Our first time, we liked it

Today we are climbing Triglav (2864m), the highest mountain in Slovenia.

Come late September, Dora is up for sale.     If you or anyone you know is looking for a reasonably priced motorhome then please check out the following link; https://www.2wanderers.com/dora-for-sale/ or if you have any questions email us at; info@2wanderers.com Thanks

 

Triglav has Via Ferrata, at the top, it will our first time.

Via Ferrata is a specific type of climb, which is a mix of scrambling and climbing with technical aid such as cables, stemples, and ladders. Although technical aid helps, Via Ferrata should not be undertaken lightly. The routes involve walking on exposed ridges and ledges, climbing vertical rock walls and scrambling with intermittent protection. These make the experience riskier, but nonetheless excited. The best areas to climb Via Ferrata is around the Dolomites, north of Italy.

We used to do rock climbing years ago. This is why Via Ferrata has always appealed to us and, therefore, we have included it as part of this years travels. We left it to the end for a few of reasons; it would be Summer, and therefore, the best time to do these routes; we had to go through Italy to go back to the UK anyway and, it would be an amazing way to end our trip.

We will do a specific post on what Via ferrata is, so if you are interested, you should look out for it. GDR

Today will be a long day, the total estimated time to climb Triglav is 10 hours; 6 hours up, 4 hours down. But we have also heard it can get very busy at the top, especially today, Saturday.

We were so lucky last night finding a motorhome-friendly parking space free of charge right at the start of the walk. We had a nice but short nights sleep. I set up the alarm clock at 6.30 am. Gary wakes up moaning, he didn’t expect us to be up so early. But we have to, we have lots to prepare; the usual stuff we take up in the mountain, i.e. water, food, first aid kid, waterproofs plus the Via Ferrata equipment. But more importantly, we have to have our morning coffee (or two) with no hurry.

7.30am and we set off. It is is already nice and warm, it promises to be a hot day.

First we walk through beech woods

which we gradually leave behind.

The path has been relentlessly steep from the start. I feel breathless, I must be slow. Gary has had to wait for me a couple of times.

We get to the first ridge. Here we cross to the next valley. We check the time. Keeping up with the time is crucial in the mountains; if you slow down, specially on a long day, you could be in big trouble later. However, we are doing fine. To get here, it has taken us one hour, the suggested  time. So no, we have not been slow, that comforts me.

We have been finding quite a few people on the way. I wonder how many people intend to do the summit in one day today, like us. Most people would make this a two-day climb and stay at one of the three refuges on the route. The first one is Refugio Vodnikov, which is three hours from the start.

This refuge will be our first stop. I have been watching how we walk compared to other people. We are not precisely the fastest walkers but we are incredibly consistent with our pace, a pace that we feel comfortable with; not too fast, not too slow. Keeping this pace has helped us build endurance, which means, we very rarely need to stop. Obviously, we do when we need to spend a penny but, longer stops, only when we have lunch.

In the mountains, looking backwards is as worth it as looking forward. The path we have just been on looks lovely.

We are getting higher, and therefore, great views.

After two and a half hours, we reach the refuge.

It is buzzy and busy, there are lots of people around, chatting, having breakfasts, some are even drinking beers!! It is hard to tell whether people are coming or going. Some of them look they have just come here to socialise.

There is a fountain outside. We stop to freshen up and continue.

We now move on to the second section of the trek, the easier, according to the trekking guide. It is meant to take one an a half hours to the Planika refuge.

We come across a few people on the way, the path is narrow so you have to negotiate your way through.

The path goes up a steep slope, which looks more intimidating than it is. I imagine it may look even more impressive covered in snow.

I continue to look back, I like to see how far we have come.

The landscape is so impressive

I keep thinking about our first Via Ferrata; what will it be like? how exposed will it be? how well will we cope?

And we get to refuge Planika at the estimated time. The last and most demanding section of the climb starts from here.

This is where we put on our Via Ferrata equipment. We leave lunch at the refuge so we don’t have to carry it.

This photo may scare my mother. Sorry mum, but I cannot avoid it, I feel so excited about putting all my gear on for the first time!

So, we start the climb, the path goes up a steep scree slope. I hate these paths; you have to walk on loose, tiny stones which make your knees and ankles work harder.

Lots of people are also going up. This mountain is proving to be very popular.

