Pokljuka Plateau

Pokljuka is a forested karst plateau in the Julian Alps, some 20 km long and almost as wide, between Bled and the Triglav range. Where the glaciers that shaped it dammed the drainage, small lakes formed that later turned into raised bogs, among the southernmost in Europe, and on some of its old summer pastures cattle still graze from June to September beside wooden, shingle-roofed huts. Spruce makes up almost all of its roughly 6,300 ha of forest, having replaced much of the beech and fir that was cut over the centuries for charcoal and for the ironworks of Bohinj. The plateau lies inside Triglav National Park, and in winter its biathlon centre at Rudno Polje holds World Cup races and has hosted the world championships.

Background

Pokljuka is a forested karst plateau of the Julian Alps in north-western Slovenia, lying at about 1,100 to 1,400 m (3,600 to 4,600 ft) within Triglav National Park. Its Upper Triassic limestone and dolomite, dissolved by groundwater, form a high karst of sinkholes and blind valleys, and a tongue of the Bohinj glacier once crossed it. In the 18th century many of its beech and fir trees were felled for the iron foundries of Bohinj, and spruce has mostly taken their place. Mountain pastures such as Uskovnica and Lipanca break the forest, and the Pokljuka Biathlon Center holds World Cup races every year.

Source: Wikipedia, "Pokljuka"

What you'll find

• The raised bogs - Šijec, Goreljek and others, among the southernmost raised bogs in Europe, with an educational trail at Goreljek.
• The planina meadows - summer pastures such as Uskovnica, Zajamniki and Lipanca, with wooden shingle-roofed huts.
• The spruce forest - dense spruce over limestone sinkholes, whose slow growth gives prized resonance wood.
• The biathlon stadium - the Rudno Polje centre, used for World Cup races and for the world championships of 2001 and 2021.

When to go

June to September for walking, when cattle still graze some of the pastures and the herders sell milk, curd and cheese; December to March for cross-country skiing on the trail network, when deep snow covers the plateau. September, October, April and May are the wettest months, and January and February fairly dry. A day.

What to expect

The climate is cool and moist, with a mean air temperature of 3 to 6 °C and frequent temperature inversions in the hollows. Most forest roads are closed to traffic by barriers, with car parks laid out for visitors, and Triglav National Park rules limit new building and keep forestry low-impact. Some of the bogs are well preserved, while others are under threat.

Nearby

At the eastern foot of the plateau, the dry Pokljuka Gorge, 1.5 km long and up to 50 m (164 ft) deep, has natural bridges and the Pokljuka Hole, a cave with three natural windows; a road of 7 km leads to it from Bled through Zgornje Gorje and Krnica. In a straight line, Lake Bled is about 5 km to the east, Bohinjska Bistrica about 11 km to the south-southwest and Triglav about 15 km to the west.

Key facts