A few years ago we started going on the Alpine summer escapes as a way to avoid the heat and enjoy the fresh air and the peace of the mountains. Those escapes are short but sweet, active, relaxing and really rewarding.

Bovec is a little town surrounded by alpine peaks in the Soca river valley, and is a starting point for many extreme and not so extreme sports that this region has to offer.
Our preferences are hiking and cycling, and we did try the sit-on-top kayak once- it was a great fun regardless of the cold water! 

This was our second time in Bovec, but this is one of those places that you could visit over and over again and every time explore a new hiking trail or just enjoy the freshest mountain air and the unbeatable views.
The nature here is beautiful in all the weather conditions- this time we had two days of rain and misty fog and two perfectly sunny days. 

The river Soca which carves the valley is an emerald jewel of Slovenia- and as every natural beauty has to be seen in person, because the photos don't do it justice.
There is a 25 km long walking trail that runs from the stream to the town of Bovec- this time we enjoyed it wrapped in our rain capes and surrounded by the sound of raindrops on the leaves, misty traces of fog right above the water, and the crisp autumn air at the end of August.

More info on Soca River Trail here.

Our two hiking destinations were the Boka waterfall just outside of the town and the lake of Krn above the Lepena valley.
A hike to Boka waterfall isn't that long, but is pretty steep, so we were a bit exhausted and wet by the time we got to the viewpoint. There is a nice view of the valley and the waterfall, which we enjoyed by ourselves, as there were no other hikers yet.

As for the lake of Krn, it’s a two hour walk uphill (and a bit shorter walk downhill) from the Alpine hut called Dom Klementa Juga in the Lepena valley. The path is wide, well marked, and definitely worth climbing!

There is an Alpine hut on the top, before you reach the lake, where we had a typical Slovenian mountain dish- Jota (beans with sour cabbage), some sausages, apple strudel, beer and schnapps (also traditional). :)

The lake itself is an impressive scene- surrounded by gigantic rocky mountains reflecting in the dark green waters.

The place is quiet and peaceful, and we spent quite a time sitting on the shore, dipping our feet in the cold water, and photographing a bunch of colorful butterflies which were landing everywhere- on our heads, shoes, hands, bags... They were lovely!

When we got back to the hut in the valley, we rewarded ourselves with their tasty blueberry cake, made of fresh mountain blueberries! They also have excellent goulash, a nice waiter and affordable prices- so if you're passing through the Lepena valley don't hesitate to stop there!

Even though our stay was short, we had a complete energy refill and a mind&soul vacation. On our way back through Italy, just as we drove out of the Alps it was like as summer was switched on again.