Soča Circular Trail
| Region | Gorizia Statistical Region |
| Starting point | Camp Jelinc |
| Route length | 3 km (1.15 miles) |
| route duration | 1-1,5 h |
| Best time to visit | spring, summer, early autumn |
| Appropriate for | Baby Carriers , 3-6 years of age , 6+ years of age |
| Level of difficulty | Moderately demanding route |
Route Description
The Soča River flows out of a karst spring at an altitude of 990 m (3,248 feet). In spring and summer, the uppermost part of the Soča River is a beautiful alpine stream. It flows in the form of small waterfalls past towards the bottom of the valley, where a small tributary from the Zadnja Trenta Valley joins in. This water runs through gravel at the bottom of the valley and during heavy rains like a wild torrent on a wide white riverbed.
The Soča River continues its way on a steep riverbed and overcomes an altitude difference of almost 250 metres (820 feet). Its left tributary called Krajcarica (also Zadnjica) joins Soča in the village of Log from the direction of the Zadnjica Valley. This part of the river has a name of its own - Šnita, which means “a piece of bread” in vernacular Slovene. From this point on, Soča flows through the glacially transformed Trenta Valley to the southwest between the peaks of torrential tributaries and landslides. Just before the mouth of the left tributary called Vrsnik it glides into picturesque gorges. This green-emerald “snake” soon enters the Bovec Valley, which has distinctly alpine features: the characteristic solitary farms standing on gravel terraces or the Soča tributaries peaks.
Our family spends at least 3 days a year near the Soča River, but most of the terrain around here is not suitable for younger children. This circular trail impressed us, because it allows you to enjoy the beauty of the Soča River, meet various domestic animals (sheep, donkeys, cows, piglets) at the Farm Jelinčič, and at the end enjoy local delicacies. The hike takes place on the (shorter) part of the Soča Trail.
Interesting Facts
In summer, Slovenians like to visit the gorgeous Soča River. Get to know this emerald beauty a little better and read a few interesting facts.
1. SOČA RIVER SOURCE: The Emerald Soča is formed by water that accumulates in the area of Jalovec, Šite, Travnik and Mojstrovka springs from a cave with a small subterranean lake and flows through a narrow gorge, which soon opens up. (Source: soca-valley.com)
2. OLD NAMES: The upper part of the Soča is also known by the old name of Šnita. The river was recorded in antiquity as Aesontius, Sontius, and Isontius. The Slovene name Soča is derived from the form *Sǫťa, which was borrowed from Latin (and Romance) Sontius. In turn, this is probably based on the substrate name *Aisontia, presumably derived from the PIE root *Hei̯s- 'swift, rushing', referring to a quickly moving river. (Source: en.wikipedia.org website)
3. TRIBUTARIES: Soča has many beautiful tributaries. Its main ones are Koritnica, Tolminka, Idrijca and Vipava in Slovenia; and Torre in Italy.
4. SOČA RIVER TEMPERATURES: Only the brave or those who wear wetsuits can bathe in the Soča River. In the years 2004–2010, it had an average temperature of 10.5 ° C (50.9 °F) in the bathing season. The highest recorded temperature ever was 13.8 ° C (56.8 °F), in Tolmin 12.0 ° C/ 53.6 °F (highest 15.1 ° C/59.1 °F), in Kanal 15.3 ° C/59.5 °F (highest 21.3 ° C/70.3 °F) and in Solkan 14.3 ° C/57.7 °F (highest 18.8 ° C/65.84 °F). Low water temperatures are mainly due to the supply of the river from many karst springs in the entire course up to the town of Solkan.
5. WAR: Between 1915 and 1917, the Soča/Isonzo Front ran through the Soča Valley and the surrounding mountains above it, claiming more than 300,000 lives of Italian and Austro-Hungarian soldiers.
