Babji Zob – 1,128 m

The summit of Babji zob, named for the distinctive notch that juts defiantly from its sheer face, is one of the most striking peaks on the vast Jelovica Plateau, as its distinctive shape is visible both from the mountains surrounding Bohinj and from the slopes of the Karawanks and the Bled-Radovljica Basin.

The hike to the summit is not particularly demanding and is suitable for a morning or afternoon excursion. However, it does, of course, require hiking boots and a backpack with some food and drink, as there are no mountain huts along the way. The starting point is the small village of Kupljenik, which can be reached on foot or by car via the paved road from Bohinjska Bela; it is also possible to access the trail from Bled via the village of Selo.

The effort of the hour-and-a-half-long ascent is rewarded with a magnificent view. Directly to the left is Ratitovec; a little further on is Soriška Planina, which continues into the entire chain of the Bohinj Mountains from Črna Prst to Kobla via Rodica, Vogel to Podrta Gora and Komna. 800 m below us, the Sava Bohinjka River winds through the Soteska Gorge; below Bohinjska Bela, it turns right and, at the confluence below Radovljica, joins the Sava Dolinka to form the Sava, Slovenia’s longest river. Opposite us, the mighty forests of the high Pokljuka plateau darken, and above them reigns Slovenia’s highest mountain, Triglav. Bled, with Lake Bled and its island, lies clearly visible deep below us, surrounded by the villages of Gorjanci and Bled. Above it, the Karawanks soar into the sky in all their grandeur, as they transition from Storžič to the Kamnik-Savinja Alps at their far right edge.

The return route follows the same path; we’ll be back at Kupljenik in an hour.The entire hike takes about three hours from the starting point at Kupljenik; if you combine the hike with a visit to Babjezob Cave, add another three hours.