Planina.. Green Hot Spot

There are so many things to do and see at the nearby village of Planina, just 15 mins for the Lodge, that we just had to do a special secret place Hotspot!

It is highly unlikely Planina will get onto the radar of most visitors to Slovenia.. but DESPITE all the other amazing things there are to do across Green Slovenia, MOST Lodge guests still usually end up enjoying at least one or more of the amazing secret places we are gonna tell you all about here.. that is how good a secret tip Planina really is folks!

Driving via Planina to the Lodge is also a really great green route to avoid the motorway from Ljubljana or to reach so many other amazing secret places such as Idrija, the Cerknica Disappearing Lake and the magical rock valley of Rakov Skocjan..

the river Unica criss crosses Planina lake.. can you also see the sinkholes filling up with water..
the river Unica criss crosses Planina lake.. can you also see the sinkholes filling up with water..

 

We tell our guests what to look out for in & around Planina, but even if you are lucky enough to drive through here you probably wouldn't know! 

For example, we were out on our E Bikes when we met a Dutch family just before Planina at the Unica river, where they had stopped for a paddle.. After a few minutes chatting and telling them about a few of the other things to do around here, the Mum & Dad's mouths dropped open in disbelief and they said they really had NO IDEA how close they were to all these secret places and had even just seen the river by chance!

So Planina is a long village on the old main road to Postojna, but also reachable via a much quieter, nicer old Roman country road to Predjama castle and the Lodge..

the castle walled garden..
the castle walled garden..

 

When you know there is a huge disappearing lake here, you can see how hundreds of years of local knowledge has been used to position the houses in a safe line along the shore.

Here is your first little Planina fact to get started with..

There is a road leading out from Planina (diretion Cerknica) to a beautiful 4 Arched bridge over the Unica river.. You might notice this road is raised up, but you won't notice the aqueduct tunnels built under the road as you whizz across..

Well, these allow the road to be saved in winter as massive volumes of water gush through these tunnels to create the 6km long lake when it decides to appear.. all other tracks and roads you can see in the meadows will completely disappear too when the lake appears!

secret track to bike or hike along the river to Rapunzel tower..
secret track to bike or hike along the river to Rapunzel tower..

 

We have some really good quality E Bikes at the Lodge, powered by the Slovenian sunshine and there is so much to do and see in & around Planina that we need to have TWO different E bikes adventures there & back!

We thought the best way to help you discover & explore Planina is to list all the secret green hotspots for you in no particular order, so that is exactly what we will do now.. (where we have done an article in more detail about that place, we include a link to that particular page)..

 

the Planina Cave (Jama) aka (also known as) Baby Dragon Cave aka the Cave with the Cloud..

One of the best secret caves in Green Slovenia is hidden away down a side road as you enter Planina.

one of the most beautiful cave entrances in Green Slovenia in Planina..
one of the most beautiful cave entrances in Green Slovenia in Planina..

 

We have had guests visit this cave instead of the better known one with the train just down the road and we have only heard positive reactions, cos you get to go in small groups with a local guide for an hour tour inside the only show cave in Europe where you can see 2 rivers crash into each other.. oh yes and you will probably see Baby Dragons in here too!

The approach to this cave is nothing short of breathtaking as the huge cave mouth actually looks small in comparison to the 50 metres or so of Karst rock forming the sheer cliff face above it.

Sometimes you might see a cloud floating around in the mouth of the cave. If you are here when the waterflow is strong.. which could also be after a day of rain even in summer, then you are in for a treat as the power of the water flowing out of this cave is something to witness!

a new part of the River of 7 Names races from the Planina cave..
a new part of the River of 7 Names races from the Planina cave..

 

Cave tours are every day at 5pm in the summer and there are so many great caves in Green Slovenia that you should really try to fit in a few different ones, but if this is the only cave you do, then you will not be disappointed! Wow, what a cave!

You can also do longer kayaking tours into the Planina cave up river that last around 4 hours with a bit of scrambing over rocks where the canoes won't pass.. even families with tough kids can do this!

 

Rapunzels Tower (Ravbar Stolp)..

If ever you saw a tower that might actually have the little lady with the long hair imprisoned at the top, then Ravbar Stolp, as it is locally known, is the one!

see why we call it Rapunzel's tower?
see why we call it Rapunzel's tower?

 

Rapunzel can now go out shopping with Cinderella whenever she wants, cos there is a new staircase built outside the tower to go up and see the view.

This is a stunning tower in a stunning forest position looking out over the disappearing lake and now from 2023, you will be able to visit it properly!

 

Planina Disappearing Lake..

So big you can see it from Slovenia's main motorway from Ljubljana to Koper.

pockets of new water appearing on the basin of the massive Planina lake..
pockets of new water appearing on the basin of the massive Planina lake..

