The Julian’s Log
Third Post
“Winter Holidays”
With continuing low temperatures and more snow, this last weekend’s ice climbing World Cup was an awesome sight. Mojstrana was full of lean looking climbers from all over Europe, but the Russians dominated.
FOCUS ON..... TOBOGGANING
This week, we focus on tobogganing. Being from Yorkshire, I always felt sorry for Mark’s sledging experiences as a child in Norfolk …the bunkers at the local Golf course were the best slopes around for him.
However, out here in the Alps, I can honestly say I have never pelted down a hill for as long and as fast as I do now! There are many different slopes to tackle on the traditional wooden sledges, or “sanke” as they are known in Slovenia. Every village has meadows transformed into toboggan slopes, where children and adults alike congregate and experience the buzz of speed.
Up the road in the Tamar Valley, there is a stunning 4km walk in an amphitheatre of limestone mountains, where you can tow your sledge to the comfort of a “Mountain Dom”, enjoy a gluwein (kuhano vino) before taking the return journey in record time, shouting “Pazi” to any slow moving on- looker
Across the road from us, weaves a small lane, which in the summer takes you zigzagging up the local mountain (1891m) and now it provides the ultimate toboggan run, complete with hair pin bends and long glides through the snow covered trees. If you dare to look up, you can see Triglav, Slovenia’s highest mountain at 2864m towering above Mojstrana and on a clear day, up the valley you can see the Italian Dolomites.
There are also Organised Night Toboggan runs in a nearby village, where a local minibus will transport you up the hairpin bends and provide you with head torches and sanke, and the run is lined with burning torches, (Bakla)
REGULAR FEATURE:
Current Snow Conditions:Resort Upper Slopes Lower Slopes Last snow and comments
Kranjska Gora 120cm 35cm NOW! very good skiing conditions
Vogel 290cm 60cm NOW! very good skiing conditions
Krvavec 270cm 30cm NOW! very good skiing conditions
With more snow forecast for 2nd and 3rd February, with 30cm due to fall, the skiing conditions remain excellent across Slovenia.
Hope you’ve enjoyed this second edition. Next weeks focus will be on “Carnival Time” and ice skating.
Ruth
