Mounts Krn and Batognica

I lost count of how many times I looked—and photographed—Mount Krn over the past decade. It’s impossible to miss, standing right there in the background of almost all my walks around the valleys, with its 2245 meters and its characteristic gently sloping side.

And yet, I never hiked it. The reason why I never hiked it was that it’s a long hike and past me wasn’t a fan of long hikes. But past me is, well, in the past. Current me, on the other hand, loves long hikes. And to be fair, “long” is a relative term. How long does a hike need to be to be considered long anyway?

The route for this hike has been sitting on my watch ready to go for weeks, waiting for the summer heat to come down a little bit. I’m a stupid hiker, but going up a mountain in 35°C is too stupid, even for me.

And down it finally went. Randevouz with a friend was set for 7 am. The plan was straightforward: drive together about an hour, crossing the border with Slovenia, going through Kobarid, to then reach a parking spot inside the Triglav National Park.

The whole area around mount Krn is a lovely plateau, gently sloping uphill, with cows and sheep free to roam around. The scenery is wonderfully relaxing. There are many ways to go up these mountains, our plan is to summit Krn first, and once there, do a long loop touching Mount Batognica on our way back to the start.

Climbing up is surprisingly easy. It’s a long, easy walk that takes us from roughly 1000 meters above sea level to the 2254 of the summit in just a bit less than 3 hours. I can’t remember the last time I gained this much elevation this easily.

And getting to the top is rewarding. The view is stunning. On one side, facing south, a mix of mountains, hills, and the sea far in the distance. On the other side, facing north, a gorgeous assembly of peaks and valleys, trees and rocks. Also from up here, an unusual angle of Mount Matajur. Funny how a place can look almost unrecognisable when seen from a different perspective.

Going from the Krn to the Batognica doesn’t take much. The two peaks are near each other. What I didn’t know is how much history is still up there, laying on a ground that carries the scars of the First World War.

Rusted barbed wire is everywhere. So are chunks of metals, and rusted shovels and other tools. A few artillery shells are also there, now a memorial. Also bunkers. So many bunkers dug into these mountains. Walking through these places never fails to remind you of the insanity that those wars were. So many lost lives and for what?

The clouds decide to pay a visit, the scenery turns grayscale in the blink of an eye. I’m glad the sun is not hammering us on the way down. It’s less hot than it was a few weeks ago, but it’s still summer, and it’s definitely not cold, even up here.

The descent to the starting point is long, and mostly enjoyable. A couple of rough kilometres towards the end, the humidity comes back, and the trail is all of a sudden slippery and a bit overgrown. We lose almost 700 meters of elevation in just a couple of kilometres.

The view from the other end of the loop is still magnificent. And the cows are still here, still minding their own business. What else are they supposed to do after all? A bit less than 7 hours have passed, and we’re back at the car.

Krn didn’t disappoint. Batognica is worth hiking. The whole Triglav National Park is worth exploring. Slovenia is a beautiful country, and if you’re an outdoorsy person, it won’t disappoint you.