I wake to the peal of church bells as sunlight streams into my room and go out on to the balcony to look up at Mount Storžič. My base, Senkova Domačija, an organic family-run farm just outside the village of Jezersko, is so picturesque it looks like an AI hallucination: an ancient farmhouse with beautiful wooden outbuildings, cows grazing in small green fields, organic vegetables growing neatly in rows, and a backdrop of some seriously dramatic mountains. The Slovenian capital Ljubljana may be less than an hour away, but here in the Jezersko valley, just 3 miles from the Austrian border, it feels like another world.
Bordered on the east by the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, and on the west by the peaks of the Karavanke mountain range, and with a tranquil green lake at the bottom of the valley, there’s a tangible sense of apartness – an idyllic escape from the world.
Before being confiscated by the communists in 1947, the farm had been in the same family for more than 500 years. It was returned in 2005 and passed down to current owner, Polona, by her grandmother. Today, three generations of her family live here and it’s very much a working farm as well as a place to stay. There’s camping in the meadow under the ash trees in summer (bring your own tent), parking for caravans and a choice of simple rooms and self-catering apartments in the farm buildings. Mine, up in the attic of the ancient farmhouse, has been restored using reclaimed wood. Resident goats, two big dogs, cats and chickens wander free-range, and Jezersko–Solčava sheep graze in the fields – though in summer they are taken up to the alpine pastures.
It’s all very eco. Water comes from a glacier, heating is generated by wood chips from trees felled in the local forest, and all food is organic and grown on site (three polytunnels mean vegetables are harvested year-round). With the addition of new solar panels, the farm hopes to be fully self-sustaining next year.
Volunteers return time and again to help out in exchange for food and accommodation. Peggy and Pat Rebol, who’ve come from the US for the third time, tell me: “This place is magic, it’s not only the lake and the valley, it’s the people – this family captured our hearts and all we want to do is keep coming back.”
I’ve come here to hike, so after a breakfast of meats and cheeses, homemade yoghurt and freshly collected eggs, I set out with Drejc Karničar, Polona’s husband (who also happens to be mayor of Jezersko’s 700 inhabitants). As we walk through forest towards the mountains, Drejc points out a rare “golden shoes” orchid at the edge of the wood. I’m not much of a botanist but this delightful plant lives up to its name – each yellow flower looks exactly like a Cinderella shoe. “They only bloom for 14 days,” says Drejc, “you’re lucky.”
We make our way up to Češka koča (the Czech hut), a mountain lodge that was named Slovenia’s “hut of the year” in 2024. You can stay overnight or just grab a hearty lunch on the way up the mountain (the hut is open June to September; book by phone on +386 4028 3300). These high alpine slopes are where Drejc drives his sheep to graze for the summer. They used to go to a different pasture, he tells me, but that was on the bears’ commuting path and “those bears had a party”.
The hike up feels like an Indiana Jones obstacle course, with wire cables screwed into the sheer mountain sides, wooden bridges and at one point a ladder across the rock. Drejc comes up to check on the sheep once a week in summer and brings them salt, essential to their diet.
The next day, I set my sights on summiting Velika Baba, known locally as Mount Baba, about 15 minutes’ drive from the farm. This is a far more demanding climb, so I’m accompanied by expert mountain guide Tomo Česen. As we walk through the forest and climb towards the summit vibrant blue alpine flowers are strewn across the rocks, and purple heather borders the trail. There are no cables and the exposed ridge is slightly terrifying. I’m roped to Tomo for safety and scramble along, trying not to look down. Just as I reach the top, the clouds part cinematically, the sky clears, the snowy mountain peaks gleam white against the blue and I catch my breath – literally and figuratively.
Tomo tells me this ridge marks the border between Austria and Slovenia, and on the way back we pass one of the original border stones, engraved with “SR” for Slovenian Republic. I pause for a moment, with one foot in Austria and the other in Slovenia, thinking I need to brush up on my history.
Supper back at the farm is cooked by Polona (available Tuesday to Saturday, book in advance) and served outside, weather-permitting, accompanied by a panoramic view of the mountains. I tuck into Slovenian beef noodle soup, “Easter bread” (simple and rustic) with home-made salami, and lamb and potatoes with salad from the greenhouses.
The next day I cycle from the farm down to the village through an avenue of ash trees and across a flower meadow, known locally as “frog square”, to meet Tanja Rebolj, a self-taught čarovnica (herbalist), who makes a variety of teas, jams and herb-infused liquors that she sells from her home. She tells me there are more than 1,200 species of plant in the valley, one of the richest places to forage in Slovenia – and she sometimes runs workshops on herbs for visitors.
Alongside its abundance of flowers and herbs, Jezersko is also one of the most densely forested valleys in the country, and Andreja Košir is my guide to the woods. A former UN translator, she now leads various forest experiences (family audio walk, €210). Hooked up with super-sensitive microphones and recording equipment, we stroll among the trees pausing to listen and record the “hidden sounds of nature”. An ants’ nest sounds just as frenetic as you might imagine. And when Andreja inserts specialist needle microphones into the earth, I hear water moving deep underground. “What fascinates me about nature,” she says, “is that trees can communicate so well. Beech trees are especially talkative – they exchange lots of information.”
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We have time, too, to simply relax in the woods. Swinging in a hammock, I glimpse the sky through the canopy, bird song rings out around me. A simple pleasure, but I leave with a profound feeling of wellbeing.
Centuries ago, Jezersko was covered with a massive glacial lake, but an earthquake caused it to drain away in the 14th century. Today, the emerald green, heart-shaped, artificial Lake Planšar, proves irresistible as I cycle past. I gasp as I jump in – it’s bone-jarringly cold and I emerge flushed pink and energised, then ride home through sunlit meadows.
On my last day, as the bells of St Andrej’s church ring out the hour, volunteers are busy in the farm’s Peter Rabbit gardens, chickens scratch at the grass and the sun slants through the apple trees. I take one last look up at Mount Baba before turning for home, feeling clearer and lighter. Mountains, forests and fairytale flowers, long hikes, cold swims and nurturing organic food … sometimes it’s the simple things that make for a magical holiday.
The trip was supported by the Slovenian Tourist Board and Šenkova Domačija farm. Rooms from €119 B&B; dinner €30 (book in advance); apartment for four from €165; camping from €12
Laura Coffey’s book, Enchanted Islands: Travels Through Myth and Magic, Love & Loss, is now available in paperback (Summersdale, £10.99). To support the Guardian and Observer, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply