Tolminska korita - Details
Description
A beautiful area within walking distance from Tolmin. The Tolminka and Zadlaščica rivers have cut deep picturesque gorges into the limestone. After walking through woods you arrive at the confluence of the Zadlaščica river that joins the Tolminka river. The gorges of both rivers start just before their confluence.
There is a path cut into the rocks of the left bank of the Tolminka with a few tunnels. In the Tolminka is a thermal spring of 20 degrees Celsius. High above the gorge is Hudičev most (Devil’s bridge). There is also a path along the right slope of the Zadlaščica gorge which takes you to Medvedova glava (Bear’s head), a big rock hanging between the rock walls of the Zadlaščica gorge. Another point to visit is Zadlaška jama (Dante’s cave).
All the paths connecting these natural sights are well maintained and an interesting sight in itself.
Notes
Between 2018 and 2021 ticket gates were introduced at the Zadlašcica, at the road close to Dante’s cave and at the official entrance. This means that coming from Žabce you have to buy a ticket at a gate which only works if your smartphone has range, which is not always the case.
Tickets can also be bought online in advance:
https://www.soca-valley.com/en/attraction/tolmin-gorges/
To be sure, you can drive to the official parking and entrance and do the official walk only, see the section “The official walk” below for the shorter official version.
How to get there
Coming from Kobarid, drive to the center of Tolmin. After two sharp bends there is a crossing with traffic lights (you can see the big parking on a platform at your left).
At the traffic lights turn left, shortly after turn left again to reach the parking.
During the walk
Walk back to the main road and walk the main road in direction of Idrija (with the way you came from behind you). After about 800 meters, directly after crossing the bridge over the Tolminka is a concrete path to the left parallel to the Tolminka river. Take that path that rises along the left bank of the Tolminka.
The concrete path joins the road to Žabče. Continue on that road and walk through the hamlet. At the first Y-fork of roads take the road to the left, there is a sign to Zadlaz that points to the other direction. At the second Y-fork, again take the road to the left. At a third Y-fork, there is a little old house with roads on both sides. Walk along the left side of the house and directly after, turn right behind the house and then slightly left. Continue on that road. About 150 meters after the old house there is a two meter high concrete wall at the right side of the road, with concrete stairs and a sign (the first one!) mentioning Peš pot (footpath) Tolminska korita. Walk the stairs and turn left.
Walk the footpath along the last few houses and along meadows. The path is easy to follow now. You will pass two farmer gates. Between those gates the path splits into an upper and lower path, take the one to the right, not the path going down to a meadow. After the second farmer gate the path becomes a forest path. After 850 meters, about 15 minutes, you arrive at the suspension bridge over the Zadlašcica, at the confluence with the Tolminka. From here you can walk in different directions.
For your orientation
Across the bridge, the path to the right goes to Medvedova glava (Bear’s head) and to the road with Dante’s cave and Hudicev most (Devil’s bridge). The path to the left takes you along the Tolminka gorge for about 200 meters where it ends. Along that same path is a footbridge over the Tolminka. That bridge leads to the path uphill to the ticket office and official entrance of the gorge. You might also see the Devil’s bridge 60 meters above the Tolminka.
Below find a description of how we did it.
Cross the suspension bridge over the Zadlaščica and take the path that goes uphill to the right. You will walk along the slope with some nice views into the gorge of the Zadlaščica. Almost at the end of the path you see the rock stuck between the rock walls (Medvedova glava or Bear’s head). At the end of the path there is a wooden platform. From there walk back until you see a path to the right going further uphill with a sign to Zadlaška jama (Dante’s cave), take that path. You arrive at a road, turn right and walk along the road.
After a sharp bend to the left you see Dante’s cave. Then walk back along the road in the direction you came from, continue walking along the road past the point where you came on the road and after a few minutes you will arrive at Hudičev most (Devil’s bridge) crossing the Tolminka gorge. Cross the bridge and walk through a short tunnel with windows. After walking along the road for about 400 meters, you will see a ticket kiosk at the left side of the road. This is where the entrance fee has to be paid.
Walk the path left of the kiosk down to the Tolminka gorge. You will cross the Tolminka via a wooden bridge. If you would turn right after the bridge, you would walk to the suspension bridge over the Zadlaščica that you crossed before. But now you turn left after which the path continues partially through tunnels. This path is about 200 meters long and then ends above the thermal spring.
From the end of that path, walk back to the ticket kiosk and turn left. A little down the road, to the left just before the restaurant, a gravel road goes down, take that road. You will walk along meadows and a few houses back to Tolmin. In Tolmin you will easily find your way back to the main road where you turn right to walk back to the parking.
The official walk
The walk described on this page is how we did the walk from the book Walking in Slovenia from Sunflower. If you want a short walk, you can park at the official entrance point which is close to the gorges.
How to get there: In the center of Tolmin, where you turn left at the crossing with traffic lights, continue on that road and exit Tolmin, drive to Zatolmin. In Zatolmin, stay on the main road, there is a sign to Tolminska korita. About 1 kilometer after Zatolmin, you arrive at the parking with the restaurant. With thanks to Google Street View.
About the GPS track
The part of the track from the bridge over the Zadlaščica, to Medvedova glava, along Zadlaška jama and to Hudičev most is very bad due to poor satellite reception in the gorges. The rest of the track is OK.
Trip information
Duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Length: 7,3 kilometers
Height difference: 300 meters
Parking coordinates: 46.182908,13.731953
Send coordinates to maps app
Parking coordinates official entrance: 46.197814,13.739820
Send coordinates to maps app
Downloads
Waypoints of the parkings in Tolmin and at the official entrance (Google KML): Download
Waypoints of the parkings in Tolmin and at the official entrance (GPX): Download
Track of the walk (Google KML): Download
Track of the walk (GPX): Download