but it’s not an extensive area, and those scenes of all the cars parked in every conceivable spot, almost from the bottom of the  Vrsic Pass to the top was tbh bloody awful! And to be told that in July and August it’s even busier..?how could it be? And the lack of bike trails and decent walks in the Bovic area was disappointing…

Where to next? 🤷‍♂️😜😎

EURO TOUR 2023 - Stage 8 - Lake Bled - (Slovenia )

Stage 8 - Lake Bled - Slovenia - 4th October to 7th

For the first time  I awoke to a mixed cloudy morning, but still excited to drive a further 2 hours east, this time to Pragser Wildsee...unfortunately the cloud continued, arriving there, also called Lake Braies, it really was a beautiful setting. Only a small lake, but even under cloud cover, an azure blue.

The backdrop I'm sure would've been as impressive as what the standard has become in the Dolomites, but it wasn't playing today! Although this did not deter the droves of tourists...photo click opportunities galore; selfies, and Instagram poses in every direction...I don't associate with "these", I'm clearly a true traveller snob!

The car park was 15 mins gratis, I must have been there barely 25 mins....15 euros! WTF!!

It got worse. I drove the 40 mins to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo....a spectacular triple rock massif. Alas, it was still cloudy when I arrived, but to drive right up to the spectacular, it was €30 - with a road barriers and pay kiosks. Fvck off! This is nature...you money grabbing....🤬😤🤬

This was my most easterly planned spot in Italy, and with the forecast cloudy the next day...I didn't see any point in hanging around 🤷‍♂️

So Slovenia here we come! Another 4 hours, and I'd already done nearly 3..but travelling and sight seeing is different, although I did get tired on this one, even switching the music off in the car! Not a good sign.

I crossed into Austria (buying another vignette...I didn't even know I was going into Austria!)...and eventually arrived at a misty moody Lake Bled.

I'd made it!! Slovenia was always my hope, but back in the UK I was unsure I would make it this far east...mainly I guess if the weather turned....and the forecast for the next few days is more sunshine! Fingers crossed.

The campsite (for ref: €15 per night with wifi and elec!) was close to the lake at the top end, and I decided on 3 nights, expecting plenty to fill the time. On the first morning , as it was forecast to be a mixed cloudy sunny day, I decided to drive the 45 mins to the capital Ljubljana, for some kultcha…well tbh, I needed some contact lenses urgently, and a gas refill would be welcome. I achieved both, and also went up to the castle, walked through the old town etc TICK ✅ 😂

I was back at the campsite by 2pm, so decided to do a bike ride to a rival lake (according to Lonely Planets, Lake Bohinj ) so off I went, firstly mainly down a valley….finding an acceptable amount of gravel…the lake was ok, but nothing like as nice as Lake Bled. 

Then I returned! It must have taken me three times longer…a huge smooth road climb that went on for ever, passing some nice mountain villages, for most I sort of enjoyed…but then after a plateau it started climbing again….through thick pine woods, and it was getting dark. Isolated…Bears! I thought, am I in bear country again? Sure enough, I later found out I was!

Eventually, I hit the inevitable descent down down into Bled. I did consider if Roglic and Pogocar ** did their training on this road, and later again, found out that the National Hill Climb champs are on it, but on the ascent where I dropped down to Bled. Pogocar won in 2021 and 2022 but didn’t compete this year.

The reward para mi, for a rather unexpected tougher ride than I thought at the start, was a rather poor meal in the camp restaurant, “Viennese Chicken” sounded nice on the menu, in reality it was very school dinner like…deep fried breadcrumbed reconstituted chicken….followed by Bled Cream Cake…a slab of custard with some coconut and pastry on the top 🤷‍♂️ Lonely Planets is not complimentary at all about the local cuisine!

The following day, I decided on a hike to the nearby Vintgar Gorge. And impressive it was too, although I did a “Midnight Express” (under 40 year olds ask yer parents!). 

On the approach, everyone was walking towards me. Eventually I joked to a couple, and they said the gorge was only permitted one way?? Surely not? It was true….I’d walked too far, and so rebelled! There were some narrow parts, where I had to be rather strategic, but worse was to come….at the end were one way turnstiles, and a pay kiosk (€10 which I object to btw anyway)….I surprisingly smoothly vaulted the turnstiles, and walked past the staff with confidence, with some surprise on their faces! Always the rebel!  And didn’t pay a penny!

Eventually back at my car (after a lovely contoured but elevated walk back, with everyone walking towards me 😂)….it was only 1.30pm. So I picked a lake that was only 40km away….and off I went.

Fvckin L 🤬 It was 25km into Austria 🇦🇹 - which meant I went through the toll tunnel (Karawanks), 8km long, and a toll too….but bloody Austria..anyway the lake was ok (near Villach). I pulled over, switched off “toll roads” and “motorways” from Google Maps and set off. 

The universe (obviously) wanted me to go wrong, and re enter Austria 😜 The return journey, albeit 40mins longer….was stunning! This is what I had expected from Slovenia. Lake Bled itself is very nice, but the surrounding hills etc are nice but nothing to get excited about…

Now I was driving through part of the Julian Alps, but first over the Wurzenpass, one of the only two access routes from Austria to Slovenia pre the tunnel (the other pass being the Loibl Pass)….and then the mountains came into view, not too dissimilar to the Dolomites (well, geographically they are simply a continuation 🤷‍♂️)….this is what I expected from Slovenia.

Returning back to camp, more excited now about the following day, because the plan was to move on, westward anyway, over the Vrsic Pass, through the heart of the Alps….

