| The slopes of the Javornik Hills and the surroundings
of Mt. Snežnik and Lake Cerknica are well-known for their
extensive fir forests, where honeydew flow is most frequent
on this tree species in comparison to other Slovenian
woodlands. Perhaps the frequency and yield of honeydew
flow is also influenced by the moist lake air in the summer months,
when drought and heat stop honeydew secretion in most other
regions. Without doubt, fir honey is by far the best honey of all the
honey produced in Slovenia and it therefore fetches the highest price
on the market. Anton Žnideršič, the designer of the Slovenian AŽ-hive, lived and worked in Ilirska Bistrica. |
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This is a unique region intertwined with subterranean
rivers that occasionally spring back to surface and then again
disappear into the depths of the karst world. It has
beautiful pristine forests, clean air, proud people, and a
rich
history. Experience this land of witches and smugglers,
the intermittent Lake Cerknica, and the beautiful Snežnik and
Predjama Castles.
Nearly 60% of Slovenia is covered with mixed deciduous
and coniferous forests, where bees find relatively rich forage
each year.
The most important honeydew-producing tree species are
fir and spruce,
followed by sweet chestnut, linden tree, maple, and
wild cherry. Bee colonies are distributed fairly evenly
across the country, which is why the pollination of
cultivated and wild plants is good and beekeepers do not have to
transport their bees to orchards or large rapeseed and
clover fields.
However, transporting bees from poorer to more
abundant foraging grounds, especially forests, has always
been the custom. Beekeepers bring their hives to the
rich forests surrounding Lake Cerknica even from remote places like the Mura Valley. During
fir honeydew flow, the foraging ground is sufficient for all the bees.
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BEEKEEPING POINTS OF INTEREST
* A visit to the bee house and a walk along the honey
route around Lake Cerknica;
* A visit to the bee farms owned by the members of the
Cerknica Beekeepers’ Association. |
HIGHLY RECOMENDED
Postojna Cave: A world-famous cave
with 27-kilometer long stalactite passages, galleries,
and halls. Tours include a ride on an electric train,
but the rest of the underground world can only be
visited in the company of an experienced guide. Especially noteworthy is
the cave’s best-known inhabitant: the cave salamander (Proteus anguinus);
Predjama Castle: a visit to the nearby
castle, carved into the middle of a 123-meter-high cliff.
Here you can hear the story of the great Erasmus Luegger,
also known as Erasmus of Predjama, and see with your own
eyes why this castle, which was built in the 13th century
and renovated during the Renaissance, was able to withstand a year-long military siege;
Lake Cerknica: This intermittent lake
and its features are so challenging
that more has been written about this lake than any other karst
feature in the world. You can learn all about how this lake
appears and then disappears by listening to a presentation and seeing a model;
Snežnik Castle: In the Lož Valley
you can visit Snežnik Castle and
a museum dedicated to the forest’s animals. Here you can learn many fascinating details about the tradition of dormouse hunting. |
