THE VOJE VALLEY AND MOSTNICA GORGE

InformatIon and reservatIons:

toUrIsm BoHInJ, Triglavska cesta 30 4264 Bohinjska Bistricat: +386 (0)45 74 75 90, f: +386 (0)45 74 75 91e: info@bohinj.si, www.bohinj.si

Občina Bohinj

Welcome all trail users. You too can help us restore the trail in the Mostnica Gorge, so we canoffer a full experience of this unique natural feature. Thank you!

Source: T. L. Klavžer, M. Šolar. Gore na dlani (The Mountains at Your Fingertips). Triglavski narodni park (Triglav National Park). MK Založba. Ljubljana 2001.Photo: Peter Strgar, Mojca Odar, arhiv Turizem Bohinj, Design: Nežka Božnar, Drawings: Odprti krog.

Use of the trail is at your own risk. In case of emergency call 112.

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stara fUŽIna - mostnICa WaterfaLL• Start: crossroad before the bridge in Stara Fužina• End: Mostnica Waterfall• Length: 5.9 km• Duration: 2 h • Grade of difficulty: moderate (macadamised path, forest path, asphalt)

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5,9 km

Detailed trail description in the Bohinj Hiking Map (under No. 7).

voJe vaLLeYThe Voje Valley was shaped by a glacier that flowed down from the Triglav mountain range during the last Ice Age. The work of the glacier has been continued in its own artistic way by the Mostnica stream, which has carved fairy-tale images into the limestone. If you are there when the sun is high in the sky, you will be able to see how the light plays on the wet, gouged-out walls, on the dark-green whirlpools and on the white gravel on the stream bed. The trail continues on past the little stone “elephant”, and again over a bridge, where you can turn back and return along the other side of the Mostnica Gorge, or take the path towards the Voje moun-tain lodge. At that point the valley opens up a little. The trail leads across meadows. The local farmers still mow fragrant hay that is full of Alpine flowers. At the end of the valley is a welcoming inn, where it’s all too easy to forget about the time. So the best plan is first to check out the Mostnica waterfall just a little distance away, and then get comfortable at the inn.

devIL’s BrIdGe This bridge over the Mostnica was a challenging construction project, since it is built in a single arch of hewn stone placed above the plunging trench of the stream. It was constructed in 1777 on the orders of Baron Žiga Zois for transporting iron ore and charcoal from the surrounding hills. It acquired its name from a folk legend.

mostnICa GorGeThe upper reaches of the Mostnica end in the peaked head of the Voje valley, with a triple waterfall down a limestone wall. Greatest attention is focused on the middle fall, which is 21 metres high. The Mostnica then grows more tranquil in Voje, but is enhanced by the Kropa, which rises from below Uskovnica in a powerful karstic spring. In its lower reaches the Mostnica has carved out a limestone gorge, which with one or two intervals is about 2 km long. It is deepest at Devil’s Bridge (Hudičev most) and in places is just one metre wide. A special attraction of the gorge is the natural bridge below the Cherry Bridge (Češenjski most) and the countless erosion features, the most frequently mentioned one being the hollowed out Little Elephant rock on the left bank of the Mostnica.

the legend of devil’s Bridge

An old legend says that the people of Bohinj built a bridge before nightfall, but by the morning it was completely de-stroyed. They concluded that the Devil himself should build the bridge. In exchange for building it, the Devil demanded the first soul that crossed it. One peasant had a dog, and when the bridge was finished he threw a bone to the other side, and his dog leaped after it. Thus the Devil received the soul of a dog. In his anger he thrashed his tail about, breaking down the fence, but the bridge still stands.

Devil’s Bridge

Little Elephant rock

Voje Valley

Mostnica waterfall