Hiking along well-maintained paths

Stara Fužina is a small village on the northern side of Lake Bohinj, at the foot of the Julian Alps, and it is one of the best starting points in the valley for walking. The village was once a centre of ironworking, as the name suggests, and its traditional wooden houses, hayracks and old farmsteads still give it a rural character. The paths that leave from its edge range from short, level strolls to demanding mountain routes, and they are generally clearly waymarked, which is why hiking is the main attraction here.

The gentlest walks lead along the Mostnica stream into the Mostnica Gorge, where the water has carved a narrow channel through the rock, and onward to the Voje valley, a green hanging valley with meadows and huts. From the village, other paths link to the shore of Lake Bohinj, where a level track runs among meadows and offers views of the water and the surrounding peaks. Those who want more effort can climb toward higher huts and ridges within Triglav National Park, where routes lead to the area of the Triglav Lakes and toward Mount Triglav itself, although the long routes demand good fitness, proper equipment and a careful check of the weather.

The landscape along the paths is part of the pleasure. Hayracks stand in the meadows, cattle graze in the high pastures in summer, and the woods change from beech to spruce as you climb. Chamois can often be seen on the rocky slopes, marmots whistle in the high meadows, and many birds live in the forest. Mountain huts along the main routes sell simple food and drink, which makes longer walks more comfortable, though most are open only in the summer season.

The village itself is worth some time. A stone bridge from the eighteenth century, built under Baron Žiga Zois, the local ironmaster and patron of learning, is one of the old structures that survive from the ironworking age, and a small square has been redesigned for summer events. The Mercator shop and Trgovina Krpan supply visitors with food and basics before a walk, and there is a dairy museum that explains the traditional cheese-making on the high pastures. Geologic formations and gorges in the surroundings add variety to the routes. Late spring to early autumn is the best time for walking, and in winter some of the higher paths close or require snow equipment.