Soča Valley in Slovenia – Turquoise River and Vršič Pass
In summer we spent a week in the Soča valley, close to the border with Italy and not far from Austria. Here the turquoise-blue Soča flows with its ice-cold water, and beautiful hiking trails lead along the river. Our campsite became home for a week, even if it was pretty busy.
Over the Vršič Pass
The drive in over the Vršič Pass with its cobbled hairpins was an experience, with magnificent views of mighty mountains.
The valley from above
In the aerial photos the turquoise-blue river glows between the steep slopes. We'll be back, that much is certain. At 1,611 metres, the Vršič is the highest pass in Slovenia and links Upper Carniola with the Trenta valley, through which the young Soča flows.
Larches cast shadows across the meadow, a path leading toward the rock face.Tight bends of the Vršič road wind through the dense forest.A steep limestone peak on the left, scree below the jagged rock face on the right.On the grey limestone peak a pale scree gully runs down, white clouds above it.In the Soča valley, meadows and a hamlet lie between steep limestone slopes, more peaks behind.Sunlight falls on the wooded steep slope on the left, the rock flank stays bare on the right.The road follows the turquoise Soča – ice-cold water glowing in the sun.In the gorge lies the turquoise Soča, with people standing on the rocks.Narrow and straight, a footbridge crosses the pale gravel bed of the Soča.The turquoise Soča pushes between rocks through dense deciduous forest.The Soča foams white between rocks and trees in the narrow forest.Green forest with a few brown crowns, the turquoise Soča foaming below.Parallel to the turquoise Soča, the road cuts through the green forest.In the middle of the deciduous forest the road crosses the stony Soča.Pale water of the Soča rushes in wide rapids between the boulders.Between rocks and dense foliage the Soča remains a narrow band.Only a narrow path can be seen between the closed treetops.To finish, the sun sinks behind the dark mountain silhouette.
