TRIGLAV NATIONAL PARK, VOJE VALLEY THE BRIDGES OF MOSTNICA 6

Road Path, trail 2 ENTRY POINT

From April to October, a fee must
AND MOSTNICA GORGE
Slap
Mostnice P Car park TIC Stara Fužina
Four bridges and two footbridges cross the Mostnica on the way be paid at the entry point (Urščov most)
802 M 120Museum Church to enter the Mostnica Gorge. This is also
1300
from Stara Fužina to Mostnica Waterfall, so our ancestors named Okrep�cevalnica Slap Voje
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The Triglav National Park is named after Triglav, the highest the river after the bridges: Mostnica (“Bridge Water”). an information point.
11 Bridge, Roadblock
peak in Slovenia, and is Slovenia’s only national park. It lies 00 footbridge
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in the north-west part of the country and encompasses almost Pl. Zgornja Grintovica 00 Pasture Alpine hut
Hudičev most - Devil’s Bridge

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the entire Julian Alps range on the Slovenian side. It is an
ČEŠENJSKI MOST

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Water Karst spring 1200 4
Just above Zois’ Mansion the single-arch

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exceptional experience to learn about the nature, cultural 1112 80
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stream

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stone Devil’s Bridge rises high above the Elephant Waterfall The Češenjski most bridge was built on
landscape and people of the park; however, we must always keep

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a natural bridge that was formed when

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in mind that we are just guests here. deep gorge of the Mostnica River. It opens 731 Local Inn

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the view to the narrow gorge that the a large rock slid from the left side of the

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Mostnica carved in the limestone base. gorge and was wedged, making a natural

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700 B Bus station
The Mostnica Gorge and the Voje Valley are among the most 11

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beautiful and popular natural sights in Bohinj. They offer views The stone bridge was built to shorten and € Fee
00 basis for the bridge.
of crystal clear pools and boldly water-shaped rocks, as well simplify the transport of iron ore and Stara Fužina – Mostnica Waterfall
as diverse flora and fauna and a cultural landscape that has been charcoal from the surrounding mountain Trail
Length: 5 km
nurtured by the people throughout the centuries. Four brave men areas to the ironworks along the Mostnica. Beraški most 5 Time: ~21081
h 5 BERAŠKI MOST - BEGGAR’S BRIDGE
walked along the Voje Valley to be the first to climb Triglav from Bohinj was the most important centre of Triglav National Park Centre The stone Beggar’s Bridge crosses the
the Bohinj side on 26 August 1778. mining, ironworks and iron foundries in the in Bohinj
Mostnica in a slight arch. The name of the

Julian Alps region. Because of the iron ore
deposits it has been permanently settled
since the old Iron Age (8th century BC).
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Triglav National Park bridge and the year of its construction
1 Conservation Areas
(1903) is written in red on a rock on the left 4

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1 First Conservation Area
side of it. A holy sign stands next to the

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2 Second Conservation Area bridge. It has a beautifully carved cross that
The iron making tradition in Bohinj lasted 00 1059
11 3 Third Conservation Area dates back to the 19th century.
from the old Iron Age through Roman times Snešca

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to the end of the Middle Ages in the 16th Kropa
0 300 600 m

10
EROSION POTHOLES
century. The golden era of the iron foundry 900 Sources: - Slovenian Environment Agency (2010):
- public information, GURS, DTK50 (2004-5); DMV12.5 (2006). 3
industry is connected with Baron Žiga Zois, Stara Fužina in the past 800 1116 Cartography: Triglav National Park Public Institution, 2016.

TRIGLAV who lived at the end of the 18th century. P

Planinska ko�ca na Vojah
690 AND THE ELEPHANT 5

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NATIONAL Its swift decline occurred due to the Fužina (“iron L o m The Mostnica Gorge was formed due

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advancing technology and import of iron foundry”) was the

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to water erosion of the surface. Although

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br
ore. The joint name for the ironworks initial industrial

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the majority of the water runs into Voje
installations along the Mostnica and for plant where the

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from karst springs and is not turbid, there

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the first iron foundry hamlet there was iron ore was melted 4 is still enough gravel and sand to erode
Althammer or Staro kladvo (“old hammer”). and processed with �Cešenjski most
This was the previous village on the site Za prevalom and reshape the rock, especially when
charcoal to make

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Škrnovac the water is high and the stream is faster

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of the present day Stara Fužina. iron or steel. p r i ž i v i h ni t i h
and has more volume. The fast water flow

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is turbulent, and this is the most important

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Slon�cek c
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3 Mo 1028 erosion factor for the rocky river bed.

