Vodnikov Lookout

Vodnikov Lookout, in Slovene Vodnikov razglednik, is a viewpoint on the edge of the Pokljuka plateau, above the village of Koprivnik, and it looks down into the Bohinj basin from the north. The plateau is a high, forested limestone area between Bled and Bohinj, and the lookout sits on the lip where the ground falls away steeply to the valley. From the platform, the view stretches across the Upper and Lower Bohinj valleys, with Lake Bohinj glinting far below and the wall of the Julian Alps rising on the far side, a very different angle from the lake shore.

The lookout is named after Valentin Vodnik, a priest and poet who was among the first writers to use Slovene for modern poetry and who edited one of the earliest Slovene newspapers. As a young priest he served in this part of Bohinj, in the village of Koprivnik, and local people remember him with pride. The walk to the lookout begins in Koprivnik and follows a marked path through forest for a little over two kilometres, with only a gentle climb. Information boards along the way describe the surrounding peaks and the history of the area, which makes it an easy walk for families and older visitors.

At the lookout itself, benches and railings make it comfortable to stay for a while. The best times are early morning, when the valley may be filled with mist and the first light touches the peaks, and late afternoon, when the sun lights the lake. In autumn, the beech and larch woods on the slopes glow in yellow and red, and in winter, the plateau is under deep snow and used for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Wear sturdy shoes, as the path can be damp, and bring a jacket, since Pokljuka is considerably cooler than the valley.

Pokljuka is worth exploring beyond the lookout. The plateau is famous for its biathlon, with the World-famous biathlon competition held here each winter, and for its Swamps and Marshes, which are rare high-altitude peat bogs. Planina Zajamniki is a high pasture with a view of Triglav, and Zalin planinski raj and other farms sell Local cheese and dairy product sales by farmers. Hotel Pokljuka and Hotel Center Pokljuka provide accommodation. The viewpoint is free to visit at any time, and it fits well into a day around Bohinj.