It feels a little odd to be in a ski resort out of season (particularly as I’m in Slovenia and wasn’t aware before now that you could ski here!) but here I am, none-the-less, boarding the Vogel cable car to whisk me 1,540 metres up to 22 miles of summer, snowless ski runs. The big draw in warm weather is the jaw-dropping views of Lake Bohinj, most likely the most beautiful lake in Europe you’ve never heard of. Overshadowed by Lake Bled, the pin-up for tourism to Slovenia, which lies some 16 miles away, Lake Bohinj is perhaps even more a gem because of its peace and quiet.
Peace and quiet: Lake Bohinj Once at the top, I gaze down on deep clear water, wild camping sites dotted within the forest, with a backdrop of the Julian Alps — but the beauty of this region is just one more surprise in a country that’s full of them. After barely three days in Slovenia, I already feel healthier and wonderfully relaxed. This is a nation of hikers, wild swimmers, canoeists, and foragers, and even the capital Ljubljana has the atmosphere of a country park, covered as it is with green spaces — 46 per cent is native forest, with a total of 75 per cent of green overall.
As the city centre has been car-free since 2012, the air feels like nothing I’ve ever inhaled in an urban environment. For another bird’s eye view, I hike the 375-metre hill to Ljubljana Castle on foot, rather than taking the funicular, as the path is leafy green and winds gently. The castle itself dates from the 16.