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Folk tale about the Devil’s Bridge: Potholes are the most visible erosion forms
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People used to talk about how the Devil’s

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in the Mostnica Gorge. These are various

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Bridge was made. The people worked all day round basins in the river bed, which usually

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but the next morning everything that had

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contain sand and small stones. The energy

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been built was demolished. Pl. Spodnji Vogar of the water swirls the stones around 3
2 893 Pl. Blatce

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And someone said: “Let the devil build this Osrank and widens as well as deepens the potholes.
€ Urš�cov most
bridge, I will not build it anymore.” One opening in the rock between two
water-carved potholes is very interesting,

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Rules of behaviour in the Triglav National Park: And then the devil really started making it.
1
The people asked him what he wanted for forming a natural window with a rocky
– Respect the habits of the local people when visiting these 800 Hudi�cev most
Illustration from the Tr a t a arch resembling an elephant’s trunk.
areas. his efforts. The devil answered: “The first folk tale about the Bršče 700 717 Zoisov grad
– Admire the flowers, but do not pick them. soul that crosses the bridge – this is the one Devil’s Bridge from
that I want.” A farmer who had a dog, got
MOSTNICA WATERFALL
– Leave no waste behind. the book “Bohinjske P Sv. Pavel
an idea. He said: “I will take a big bone and pravljice” (Fairytales 600 6
– Dogs must be on a lead. €

– Keep to the marked paths. my dog with me.” Then he threw the bone from Bohinj),
illustrated by Matjaž
M
P
Stara SLAP MOSTNICE
– The trail along the Mostnica Gorge from the Devil’s Bridge across the bridge and the dog ran after it.
Schmidt.
536 Fužina The 21-metre high waterfall attracts
The devil then took the dog’s soul and was P 551 our attention immediately above the Voje
(Hudičev most) to the alpine hut in Voje is intended for hikers, B
very angry and started waving his tail, and Bohinjsko Jezersko polje
so cycling is not permitted. pasture. The dynamic stream of the water
so he demolished the entire fence. jezero calms down on the flat meadows of Planina
– Leave vehicles in properly marked car parks. 526 550
Written by: Marija Cvetek B Voje.
6
EQUIPMENT IN THE MOSTNICA HOW THE GORGE WAS FORMED VOJE PASTURE - PLANINA VOJE EN
GORGE The most interesting and beautiful part The grassland of Planina Voje is the open
of the Mostnica is its narrow gorge. The middle part of the Mostnica valley, at an
The equipment in the Mostnica Gorge reflects formation of the approximately 2 kilometre altitude of just slightly over 700 metres.
the wood processing and iron foundry long gorge is partly connected to the The surface is covered with ground glacial
tradition in Bohinj. Fences are made of metal, tectonic sinking of the main Bohinj valley moraine, and towards the south the
the benches and tables are designed and and partly to glacial deepening caused pasture is closed by the terminal moraine
made from wooden stocks and flat iron. The by erosion or the deepening of the Bohinj dam. It is rich in water and at individual
exterior of larch wood is processed and has glacier. The side valley of the Mostnica sites, water springs out of the ground.
a crack towards the internal part (“špranja”) remained at a higher altitude, or we can say Planina Voje is in a typical glacial valley
and a natural edge. The crack was not formed that it is a “hanging valley”. The Mostnica in the shape of the letter U.
by hand, and it represents the nature river had to overcome the height difference Gorge
of the gorge and the crack in wood which Voje from Tosc
by carving a narrow gorge in the base rock. Grassland pasture is used for temporary
is a feature of the gorge and the materials. In some places the gorge is quite wide. In grazing when cattle move to higher
some places it is up to 20 metres deep and pastures in the spring and return in
Voje Mountain Hut Slap Voje Snack Bar the sides are only shoulder-width apart. autumn, and it is also intended for
t: +386 (0)41 234 625 t: +386 (0)41 710 951, The deepening of the Mostnica was fastest mowing.
A wide range of local food and +386 (0)31 344 470 during the glacial melting (15,000 to 10,000
desserts, accommodation for up
e: slapvoje@gmail.com years ago), when there were enormous
After a hike or
The glacial moraine is an unsorted
to 40 people. quantities of water and its power was
cycling tour, enjoy Pothole stone material that the glacier carried Storing hay in the past
Open daily immense. The water, together with the
our hospitality and and deposited.
from 15 April to local specialities: material which it carried, carved the rocks.
15 October, and žganci, jota,
at weekends Planina Voje has traditionally been used
sour milk and
and holidays in homemade cakes. for pasture farming. In the past, cattle
winter. FLORA AND FAUNA were grazed on grassland pastures before
moving to the higher pastures, and again
Mihovc Inn Buf Ančka Bar The Voje pasture abounds in beech forests in autumn when the shepherds moved
Stara Fužina 118 Stara Fužina 57 that provide shelter to many animals, Roe deer their cattle back down to the valley.
e: info@gostilna-mihovc.si t: + 386 (0)4 5 723 698 especially red and roe deer. Hellebores, Autumn grazing in the Voje pasture is still
www.gostilna-mihovc.si e: made3@siol.net liverwort and hacquetia grow on the forest used today. The meadows in the Voje valley
floor before the trees get their leaves, are mown in summer.
Genuine We offer drinks, and cyclamen, recognisable by their pink
local inn desserts, toasts,
flowers and expressive scent, are also quite
with a long mini pizza etc. In the past, locals did not go far to get
common at the end of summer.
tradition. the basic material for building. They
Mostnica is a mountain water stream with Cyclamen used what nature had to offer, i.e. wood
(Cyclamen purpurascens)
a typical swirly and uneven flow and very and stone. Numerous sheds and huts
“Cika”
cold water. Species that are adapted to fast were drastically transformed in the
If you do not want to keep this leaflet, do not throw it in the bin, streams live in it. The brown trout past decades; however, we can still find
but return it to any of the information points. Protect the is an indigenous fish that lives in the river. some buildings that preserve the quality
Mosses and algae are also very common. elements of the architectural heritage
environment!
Low spring marshes with their typical flora of the 19th century.
Warning! can also be found along small tributaries.
The use of the trail is at your own risk. Proper hiking boots Alpine butterwort is a carnivorous plant Hummocky meadows can also be admired
are mandatory. In case of emergency, call 112. that catches small insects on its sticky Grass snake (Natrix natrix)
in the Voje valley. They are characterised Farm outbuilding
leaves. Yellow-bellied toads and alpine
The trail is laid out by Tourism Bohinj in cooperation with by hummocks that are covered by grass.
newts live in pools with standing water.
the Stara Fužina – Studor Local Community. They most likely developed through the
There are also many grass snakes.
karstification of the limestone ground
Info:
Water meadows, pastures and non- moraine material. Hummocky meadows
TURIZEM BOHINJ, Triglavska cesta 30, 4264 Bohinjska Bistrica fertilised lowland meadows are are part of our cultural heritage, since they
t: + 386 (0)4 57 47 590, e: info@bohinj.si, www.bohinj.si intertwined in the upper part of the Voje have been preserved by many years
valley. They are mostly in flower in late