6. SOČA RIVER AS AN INSPIRATION: Soča inspired the Slovenian poet Simon Gregorčič to dedicate his most famous patriotic poem titled To the Soča River. Here is the first stanza:
You are splendid, limpid daughter of the heights,
You are graceful in your natural beauty,
When your transparent depths
Are not disturbed by the
Wrath of darksome storms,
You are splendid, limpid daughter of the heights!
7. TROUGHS: The deep and narrow troughs carved into the lively valley are a special feature of the Soča River. They appeared due to a certain change in the environment (e.g. glacial retreat, tectonic movement, etc.). The most beautiful are the Mala korita Troughs just before the mouth of the Vrsnik Stream and the Velika korita Troughs before the mouth of Lepenjica Stream. The Soča Troughs (Korita Soče pri Kršovcu) are just as amazing to look at.
8. A SPORTS PARADISE: The upper course of the Soča RIver is ideal for kayakers, canoeists, rafters, canyoning… The surrounding peaks are ideal for hikers and mountain bikers. From the Soča Valley, many mountain trails lead to the surrounding 2,000-meter (6,561 feet) peaks (Kriške pode, Triglav, Bavški Grintavec, Kanin, Krn, Rombon ...) and other mountaintops: Svinjak, Kobariški Stol, Matajur ... You can walk the 20-kilometre (12-mile) long Soča Trail which starts at the Soča River Source.
9. WATERFALLS: Numerous beautiful waterfalls grace the Soča River surroundings, namely Kozjak Waterfall, Virje Waterfall, Kaludrica Stream, Fratarica Stream, Predarica Stream with waterfalls, Globoški Stream with waterfalls, Zapotoški Waterfalls, Šunikov vodni gaj Nature Reserve, etc. Let us not forget the Boka Waterfall, located near the town of Bovec, which is the most powerful Slovenian waterfall with a total height of 144 m (472 feet) and a width of 18 m (59 feet).
10. HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS ON THE SOČA RIVER: Soča River has seven large dams, with four of them in Italy and three of them (hydroelectric power plants) in Slovenia. The website of SENG (Soške elektrarne Nova Gorica/Soča hydroelectric power plant Nova Gorica) states that their long-term plan is to build dams on the upper Soča and Učja rivers, which would mean the destruction of our great pearl. Fortunately, individuals and movements like the Balkan Rivers Defense are committed to preserving our beautiful emerald.
Map
Take me to the starting point
Show route in Google mapsRent a car
Nearby Restaurants
Farm Jelinčič & Camp Jelinc
This is the ideal starting point for the hikes around Soča River, exploring the Bovec area and nearby mountains, as well as for many sports activities. The staff makes sure your stomach is full and satisfied. Your dogs are welcome here and the camp even has cats!
Their special dish is trout with cheese. So yummy! ;)
Soča 50,
5232 Soča
05 388 95 10
051 222 735
Vita, Olja and Juna Recommend
Do you like reading?
I do not know how to do that yet, but that's why I have my mother so she can tell me things :). This time she told me a story about the Slovenian poet Simon Gregorčič.
The Slovenian poet Simon Gregorčič immortalized the beauty of the Soča River. Much of it is devoted to the beauty and the changing nature of the stream as it makes its way down from the Julian Alps. He compares it with the clear mountain air, its loudness with the strong singing of the mountain youth, its color reflects “the dark green of highland grass / And the cheerful azure of the heights”. This is how the Slovene writer J. Kunaver opens his book about the Soča River titled Ob bregovih Soče (Slovene: By the Riverbanks of Soča), in which he presents the local nature and people. As the landscape changes rapidly down the valley, from the high mountain valley of Trenta through the slightly more open landscape of Tolminsko to the coastal plain along the lower course in neighboring Italy, so do the people and their attitude towards the river.
Have you heard of Julius Kugy?
In the once remote Trenta Valley, people had to pay attention to the torrential character of the Soča River and set up their humble abodes on the higher slopes of the valley. In the 19th century, Dr. Julius Kugy discovered the Trenta Valley and presented its beauty to the world.
