Roaming the flowering meadows in the Ljubljana Marshes
In the warm sunrise light, endless meadows speckled with purple bell-shaped flowers of the leper lily (Fritillaria Meleagris) and other little wild flowers sparkle in morning dew. Not too far away, deer chew on spring goodies, unaffected by the passing visitors. And as birds continue with their heart-warming melodies, I follow lonely paths deeper into the Ljubljana Marshes, my mind off and the batteries-recharging mood on.
You see, the Ljubljana Marshes captured my heart in my student years when I rollerbladed, cycled and jogged throughout them with my sister. But it turned into a binding love a few years later after returning enamoured with Africa and finding similar scenery and vibes in the marshes. Tucked away at the southern end of Ljubljana and extending to the first foothills of the mountains in the south, the Ljubljana Marshes are basically a large wetland well-known for its booming wildlife, birds and special plants. Among the latter, my favourite flower is the endangered leper lily, known for announcing the arrival of the spring, and, most importantly, the end of the winter in the marshes.
The Ljubljana Marshes measure 163 square kilometres in size or about one percent of the country and are home to the endangered Fritillaria Meleagris.
I guess the leper lily is right, as the vivid colours are indeed back and it seems life outside is booming right now! In mid-April, my dog Lisa and I headed to explore a south-west trail, which starts in a small village called Bevke and passes by wild blooming meadows, stretches along the Ljubljanica River and then, after 7 kilometres, finally returns back to the village. It’s a nicely marked circular trail and as long as you follow the direction marks, you’ll be fine on the right trail.
When in Bevke, the trail starts a little further along the road from the school, where you’ll notice the first direction sign – a sketch of a small boy. Map.
The trail is a mix of a gravel road (also suitable for cyclists) and tracks over grass which can turn pretty muddy after rain, so I strongly suggest you wear sneakers.
Arriving there
To arrive at Bevke, you need to find bus route 54 (Ljubljana - Blatna Brezovica), which leaves from the Ljubljana main bus station. More information on buses.
Anyway, have an amazing day exploring the wild south end of our beautiful Ljubljana, and hopefully the vast colourful meadows capture your heart as much as they have captured mine.
