Tues 4 April 12° Gallizien, Austria to Lake Bled, Slovinia

Rugged scenery today, cliffs leading into forests as we head south to Slovinia and Lake Bled. Very winding road but good surface, smooth ride for Bessie. South to Kranj then West to Bled on 10% gradient road, better as we are not on 17% alternative.

Drove parallel to sparkling river within huge rocky gorge, similar to Manawatu gorge but is a lot higher. Much forestry activity as we climbed steadily through the gorge, including river crossing with little food shop, which Tony called the , bridge over the river kai' haha.

 

Notice the sheep have no fence.

This house roof sticks out so had to put up this warning sign. good job or Bessie would have clipped it.

For you wine lovers, a Silver medal in NZ quite ofter won a Gold in Ljubljana.....haha

 

Rocks forming rapid like water falls along the Boulder strewn Creek thru the gorge, came accross a little settlement, then met 2 massive logging trucks on a bend, whewwww close call. Several hairpin bends on a road looking like spaghetti on  plate and snow where the sun don't shine.

Unmanned border crossing into Slovinia, at top of climb ready to -brexit- if need be. 10.30am we entered Slovinia and clicked over 6000 miles,  slowly descending 10% gradient, sign for 1083m high after having already come down for about 5 mins so must have been 1100m plus. This is really testing my metal. Roads  not so good down here and into Jezersk where we saw this waterfall.

Further on surfaces started to improve for a bit then back to rough so really gave Bessie a shake, rattle and roll. Observed huge log piles at intervals along the way, enough to supply community and more.

Into Bled and our Bumble (another blog I have been following) wild camp for the night at churchyard carpark. Goat trek walk into town down stone steps between house, to come upon the stunning lake even on this grey showery day. Got map from Tourist information and walked around the lake as we approached the lake edge a boat was about to leave for the island €11 each so we decided to go. Glad we did as the sun came out and had a smooth crossing.

 

Saw lanes of buoys for the rowers and scullers that train here for the Olympics in fact the world championships were held here in 2011. This activity rates very highly in Slovinia as told to us by skipper of boat, who was also very aware of NZ rowing performances at international levels.  He also told us there was no free camping in Slovinia it is illegal but as it is out of season we would probably be alright.

Climbed up gravel track to the church on the top of hill, really getting our exercise in here, there were souvenir shops, cafes and ice cream cart, had to try one. The island is uninhabited just maintenence and restoration workers along with the shopkeepers that come and go daily  on the boats.

Groups of Indian and Asian tourists  can imagine the Island buzzing in the summer. We had 45 mins here, chatted with the Indian girls from the boat, who took our photo for us.

Returned to boat saw shrine with Mary and a little water channel under the hillside, whilst waiting an Asian couple trying to take a selfie with the castle behind,  very close to the lake edge, dropped his phone into the water. Immediately he started to undress and got into the water with much a do from his wife as he had his money belt on, he got out , took it off, took more clothes off then got back in went under and came out with phone in hand triumphant.  Not something you see everyday, he was then led over to the shrine where friends held a towel up for his modesty so he could get out of the wet ones and put his dry outer clothes on.......thank goodness for layers.

Boat trip back to Bled walked around shops looking for souvenir tea towel for our collection, no luck so  climbed the goat track back to Bessie, as we neared we saw a car with flashing lights just about to pull away Oh Oh!  2 female police had just issued us a fine!  We said we had just walked into the village and were moving now to the camp. After talking sweetly and apologising,  they cancelled the ticket, looked up the camp site to see if it was open and even gave us address of another one and said no wild camping in Slovinia we will let you go with a warning. We high tailed it out of there real quick, to our search for sites camp 9km south near Bohiny lake. New Stelplatz next to railway station and timber factory, €10 with services and good views. Raining again now, supposed to be wet again tomorrow, Got dinner going , crumbed fish and stir fry veg, had a wee Jameson,  for the shock you understand, purely medicinal and relief at getting off lightly,  could have been Ugly! Alls well that ends well, onwards and upwards.

Might be a cold night tonight being close to snow capped mountains, church bells again on the hour,  reminiscent of our times in France.

Mon 3 April 22° Gallizien - Wildenstein Waterfall

Last night it was 20° at 5pm. For those that are interested the mountains in front of our park for night are: Altberg 1552m, Hochobar 2139m, Kleinbir 1948m, Hoffmanalpe1270m,
Jaggontz Sat tel 1680m, with the Wildenstein Waterfall coming down. This one's for you Bruce, climb every mountain, thinking of you.

A very narrow single Lane road up, up and round and round to nowhere, sat nav bogus directions. Down again, very slowly, to the car park with cafe and toilet block, what a relief.

Fabulous day for the 'short' 20 min walk to the waterfall. Steep, almost vertical at times, stone and gravel path to the top to view the waterfall.

On the return down, after we 'knocked the bastard off' to Hillary, we soft shoe shuffled, side stepped and part slip our way back down whewww,  we made it both ways! Pat on the back to us.....

Bessie certainly got her own back after her massive mountain drive yesterday haha.
It was so warm and sunny, we took advantage of the isolation and did a bit of washing, had a shower and washed hair, but as we haven't had the heating on, haven't had the hot water on, so I imagined myself under the mountain waterfall, very fresh and crisp but refreshing.
Tony went over to the immaculate toilet block just as a bus load of school kids arrived,  luckily tye went straight up for the climb to the waterfall, otherwise they would have got a look at something they didn't expect, Tony in a state of undress and dripping wet haha.

