Soteska Pekel

Useful Information

Location:	Ohonica 22, 1353 Borovnica, Slovenia. Gostišče Pekel car park. (45.890535, 14.372022)
Open:	no restrictions. [2024]
Fee:	free. [2024]
Classification:	Gorge
Light:	n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Soteska Pekel, Tel: +386-.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1897	first written mention of the gorge as a tourist attraction.
1905	footpath to the second waterfall and wooden ladder to the third built.
1928	trails equipped with stairs.

Description

Soteska Pekel (Hell Gorge) is a 1.5 km long gorge located south of Ljublanica Polje. It is reached through the village Ohonica, the road ends at Gostišče Pekel (Hell Pub), the trailhead is at the car park opposite the restaurant. The trail through the gorge splits after a few hundred meters. We recommend following the river upstream, because the rapids and waterfalls are more spectacular from below. There are five waterfalls which are not named but numbered. At the last waterfall the trail turns right uphill and follows the gorg at some height abve the river back to the car park. In other words, it's a 3 km roundtrip, the walk takes about 1 hour, plus the time for enjoying the gorge and taking pictures, we recommend to plan about 1.5 to 2 hours. The elevation at the trailhead is 335 m asl, at the end of the gorge it is 640 m asl. The elevation gain of 300 m makes this hike a little strenuous, some physical fitness is helpful, or walk slowly.

The word pekel means hell in Slovenian. The term is used widely in Slovenia for chasms, dolines, or caves, as hell is underground, and they go underground. In this case it is used for a narrow gorge with waterfalls, which was very dangerous and difficult to cross in former times. Even today the gorge is impassable during winter, are during heavy rains. Its much recommended to choose a good weather day for a visit.

The surrounding rocks are dolomites, which are normally karstified and drained underground. The fact that the river flows above ground is quite exceptional. The gorge formed along a tectonic fault in the rock, which weakened the rock and makes erosion much faster and easier.

The river through the gorge is named Borovniščica and originates in the hills west of Gorenje Otave. After the gorge it flows through the village of Borovnica, hence the name. After flowing through the Ljubljana Marsh it joins the Ljubljanica River as a right tributary. The river was used for watermills at various points. A historic watermill named Stari mlin (Old Mill) can be seen a few meters from the car park.

The trail through the gorge is a section of the European long distance path E7. However, this is one of several sections where the trail sprits into two trails and so hikers have the choice if they want to cross the gorge or take the alternative route over the hills.

Worth a visit is the Gostišče Pekel (Hell Pub) at the end of the road. The restaurant offers wine named Casillero del Diablo which fits the name of the gorge quite well. The founder of the Chilean winery, Don Melchor, kept the best vintages for himself. To drive away any uninvited "guests" to his cellar, he invented the legend that the cellar was inhabited by the devil. That's why the wine is named Casillero del Diablo, which translates "Devil's Cellar". The restaurant is also renowned for its good food.