SLOVENIAN ALPS: ACCESSIBLE
The area of the Slovenian Alps is the juncture of three large mountain ranges and sub-alpine plateaus. The area is criss-crossed with a number of well-marked climbing, hiking, panoramic and thematic trails.
The Julian Alps: The only national park
The western Julian Alps which connect Slovenia with Italy, and the Eastern and Central Julian Alps are, together with the marginal plateaus, an oasis of unspoiled - and for the most part - protected nature. They cover an area of 1,542 km² and the 838 km² of the Triglav National Park lies at their core. The highest peak is Triglav at 2,864 m.
A relatively young surface beneath the summits exceeding 2,500 m features deeply engraved valleys and frequent karst plateaus. The area has a mountain climate with a relatively low snow line.
Western Karavanke: The oldest mountains
The Karavanke at the north western corner of Slovenia are appealing because of their towering appearance although in fact there are only 14 summits exceeding 2,000 m. The highest peak is Stol (2,236 m), and the oldest rock is the Devonian limestone in the vicinity of Jezersko. The rocks are for the most part impermeable and the only two large streams are Tržiška Bistrica, which carved the remarkable Dovžan gorge near Tržič, and Kokra, with its wild gorge running through the very centre of Kranj.
Kamnik-Savinje Alps: Glacier under the Skuta mountain
Although the mountain range at the north of Slovenia features more than 30 peaks rising above 2,000 m, this area is actually dominated by medium-height mountains with half of the region ranging between 500 m and 1,000m. The mountains on the Gorenjska side rising above Cerklje and Jezersko feature a number of karst caves and shafts. The highest peak is Grintavec (2,558 m).
Under the Skuta mountain (2,533 m) there are the remains of the south-easternmost glacier which – due to its shady position at the foothills of the surrounding walls – retreats slower than other glaciers.
Subalpine region: Poljanska and Selška valleys
To the north east, the Škofjeloško and Polhograjsko Hribovje mountain ranges border with the Julian Alps. The highest ridge extends from Škofja Loka over Blegoš (1,562 m) and Porezen (1,630 m).
The rock composition is varied, with about a quarter composed of dolomite areas characterised by sheer slopes, narrow valleys and a number of river and stream gorges. Along the two legs of the Kokra river there is the Poljanska valley with the towns of Škofja Loka,
Gorenja Vas-Poljane and
Žiri, and
Železniki located in the Selška Valley.
