A fantastic excursion that offers natural and cultural sight
The gorgeous high-mountain lake in Lužnica is situated in the Krn mountain chain, more specifically in the Peski glacial valley. It instantly charms with its beauty, incredible vistas, and truly remarkable experiences. Its crystal clear water, which is of just the right temperature to cool down hiker’s feet, is the home of exotic underwater vegetation, as well as several species of shrimp.
Arriving at the lake, you should take your time and circle it at least once. It looks fantastic from any angle, but make sure to pay special attention to monuments, commemorating the 1st World war. The largest between them is a grenade, built into one of the boulders on the lake shore, where one can still find remnants of shells, nails and similar reminders of war.
A fantastic excursion that offers natural and cultural sights in a single experience:
Park your car in the parking lot of planina Kuhinja, which you will reach after driving through Nova Gorica, Tolmin and two picturesque villages, Kamno and Krn. From here, you can reach the lake by taking a clearly marked and well-maintained path, the entirety of which can be navigated in about 3 hours, or even 2 hours if you are a sporting enthusiast. On the way to the lake, geologists will be thrilled to examine Rdeči rob, a mountain composed of much older rock than the surrounding peaks. It received its name after the reddish color of the stone, which mostly consists of Cretaceous and marl limestone.
Using the lake as a starting point, you can summit the nearby peaks of Batognica (2,164m) and Krn (2,244m), where you will witness the remains of frontline fighting in the 1st World war. Mt. Batognica is a prominent peak, for it used to be higher than Krn, but because of the extensive use of explosives by the Italians and Austrians in the fighting, it is much lower today. Batognica was one of the center points in the front line between the opposing forces and beneath its surface are numerous Italian as well as Austrian tunnels, and bunkers dug into sheer rock faces. The footpaths are littered by iron pieces of grenade shrapnel and many memorial plaques, all silent witnesses to the inferno that raged in these mountains.
On the summit, you’ll be able to enjoy the view of lake Krn, the largest of the three. The footpath then descends the beautiful and safe stone steps to the col of Krnska škrbina (2,058m). It might seem your car is within touching distance, but you should nonetheless prepare yourself for a descent, which will take at least a couple of hours.
After planina Zaslap, you should visit the stone circle of Podkrnski krog, which is ˝out of all the megalithic structures found in the Julian Alps, the biggest, most pronounced and most unusual of all and most comparable to discoveries from other regions of the world˝, wrote Janez Bizjak, the author of the book The remnants of megalithic culture in the Slovenian Alps. Franc Šturm also writes the following: ˝the now dried-up stream, located some 10m south-west from the circle, is an integral piece of the stone circle of Krnski krog. The dry creek might just be a more suitable place for visitors than the ring itself.˝ The water has an even greater force, also if it is not present anymore.
Before you leave for home (if the mountains, meadows, hills and the lake didn’t convince you into taking a vacation), you can grab a bite to eat in the mountain cabin on planina Kuhinja.
Manca Korelc
THE Slovenia Book: Top 100 Destinations (3rd Edition)
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