** rather good pro cyclists from Slovenia 🇸🇮 

EURO TOUR 2023 - Stage 7 - Alpe di Siusi - Dolomites (Italy)

Stage 7 - Dolomites - Alpe di Siusi 2nd to 4th October

Surprisingly a fair chunk out of two hours, heading generally north east. I expected lots of stunning consistent scenery, a bit like crossing Switzerland, but it became quite urban and busy, with a toll motorway, seemingly taking many Germans back to their homeland (I was going to write Fatherland, but not sure that's acceptable, so I won't 😜).

Suddenly though these amazing mountain shapes came into view, to call them "sawtooth" really would be an understatement...really awe inspiring....these were the massif of Alpe di Siusi, but I decided to persevere to Val di Funes.

Again through a lower valley with a full on packed motorway, but about 10km from a turn, I climbed into the hanging valley of the valley, with another amazing backdrop. The valley was lovely too, so I pulled over to find a campsite.

There weren't any at all, in fact Siusi was the best bet, and I had to go that way anyway....so after about 40 mins I'd got a spot on a campsite (29 Euro per night for ref) with a full blown direct ñview of the Alpe di Siusi backdrop from my tent.

I did a recce in the early evening up and down the valley, and again had a pizza in Siusi and two beers!

The following morning, I decided to take the cable car from Siusi up to over 5,000ft to Compaccio, the start point of the Tour Gröden, essentially a circuit of three seperate mesmeric mountain massifs, also including dropping into two villages. The second, Santa Ulrich I decided, sensibly, to catch another gondola to take me back up, as I'd lost a lot of height dropping into The Valley.

The route was supposed to be a red route but it was absolutely fine (Italians do exaggerate!). I was overwhelmed though by E-MTBs often getting overtaken on some of the long ascents 😫. Also I kept hooking up with a Finish family who were on the same route, they were really nice...especially the Mum! I must visit Finland 😘

Back at the Compaccio gondola I had two beers, a panino and an Apple strudel (btw this región of Italy is totally German, must be history to it?).

I took the tarmac road all the way down to Siusi, with exhilarating speed ! 

To complete possibly the best bike ride I've done, certainly on this trip.❤️

But where to next, one last Dolomites stopover, but further east?🤷‍♂️

EURO TOUR 2023 - Stage 6 - NOT Lake Garda 😘 (Italy)

Stage 6 - Lake Garda

I was expecting a scenic journey from Lake Como to Garda....but first there are a series of lengthy tunnels concealing any views of Como, but the route dropped out of the mountains and became slow and urban, including Brescia and Bergamo. The traffic was quite heavy, and then there are crazy Italian drivers....tailgating at speed is insufficient, some will then take an inside lane to then squeeze back in front, even when there's hardly any gain. Italian men 🤷‍♂️😂

If I thought the initial impression of Lake Como was poor, heck, Garda was truly awful. Yes, take away people and cars, I guess it's quite attractive (although not in the Alpine league)....but it was snided. Worse than Como though, the valley is even tighter....queues of cars and buses, often getting stuck behind cyclists of all varieties, who even used the plentiful tunnels.

On advice I went to the far north, Riva del Garda, apparently a centre for outdoor activities, and in the foothills of the Alps...but that was packed too....I went to one campsite, and the nice lady suggested I should drive an hour further on, to Lake Molveno - she said Garda was full of Germans, who's school hols haven't finished yet...all campsites would be full of mobile homes of various varieties....I didn't want to stay anyway, so off north I went, for another hour....

Stage 6 Proper - Lago Molveno - Brenta Dolomites 30th Sept to 2nd October

And what a lucky escape that was! I'd always wanted to visit the Italian lakes, almost like I was missing out...but really, Como was OK, but Garda was awful....I won't return.

The topography changes dramatically. Tbh I didn't realise I was in the Dolomites, albeit a western corner....The Brenta Dolomites. And Molveno is in such a beautiful location, by the lake, but with an amazing backdrop of those sawtooth peaks....mesmerising. I got a spot on a very busy campsite (for ref 34€ per night, most expensive yet), but it didn't matter.

I had to try the pizza in the evening, when in Rome, well, Italy...and it was nice: Quattro Stagioni!

I'd planned a route for the morning, although a little concerned about the do ability of the terrain. So before I left the village, I had a chat with a nice guy at a MTB hire place. He verified it and thought the gravel bike may struggle in just one part of the route....good enough for me!

So up the valley, to a slighter larger ski resort, Ándalo, to catch a gondola, up to over 5,000ft (well, I wasn't going to climb that high up from the valley, THROUGH BLOODY TREES too!). And what a cracker of a ride! The first section undulated, but more or less stayed at the high level, facing opposite those quintessential sawtooth peaks of the Dolomites.

The difficult section, was barely 400m, and I even managed to force ride sections (I'm dangerously slowly getting fitter, and having to find my old climbing legs!).

Most of it was perfect gravel, with occasional sections that were a little too bumpy. I simply had to take it steady...I eventually came to huge multi hairpin single track road, that went on forever....the valley floor seemingly not getting any closer! 

Some lovely villages (see the mural from one) and soon I was sat by a small lake: Lago di Nembia - beautiful, calming, the BOLLIX! LTD en serio ❤️

Gravel all the way back into Molveno adjacent the lake, followed by 45 mins of sat on the grass, basking in the sun, I even took my socks off! It really is a lovely all round resort...but I'd guess a far greater proportion of visitors are "active" in some way, MTB probably the biggest sport.

If this is a taster of these Dolomites, I cannot wait for the next few days, and the gorgeous forecast continues!

So on my journey again in the morning, after more pizza....and soon to be more Dolomites!