Soča Outdoor Festival

The route from Volč to Kolovrat is not truly vertical, as the name of this increasingly popular running category suggests. But even if you don’t know the Pythagorean theorem, it should be clear to you that 1,000 vertical metres over a distance of five kilometres is one hell of a steep climb. Two more encouraging facts: the trail is mostly in the shade of a forest, and at the top you’ll find a meadow with a view of the mighty Krn on one side and the Adriatic Sea on the other. Lie down and breathe, you’ve earned it.

Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you the royal trailrun on Soča Outdoor Festival: I Feel Slovenia 50! It contains everything that the surroundings of Tolmin have to offer and also everything that demanding lovers of trailrun dream of: challenging ascents, fast descents, spectacular views of the Soča river valley from both sides, and, finally, refreshments by crossing the Tolminka river. At the highest point, on mt. Pretovč, the trail will take you to 1,158 meters above sea level, and the total elevation gain on the route is 2,400 meters. We know it won’t be easy, but we are also sure that you will enjoy the challenge. Who dares?

35 kilometers is not a piece of cake. Especially if they have to be run around Tolmin – even IF we wanted to, it wouldn’t go straight! Although this new route is a bit faster than our longest run – now 50 kilometers long – as it doesn’t take trailrunners so high up towards the mountains, you better be well prepared, because the ascents to Senica, Bučenica and Tolmin Castle follow one another. The section from Ljubinj, Most na Soči and towards the open-air museum on Mengore you will follow the Juliana Trail. Crossing the steel footbridges above Tolminka and Zadlaščica is also on the menu. What follows is only a short ascent to Žabče and Poljubinj to a refreshing finish line. Inhale, exhale. Congratulations, you’ve made it!

From past experience, we recommend this run to those who have already run a flat marathon (42 km). After a leisurely start along the Soča, the route turns to Mangore. Don’t leave your breath at this open-air museum, as there are two more ascents waiting for you: to Tolmin Castle and, when you cross the confluence of the Tolminka and Zadlaščica footbridges, to the church of St. Mark. After you have seen Tolmin from three sides, run back to the festival venue. For the refreshing finish – hop – over Tolminka river and… You can lie down on the pebble beach or in the shade of old trees. You did it!

If you were able to do the 10km run last year or you can easily do a 21-kilometer run on classic runs, you are certainly ready for our Fifteen, which is ‘spiced’ with two ascents: to Tolmin Castle and to the church of St. Marko above Žabče, from where you will already see your destination in the valley. To get there, the route leads you through the fields of Podljubin along the Godič stream, and at the end there is a refreshing prize: crossing the Tolminka. Bravo!

The 10-kilometer trail is designed so everyone can race – well, everyone who has some running fitness and will. Given that you have come so far with interest in reading this text, we hope to bet you will get to the finish line! It contains two shorter ascents, and we saved you the one to Tolmin Castle, as the route runs at the foot of the mountain and then leads to the entrance of Tolmin Gorge. If you feel hot, you can jump to the finish line over refreshing Tolminka river. You see, it worked! Next year we see you at 15kms, huh?

Is five kilometers not enough? Depends for whom. We believe that running is healthy and that it would be good for as many of us as possible to run. That’s why we’re offering a ticket to the world of cross-country running for those who’ve only recently put on their running shoes – and for those who enjoy a fast, explosive sprint more than putting one foot in front of the other for hours on end. The shortest race of the Soča Outdoor Festival will take place along the Soča River, then through the meadows past Tolmin, and for refreshment you will have to run across the refreshing Tolminka River – just like in the other distances. You’ve got it!