Dropping down to second gear, I was certain we would stall and roll backwards down the steep mountain pass. It wasńt the first time this had happened and I knew it wouldn’t be the last. This was one of the challenges we had discovered driving a 40-year-old, air-cooled Volkswagen camper van through the Julian Alps in mid-November.
Thanks to COVID, our two-week road trip had been delayed by two years, but at last we had collected our 1982 VW T2 (named Kreso) from Ljubljana with a rough plan, a full stock of camping supplies and our winter sleeping bags.
Autumn colours were booming, brighter than I can ever remember, and the sharp bite in the air seemed to add to the vibrancy. Conditions like these are possibly my favourite; when the sun hangs low and the morning mist lingers until midday.
From day one we settled into a gentle rhythm; slow, relaxing mornings at the van waiting for the inside of the windows to thaw, followed by planning, exploring and eating. Having collected the van from the capital, Ljubljana, we spent a couple of days wandering the narrow, cobbled streets. You could easily spend more than a few days in this charming city, with its beautiful architecture and culture. We chose to bookend our trip with a couple of days in the city. In between, we headed off in search of mountains and lakes.
Thanks to Slovenia’s relatively compact size, you don’t have to go far before you’re surrounded by unspoilt nature. Bled, arguably the most famous nature spot in Slovenia, is only a 45-minute drive from the capital. Admittedly it took slightly longer in this instance, but what’s the rush? Normally you’d be fighting a sea of tourists in a spot like Lake Bled, however, not many people visit in November, so the lake was blissfully quiet. You can catch a boat across to visit the church in the middle of the lake or walk the 5km perimeter track.
With the Italian border so nearby, we decided to head north and drop down to Lago del Predil, which had been highly recommended. The road climbed once more, putting the strain on poor Kreso. Chugging away, gasping for breath, he made it to the top of the pass and we were treated to hazy views across the valley into Italy. After cooling down, we started the long descent into Italy. If you thought the climbs were a struggle, the descents were something else in a 40-year-old, 3 tonne van with drum brakes. To say the brakes were soft would be an understatement. But, with a lot of engine braking, we reached the valley in one piece.
The lake itself is stunning, set between steep cliffs on either side with a winding road along its shore. If I asked you the picture the perfect alpine road to journey along in a classic van, I bet you’d picture this exact scene. To top it off, the sun was beginning to set and the light was incredible. But, with no camp spot, a setting sun and dropping temps there was no time to sit and take it in. There are no campsites on Lago de Predil so we found a free-camp spot right on the shore and settled in for the long night. A pack of cards, cosy down jackets and red wine are advisable to sustain yourself when campervanning in November.
The Italian leg of our trip was fleeting. After only one night, we trawled back up the pass, stopping only for coffee before re-entering Slovenia to continue the adventure. Before researching this trip, I had no idea that Slovenia was so mountainous. One that stood out to me was Mount Mangart, and I had to climb it. Made much easier by the road that goes well above the snow line, we decided to give it a go. The winding pass climbed gradually until we hit a tunnel that was blocked off, snowbanks piled up on either side of the road with a few cars parked up. I tentatively parked the van on the cliff side, leaving it in gear and chocking the wheels, for fear we would return to find the van 2,000m below us in a crumpled heap.
Once we were on the trail, all worries about driving or parking dissipated. Herds of inquisitive goats came to say hello as we hiked towards the climbing hut where the trail forked. By this point, the snow was getting deep in the shadows, making route-finding a bit tricky. Once we got back into the sun and onto rock, it was a lot easier. However, a few narrow traverses and via ferrata sections certainly got the blood pumping. Another group passed in the opposite direction carrying ice axes and crampons. Em gave me that look and I already knew that we weren’t making the summit. Admittedly we weren’t prepared for the steeper upper faces which, once we reached the saddle, you could see were obviously covered in ice.
Back at the van, hot tea and sandwiches were a worthy substitute and probably the best outcome given that Em had developed a nasty chest infection. Quite possibly a result of sleeping in sub-zero temperatures in an old van…
For the remainder of the week, we slowly made our way back to the capital, enjoying a little more luxury (in the form of campsite toilets and a warm shower) along the way. A final meal in Ljubljana topped off the trip perfectly – Slovenian wine was another total surprise to me!
Despite the chest infection and plenty of scary moments behind the wheel, travelling around Slovenia during the autumn really is magical. And doing it all in a 40-year-old van makes it even more memorable. So, if you’re looking for a shoulder season trip, look no further than Slovenia.
Elliott Waring is an outdoor writer and photographer. You can check out more of his work at elliottwaring.com.
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