One of the not so pleasant aspects of tourism is the increase in traffic on the roads. Now it's bad enough on motorways when there are traffic jams and hold ups at accidents and border crossings, but on narrow country or mountain roads, it becomes a game of who dares wins.
The trend for larger and larger cars is all very well on modern roads but our roads in Slovenia are just about wide enough for a horse and cart in many regions and even then you hope you don't meet another one coming in the opposite direction. Last week I ventured up Mangart road for the first time in several years. I knew it was scary but had forgotten exactly how scary it was.
The road itself is the hightest mountain road in Slovenia and although it doesn't connect any towns or places, i.e. it just goes up, and up, and up and up to the top, it provides the most spectacular scenery you could imagine. As you would expect with any high alpine mountain road, it is not accessible for long periods of the year due to the weather conditions. This year was no exception, and when it opened late in June there was still evidence of the severe winter on the more sheltered slopes. The road, for those with the nerves to drive it, is twisty and narrow with several tunnels and the occasional serious drop. The largest vehicle to be able to go up it, is a mini bus for 8 passengers, and even then some of the hairpin bends might need two attempts. I feel the most frightening thing about this road is the number of visitors and the amount of traffic it gets in the summer months. It is best avoided at the weekends! There are motorcyclists, cyclists, motorists and hikers (not to mention the wildlife) all vying for a place on the narrow strip of one lane concrete, and meeting or passing any of them calls for some serious manoevering (and praying). Surprisingly enough, I have never heard of, or witnessed, any accidents on this road but whether that is due to the skill of the road users or just pure luck, I have yet to decide. Either way its an absolute miracle.
The locals in the village of Log Pod Mangartom organise two things for this mountain, one is the collection of a 5 euros fee, charged to motor vehicles who use the road, which helps towards the maintenance of the road and the other is an annual cycle race which starts in the village and races to the summit, at a height of 2,679 metres. (the 3rd highest peak in Slovenia).
A mountain hut is found near the top of the mountain and is open in the summer season for hikers or visitors, to provide refreshments or maybe even shelter if necessary. The 'sedlo' ,or saddle, is also a popular place for the paragliders to launch themselves from the mountain side.
I believe one of the best reasons for visiting this mountain is the goat and sheep farm. This is the only one of its kind in Europe and has been approved by the EU. It is a collective farm and each farmer with animals put to pasture there in the summer months, has to do a proportionate number of days on the farm milking and cheese making. The cheese, a mix of goat and sheep milk, can be bought directly from the farm or a tasting and tour can be taken. The animals, of which there are approximately 400, are milked twice daily by hand (5am and 7pm) and the cheese is produced on site in the traditional method with the milk being heated over a wood burning fire.
For those who do not wish to drive themselves but are not scared of mountain roads and heights, who would still like to see the farm and the spectacular scenery, then there is a guided excursion offered from Kranjska Gora and Bovec once a week on a Monday afternoon and it is even possible to attempt the milking too.
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