You can hike Climb Mulhacen in a single day from the villages of Capileira or Trevélez, but it is recommended to stay for a night either at the mountain refuge at Poqueira, or in the bare shelter at Caldera to the west.

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Faaker See, Austria by Thomas G. Graf

This lake is surrounded by the Karawanken mountain range, and it is located just south of Villach. The nearby Drava River is located at the northern slope of these mountains. The village of Faak is located to the southwest of Lake Faak, which is how it originally got its name. Faaker See has an average depth of 16.1 meters and a surface elevation of 554 meters. The Faak, Egg, and Drobollach settlements which are located on the northern shore all belong to the city of Villach.

There are numerous hotels, resorts and campsites around this lake, attracting thousands of tourists for fishing, swimming, and other water sport activities throughout the year. The striking beauty of this lake has attracted many people from around the world who wish to visit and see this historical natural landmark for themselves. The Faaker Lake was the primary inspiration for the classic Slovene folk song known as Nmav čez izaro, or “Over the Lake”, which is also considered to be the official anthem of the Carinthian residents.

Faaker See, Austria by Hans Peter Schaefer

The Gail River is the primary outflow for Faaker See, and the primary inflow is Wourounitza, Rotschitza. The village of Faak, which the lake has been named after, is part of the Finkenstein municipality. There is no doubt that Faaker See is one of the most popular vacation spots in the entire area for those who want to relax in a beautiful and scenic region. Its position is also great for one-night stay for the people going from the north of Europe further to the southern countries like Italy or Croatia.

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Photo published with a kind permission of its author va.lentijn

The entrance to the cave is situated at an altitude of 970 meters above sea level and used to be known as a “cold hole”. The first visitor was a mining engineer and amateur speleologist Eugen Ruffínyi with his friends Gustáv Lang and Andrej Mega. They explored the cave in June 1870. A year later it was opened to the public and in 1887 became the first cave in Europe with electric lighting. The total length of the cave is 1388 m, from which only 475 m long section is available for the public. In the years 1893 – 1946 the public skating was allowed here during the whole year.

Photo published with a kind permission of its author va.lentijn

Underground spaces were created and formed by chemical and mechanical action of water of the river Hnilec. Dobšinská ice caves were originally connected with Stratenská caves. But after the collapse of the cave ceiling, the cave system has been divided and closed the air circulation. The cave got a shape of a pocket-like large cavity. It is 18 meters wide and 70 meters deep with a single hole on the surface. This resulted in the establishment of local microclimatic conditions and ice caves. In winter a cold air penetrates into the cave, which cools its walls and leaking water and freezes, creating ice formations (stalactites, stalagmites, icefalls, pillar and floor ice). The thickness of ice reaches up to 25 meters at the floor, its volume is approximately 145,000 cubic meters. The average annual temperature of the cave is -1 °C while the humidity reaches 96-99%.

Photo published with a kind permission of its author va.lentijn

Glaciation is only in the part of the cave entrance, where it gets cold from outside. Rear and bottom areas are ice-free, but with many weathered stalactite formations. The cave consists of several separate parts – Small Hall, Large Hall, collapsing dome, Ruffínyi’s corridor, and other. The largest area is the Great Hall – 72 metres long, 42 metres wide and 10 metres high. The largest ice column is named the Well (Studňa).

The tour through Dobšinská Ice Cave lasts 30 minutes. It is open from May to October. Eating or drinking is prohibited here, you can use a camera for additional fee. Entry is permitted only with a guide.

Dobšinská Ice Cave is a home of several species of bats, and in 2000, the cave has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Photo published with a kind permission of its author va.lentijn

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