 

This lake is usually formed in the autumn when the water pouring out of the Planina cave very quickly becomes too much for the river Unica to hold and the new 6km long lake rapidly appears!

The lake is also fed by sinkholes and springs bursting with water from the hills all around the lake.

The other main road, direction Logatec and Ljubljana is built high up alonside the length of this lake and has 6 or 7 mini car parks with picnic tables and info boards to observe the lake.

When full it is a huge body of water and it is fun to try to find some of the sources pouring crystal clear water into it.

near the far end of the Planina lake, the village in the distance is Laze, only half way down the lake..
near the far end of the Planina lake, the village in the distance is Laze, only half way down the lake..

 

You will most likely be here in the summer when the lake area turns into a massive green meadow, stuffed with wild flowers and all the tracks across reappear, so are amazing for hiking and biking all around the lake, looking for sinkholes! 

So at 6km by 2km, when it appears, Planina lake is much bigger than Lakes Bled and Bohinj put together!!

 

Skratovka Springs..

This is one of those springs where water bursts out of a magical small cave hidden under a bridge in the forest opposite Planina.

Skatovka cave in full flow..
Skatovka cave in full flow..

 

When gushing with water a river appears which flows fiercely down to the Unica river and then into the filling lake.

When there is no water you now have a little cave to find and explore with little gnomes hidden away by the local society that look after this very picturesque little corner of Planina!

 

Haasberg Castle..

A giant wrecked ruined of a rennaisence castle also hidden away on the other side of the lake from Planina.

the castle barn with Haasberg castle in the background..
the castle barn with Haasberg castle in the background..

 

There is a little road up from the river bridge leading to a main car park and this castle is a hub for many hiking & biking possibilities.

The castle has a little castle barn too with a resident donkey and a walled garden reminiscent of the book, "the Secret Garden". 

Beautiful views from here across the lake to Planina and the Planina mountain, covered in thick green forest.

The castle car park is a perfect spot from which to begin so many different hikes up into the rocky green Karst forest..

 

Unec Crater..

There are two fantastic routes either from up from the castle car park or a little further up river from Planina that both lead up into a huge Karst forest, littered with sinkholes and white rocks, which we describe as "Dragon's teeth"!

edge of the massive Unec crater..
edge of the massive Unec crater..

 

All roads lead to a huge Karst phenomenon, which was a cave that collapsed a long time ago to create a massive crater that you can walk around, (carefully) and try to find the rabbit warren of concrete bunkers built into the crater by the Italian army between the two world wars as part of their defensive line.

This forest is perfect for E Biking around & longer hikes and there is yet another route out that brings you high above the Planina cave for spectacular views of Rapunzel tower and the disappearing lake.

 

the Unica River aka River of 7 Names..

Ok, so the river that flows under that beautiful road bridge is called the Unica and comes from the Planina cave.

bridge over the river..
bridge over the river..

 

But there is more, as this river is one of the 7 rivers or "the River of 7 Names" that flows from Croatia underground and overground past Lubljana.. every time it pops up again it gets a new name to make seven in total!

There are places to swim along here and a little car park on the corner right next to the river, just after the main road bridge.

This is also one of the top fishing rivers in Europe, where anglers come to catch powerful Karst trout. Permits required.

 

the Stork Chimney Stack..

There is a long narrow old town section of Planina which is a line of houses running alongside the shores of the lake and at the end of here you can see a house with a large chimney stack packed with twigs to make a giant storks nest!

can you count 2 baby storks waiting for their dinner..
can you count 2 baby storks waiting for their dinner..

 

Slovenia and particularly areas close to the disappearing lakes here are magnets for migrating birds and so try to come here in spring and see if you can count the baby storks!

Locals say that when the storks finally return to their nest then this is the start of Spring!

 

Planina Hill (Gora)..

The mountain you can see from our back garden is Nanos, 1313m, which is the start of the Dinaric Alps, Slovenia's 4th Alpine region.

Planina hill in the background and the only road that survives the lake leads from Planina to here..
Planina hill in the background and the only road that survives the lake leads from Planina to here..

 

Well this line extends out to the Planina Gora (hill) that towers above Planina lake and there is amazing hiking up here along a ridge with amazing views that runs all the way to mt St Lawrence, 1,019m, which can also be seen from the Lodge cr park.

From here there is another forest hike to find Predjama castle and then take the secret path home for an epic hike!

Or maybe you will just drive up Planina hill from Planina and enjoy the views from high up!

We hope you will find a green adventure for you in Planina! 

Email: info@lipizzanerlodge.com

Address: Landol 17, Postojna 6230, Slovenia

Phone: +386 5620 3443
Mobile: +386 40 47 0239 or +386 40 37 8037

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