Stage 2 - Alps to Adriatic - Kranjska Gora to Bovec over the Vršič Pass

🚴‍♂️ Conquering Vršič: The Hardest, Most Spectacular Stage of the Journey

This was the toughest stage of our cycle trip—the day we climbed Vršič, the highest mountain pass in Slovenia. Even knowing what awaited us, nothing quite prepares you for a climb like this. There was also a fair amount of anxiety the night before because the weather forecast was not particularly favourable, and the thought of getting as wet as we did yesterday, whilst going through the mountain pass, was a bit of a worry. However, that was all for nothing, and the weather was on our side all the way!

The only downside was David having a dodgy tummy overnight. This caught up with him again as he repaired an unexpected puncture after riding over a nail a short way into the climb over the pass!

Our morning began gently enough with a scenic ride to Lake Jasna, where the emerald water mirrored the surrounding peaks so perfectly it felt unreal. From there, we followed the Pišnica stream, and that’s where the ascent began.

The road to Vršič would be a relentless test of endurance on a ‘normal’ bike but the e-bikes made light of it. We wound our way up 50 serpentines, each one numbered. The climb is steep and continuous but also breathtaking. At 1,611 meters, the pass rewarded us with sweeping views of the Julian Alps.

A large portion of the road is still cobblestoned, laid by Russian prisoners of war during World War I. Riding over those stones felt like pedaling through history. We passed the Russian Chapel, a quiet, moving memorial to the men who lost their lives building this road.

The descent into the Soča Valley was fast, thrilling, and exactly what our legs needed. We swept down toward the valley floor, passing the Julius Kugy monument, dedicated to the mountaineer who explored and loved these mountains, and the turnoff to the source of the Soča River, a powerful karst spring tucked deep in the rock.

Once we reached the Trenta Valley, we followed the Soča downstream, passing the Great Soča Gorge, where the river slices through narrow rock walls in a series of waterfalls and deep pools.

After the gorge, we turned into Lepena and followed the stream. We crossed a bridge and continued along a gravel road through meadows and quiet forest. At one point, we briefly rejoined the main road to cross another bridge before returning to the left bank of the Soča on gravel again.

The trail carried us past the scenic Kršovec Gorge and on to the picture‑perfect Brjeka footbridge. The final section here was, according to our route information, too rocky to ride, but we managed.

We continued to the small village of Jablanca, then followed the tarmac road to Čezsoča. After crossing the bridge, we faced our final challenge: the last steep ascent into Bovec.

It was short but sharp, and when the valley finally opened up at the top, it felt like the perfect ending to a long, unforgettable day. Rolling into Bovec, surrounded by towering peaks and the sound of the Soča nearby, we knew we’d just completed one of the great cycling stages of our lives.

Settled in out hotel room we watched a thunderstorm pass over before heading out for pizza. And of course, when we got back we had our nightly call with Isla!