Ever since we found this simple and fantastic Alpine hike to a waterfall following a beautiful tree lined avenue with huge mountains either side for company and a cosy forest hut serving fantastic mountain food at the end of the line.. we try our very best to come here at least once a year when the golden brown leaves are falling to catch a festive autumn treat!

This Tamar valley hike in the far north west of Green Slovenia is stunning at any time of year, but extra special around October-November, so we just had to do this extra little blog to show you some spectacular autumn piccies!

Autumn does not get better than this folks..

We have very beautiful forests indeed in all directions from the Lodge by foot, bike or car, with the cute little local Dinaric Alps for company..

But Green Slovenia is such a varied pocket rocket of a country that it really is worth doing the 90 min drive up to the Tamar valley to get another completely different Golden autumn experience in one of the 3 other Alpine ranges here.. the Julian Alps.

time for lunch..

We spotted our perfect sunny day forecast in late October, so we threw our hiking boots into the car and off we went after breakfast, covering the hour to Bled from the Lodge easily on the empty autumn motorway and then following the winding country road from Jesenice past some other spots we know along the Sava river that are also stunning for hiking to Kranska Gora, (Slovenia's main ski resort) and then the short hop to PLANICA, which is Slovenia's world cup Ski Jump destination.

Park up, get your boots on, job done, now go for the hike!

only a lunatic would chuck themselves off there!

Planica is located in the far north western wedge of Slovenia, shoe horned into the huge mountain peaks with Italy on one side of this "triangle" and Austria on the other. 

Not sure we will ever get over that fantastic middle European feeling of seeing a road sign showing Austria one way 5km and Italy 5km the other way, insane!!

just beautiful when benches are merged with nature..

Take a ticket at the car park barrier and you have completed the car ride when you see a huge ski jump built into the side of a mountain for those skinny fellas who fling themselves off with just skis, a bobble hat and goggles for protection, trying to get a few cm's further than the next skinny fella, (give me a rugby ball any day)!

The ski jump is truly impressive and try to spot it next time you watch the ski jumping on the telly, (if hosted in Slovenia, then this is the one)!

Park up near the modern visitor centre and the hike starts from there.. walk left if looking directly towards the ski jump and head towards the forest and those bigs lumps of Alpine rock along a track marked "TAMAR"

just follow the sign to Tamar..

Why this Hike is so Fab in Autumn..

It is easy to get here and never busy except when the ski jumping is going off, also pretty much deserted on week days.

It is a stunning journey.. you are driving into the mountains and they seem to get bigger the nearer you get. After Jesenice you go through pretty little Alpine villages AND from here you are following the mighty Sava river with crystal clear water..

these peak posts are just so handy AND merge with nature..

Easy to park, just pay your ticket for a few Euros when you exit the large car park.

The hike itself is relatively easy and simple to follow, with signs and useful info boards. There is one main hiking path to follow up.

This is a "there and back" hike, but feels completely different on the way up compared to the way down. There is a gradual gradient up, but you only really notice this mild steepness as you walk back down with ease!

a makeshift bridge to help you continue this magical autumn hike..

It takes about an hour to 90 mins to get to the "hut", which also serves fab Slovenian mountain delicacies like sausage soup, sausage and sauerkraut, sausage and mashed potatoes.. (you get the message), but totally delicious after an energetic hike.

You are always surrounded by sheer mountains on both sides until the "cul de sac" end of the track appears with the restaurant nestled under the biggest peaks creating a stunning dead end.

wow, what a place to have a spot of lunch..

There is a lovely waterfall at the end of the track to admire too. The Nadiza pours out of the side of the sheer rock face about 100m up and you can follow the river a bit to explore more or even climb up a zig zag path to get close and personal with it!

Particularly in autumn, the variety of trees here is stunning, with enough evergreens to showcase the other gold, red and yellow canopies, with those fantastic rock peaks popping out into the sky.

the waterfall springs out about 100m up from the sheer rock wall..

The hike back down should only take an hour or so.. This means you have time during your day out to go see something else green and amazing on the way back to the Lodge..

Mt Jalovec was cloud topped today, but is one of the most beautiful mountains in Slovenia..

On our way home we stopped off not far after leaving Planica to see a stupendous spot where the crystal clear water of the Sava river bubbles up into a small lake with fish swimming around.. Wow, this is the very start of this mighty river, Slovenia's longest river that heads almost 1,000km across the Balkons to Serbia before joing the Danube. 

But then you could also choose from the delights of Bled, Begunje and Radovlica (to name just a few places), where you could conclude your day out with a Crem Schnitta or a lovely meal out.. Just fantastic.

you can see fish here and the white sandy bubble clusters where the water bursts up out of the ground..

We have included this Tamar hike in our Secret Places to Visit section too, with a little more detail and if you would like to know more, just take a look at the article there and you can find the Tamar hike location on our SECRET PLACES TO VISIT TREASURE MAP.. top left in the far north western corner of Green Slovenia.

Enjoy your hike and remember to make a wish if you catch a falling leaf!