Although a hard path, we come a long way in only half an hour. The weather is turning a bit unpleasant as we get higher. It was hot and sunny 20 minutes ago. Unpredictability is one of the factors that makes a mountain attractive. We will keep a close eye if the weather turns stormy. Storms are always dangerous in the mountain, but even more dangerous at Via Ferratas. Being attached to metal cables and ladders make you an easy target. If you are unlucky enough to get caught in a storm, you must unclip immediately and get off the mountain as quick as possible.

We are in the middle of August and there is still snow around, snow that probably never melts.

We must be hundreds of people trying to climb Triglav today. People of all  walks of life; young, middle age, old, leisure trekkers, experienced trekkers, couples and big groups. Now, I don’t have a problem with having people around, I have a problem with groups, especially in a mountain like this.

Via Ferrata runs on a narrow ridge, not wide enough to cope with two people side by side. Therefore, people have to climb in a queue.

Groups tend to climb together, which means that if you meet a big group, you have to wait for minutes until they all get through. This is selfish and dangerous, as you sometimes may have to wait in body stressful positions, which makes you as tired as if you were climbing. This is energy badly spent. Suggestion? Set off in mini-groups of 2-3 people, keep enough distance between yourselves so people can get through. Easy isn’t it?

There is me, coming up after letting a group of 10 go through. I have just realised, my helmet is a bit off-centre.

The climb is strenuous, although on a good rock. It is fairly exposed in places but luckily, the cloud minimises exposure.

Although I try not to look down when the cloud disappears.

I wish they didn’t stop the protection in some places. Without protection, exposure becomes more extreme.

For being, my first Via Ferrata, I am coping well, although I feel nervous and stressed; my mouths is quite dry. I keep drinking  water but it doesn’t make it better.

The ridge gets narrower from here, thankfully protection is back.

My helmet is still off-centre. I wish Gary had said something, I look so silly.

The is not a catwalk, no fashion parade here! GDR

We are nearly there, the last bit involves a bit of scrambling but the rock has plenty of nice and big hand and footholds to help me out. The weather is also clearing, we may even get nice views from the top.

Final push, thanks gentleman, or I better say dan. This is what people seem to say here when you come across them. I think it is the equivalent of Hello, thank you or good day…

We look back, still lots of people coming after us.

We arrive at the summit in one and a half hours. Once again, at the suggested time. We are very proud of ourselves.

However, the place is so congested. There are people all over, wandering around, having lunch… There is even one guy selling T-Shirts with the name Triglav written on it. It feels like being back in town, on the high street.

We ask someone to take the mandatory photo. It is not our best one though.

The cloud is still lingering above us but it is moving fast, which allows me to get some nice shots.

Planika refuge can be spotted from here. It looks so close but it is so far. We better move on quick before the weather gets worst.

Although that doesn’t seem to matter to people, dozens are still coming up

It is 13.00, and we have over an hour (depending on traffic) to get back to the refuge where we will have our lunch. So we move on.

It has been a superb climb, we have coped well, we feel tired but the hardest part of the trek is over. Now, it is all downhill.

Although going downhill is sometimes harder than going up, specially on scree. We still have to go down that horrible scree slope before we get to the refuge.

We are handling the scrambling down well. We catch up fast with a couple in front of us, who don’t look very confident. We slow down, Gary watches them out for a while in case they need any help. However, the guy looks to be careful, taking his time, still looking after her. They are going to be okay. We move on, we are only fifteen minutes from the refuge.

Now that the scree slope is over, we can relax and enjoy our lunch, with great views of the eastern valley.

A man in his sixties approach us;

Have you been to the summit? Is the weather good? Did you have great views?

Sort of, but that was two hours ago. Are you going up now?

Yes

Jesus! I thought. It is already 15.00. The guy is part of a group of twenty. They have a guide with them and they are all setting off at the same time. Twenty minutes later, they are still at the base of the climb. A couple is waiting for them to go through. Eventually, they get bored and walk around them. It will take them a long time to get to the top.

Anyway, after our lunch, we start to head down.

The sun is brighter at this altitude.

I feel nicely exhausted and incredibly satisfied. I have enjoyed my first Via Ferrata very, very much.

We have down the mountain in a third of the time it has taken us to go up. In total, we have been walking for 10 hours. We feel pretty knackered, so we change our plans. Rather than driving off for an hour, we will stay here tonight, have a nice dinner and an early night.

We wonder how the large group is doing on the mountain, thunder is rumbling around the peaks. GDR

Triglav will put a nice end of our staying in Slovenia. Tomorrow: Austria.

27 kms

10 hrs

SM