VOJE VALLEY AND

of mowing by hand. Due to machine
spring and early summer. There are several mowing and artificial fertilisation, Hummocky meadow
Občina Bohinj
KS STARA FUŽINA-STUDOR
United Nations
Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization
Julians Alps
Biosphere Reserve since 2003
Man and the Biosphere Programme
types of orchids, globeflowers, ox-eyes, hummocky meadows are disappearing
gentians, lilies and carnations.
RUNNER-UP 2015

from our landscape and they are

Publisher: Tourism Bohinj; Text: Janez Bizjak, Jurij Kunaver, Tea Lukan Klavžer, Tanja gradually being overgrown by forests. The

MOSTNICA GORGE
Menegalija, Janko Rožič, Mišo Serajnik, Peter Skoberne, Urška Smukavec, Aleš Zdešar; A walk along the valley is also interesting
Photography: Archive Tourism Bohinj, Mojca Odar, Dagmar Schneider, Peter Skoberne, in winter, when the river is adorned with otherwise typical diverse flora and fauna
Urška Smukavec, Aleš Zdešar, Janez Vajkard Valvasor, Alexandra Wuensch; Cartography: ice and the surroundings are covered on hummocky meadows have also been
Miha Marolt; Design: Nežka Božnar; Print: Tiskarna knjigoveznica Radovljica; Translation: depleted due to artificial fertilisation.
Doris Sodja; Published by: Tourism Bohinj, 2016
by a thick layer of snow.
Alpine butterwort Flowering meadows
(Pinguicula alpina) in the Voje valley