Today we drove north from Tolmin and explored the famous Soča Valley, with its amazing blue-green colored river. We started early because the forecast called for rain by noon, and we wanted to explore before the drops began to fall.
Our first stop was the Boka Waterfall. Although this feature can be seen from the roadway, we walked the short trail to the better viewpoint. Boka falls 106 meters from the cliff top, and then drops an additional 30 meters down the rocks for a total height of 136 meters. This makes Boka the highest waterfall in Slovenia.
Great Soča Gorge is just 0.75 kilometers long, mere meters in width, and with a depth of 15 meters. What is impressive is the beautiful color of the water, it is a turquoise blue color - I have not been able to find an explanation why the water is this color. It looks like glacial melt water, but Triglav is the tallest mountain in Slovenia, and it does not have glaciers. Great Soča Gorge is inside the boundaries of Triglav National Park, but it is also close to the Italian border. Is it possible that there are glaciers on Italian peaks, just across the border, and their meltwater is what gives the Soča River its extraordinary color?
There are trails on both banks of the Soča River. We walked around here for a bit. The Gorge itself was worthy of many photographs. When the rain started, we retreated to the car. It was not a pounding rainstorm like we had witnessed early at Lake Bohinj, it was a more gentle shower.
We drove back toward Tolmin. By the time we reached the Kozjak Waterfall parking lot, the rain clouds had long departed and the skies were sunny again. We walked up the trail to see the waterfall, taking the alternate route up the hillside that led WWI fortifications. Italian troops set up defensive lines here, in their battle with the Austro-Hungarian empire. I believe these were the original structures and not recreations.
The Kozjak Waterfall itself is a marvel. It is hidden in a rocky amphitheater (which it apparently has carved out itself over millenia). The water is a gorgeous emerald green color. Very photogenic.
Back in Tolmin, we picked up some supplies at the grocery store and returned to our rental to cook dinner.