While checking the engine fluid levels, Tony spoke to the bus driver about our choice of mountain road tomorrow to Lake Bled, one is 17% gradient the 10% but very winding, where confirmed the latter, which we had discussed with Les on messenger last night. So feel a lot better about the route now. Also looked up Bumble blog to see where the wild camped and got a couple more free options .

We got our chairs out and had our first sun bathe, gave Bessie a 40 ltrs water fill with fresh mountain water. So all ready for her mountain drive tomorrow into Slovinia,  our 10 pass in Austria is up, so it's farewell, adieu we're leaving you goodbye eeeeeeee, goodbye eee, Austria has been amazing for scenery, cleanliness and helpful, friendly people.

We decided to go back down to Gallizien for the night and the late afternoon sun was still warm, so out came the chairs for the last of the warmth of this our last day.

Tony cracked a joke and I told him not to leave his day job......but of course he already has haha.

Chilli mince and veg pasta to night with a refreshing tasty Austrian beer.

Sun 2 April 12° Stainz - Bleiburg - Gallizien

Beautiful morning, saw the neighbours visiting a nearby building,  discovered heated toilet Block!  and the site is free. After a leisurely morning we drove to next free stop at Bleiburg.  Pat and Les will be pleased, finally got the Blaupunkt sat nav going, as a backup.......calling this one Heidi,  poor Tony has 4 girls now and me, Bessie, Rebecca  (falcon sounds like Rebecca Gibney), the Google maps, Bobbies,  she's American and now Heidi......haha

Trees now sporting their new green leaves looking very fresh and spring like.  Country views and onion top coming into Ebiswold.

Climbing 14% up along the Slovian border, along winding forest road, good surface.
Changed now to bumpy surface on slight decline then smooth again, over the height of pine trees below us, poor Bessie very bumpy,  getting a good work out today.

St Vincent resevoir for lunch stop,  looks lovely.

Kept climbing, over very high viaduct omg don't look down, this is higher than the mountain in France, there are even remains of snow here where the sun doesn't shine.
Winding and steep going down,  smell of burning, think it's the breaks. Stopped to give Bessie a cool down and took video of view......hard to believe we are up here.

Twin onion tops and Swiss Alps behind coming into Einersdorf.

Arrived at Bleiburg large car park and village green, checker block with cars and people going to the Sunday/Easter market decided not to stay here tonight. Drove on to Gallizien and the free search for sites at Wildenstein Waterfall with water and toilets.

However the co- ordinates took us to a pleasant car park in the village of Gallizien opposite a Spar shop. No water or toilets, the site at waterfall is another 30 mins away. Decided to stay here and a bit of shopping in the morning, no shops open today here being Sunday. Tomorrow we will go up to the other site for our last 2 nights in Austria when our Placard expires, only bought it for 10 days.

Sat 1st April 12° Vienna to Stainz sth of Graz

An observation thru Europe, when we were walking around a place and stopped to look at Street sign or map, someone would always approach and ask if they could help, all very friendly and most times would turn to conversation by which many were surprised how far we had travelled and where we are from. Including in Vienna, an Iraqi soldier outside their embassy who was very chatty and walked with us to end of road to show us where to go.

Back to today, warm and sunny as we drove south, passing enormous garden centres the size of football pitch, full of people stocking up for Easter plantings.

Think we have struck Tga winds today....although high barriers along the road sides and steep banks to protect the vehicles, so seems they are used to such winds through here.

Good road no trucks so no trucks stops to pull over, when we did find one it had a little wooden huts with a toilet in. We have seen this a few times, some even have proper toilet blocks, both sides of road and signs notifying in advance often with the wheelchair symbol.

We started to climb up winding our way through forested hillsides, a little village at the summit 980m then slowly decending on very good roads, you can see where the taxes go in Austria.

Another mountain lunch, this time no snow.

Hazy view from up here so no good for photos, many shades of green, peaks clad with trees then flat with pasture and crops dotted with little houses in the valley. Began driving up again along a ridge plateau looking down into the green dips and troughs below with more tree clad hills on  opposite side of the valley. A few animals appearing up here, is this where the weiner schnitzel grows.

Fill of diesel  €1.05 ltr got 41 litres  €43. Haven't seen any lpg in Austria. Good job weather has warmed up and we haven't had the heater on at night for about a week, so it should last longer now.

Passed by huge tree nurseries, either for the garden centers to on sell or to replace the large foresters industry here. Also lots of fruit plantations of different kinds.Each row had black nets along ready to be unfurled to stop the birds having a feast.

22° at 3pm in Graz, just south is our free park for the night at Stainz, another very good spot on search for sites, our own car park to the side of a car park with a huge former Monestry looking down from the hill, original occupants Augustininan Cannons but ..........Looks like they have all been fired........haha lol ..... it is now a museum.

Coming into Graz, a typical onion top spire.

Former Stainz Monestry guarding us for the night

A cold cleansing ale for the driver on arrival purchased at our favourite shop Lidl at a good price. Cheers.

Keep meaning to thank you all for comments, replies and emails as it makes us feel closer to home.