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Slovenia (sunny side of Alps!). 1-4 September 1993

Our thanks go out to Huw "Megabyte" Jenkins for organising such a superb meet, in such superb surroundings and in such a superb country as Slovenia. Everything went to plan and bore the hallmarks of a military operation — see report with modifications which follows for such comments as '0659 and on our way one minute ahead of schedule', etc. In the best military traditions a frontal attack from Bohinj on Triglav up the Voje valley was discarded in favour of a flanking attack from near Sport Hotel where personnel carriers were abandoned and the attack on Triglav began on foot.

Our thanks go out to Frane, our guide. In him we could not have had a better mentor, companion and friend. He did so much to make the meet. He embodies all the best qualities of the friendly Slovenian people. Many of us look forward to visiting Slovenia again and meeting Frane again to see more of his beloved mountains.

It was a great reunion and opportunity to meet new friends, in particular Sue, Huw's wife, and Sanja. "Mad" Mike Petzold

Megabyte's report now follows:

Day 1: 18.00 hours pitch up for briefing in the bar, barbecue by moonlight and stupendous slide show of Triglav National Park. Early to bed.

Day 2: 05.00 alarms and early morning calls for breakfast. 05.45 hurrah! The guide (Frane, which is Slovenian for Frank) arrives and 05.59 the minibuses collect us to steal 800m of climb. Beautiful views through the mist and clear skies to boot. 06.59 just above Rudno Polje (former barracks of Yugoslav army, now Slovenian) and on our way one minute ahead of schedule — Frane up front, Huw behind and 17 in the middle.

Petzold: 'Mason what's that label hanging from your rucksack, blood group or brand of whisky?' Leslie: 'Same thing, isn't it?'

The first day's walk commenced at 1,340m. Gently limbering up through some woods and building up a sweat to the saddle Studorski Preval (1,892m). Shortly after, Huw meets 50% of ICL's Slovenian office or the entire salesforce coming the other way. What determination to get a discount approved.

After some fairly level walking skirting the peak of Tosc (2,275m) arrived 09.59 at Vodnikov Dom (1,817m) for the brunch stop. Valentin Vodnik is a famous Slovene poet and was one of the first to climb Triglav in the late 18th century. Prune tea (chai) and barley soup (ricet). Daphne astride a sheep. 10.59 hours and off again.

Onwards and upwards we trudge in brilliant sunshine. A few pitons and steel ropes suggest harder things ahead. About 13.00 arrive at overnight stop of Triglavski Dom (dom means house) 2,515m. Lunch stop and checking into four and three quarter four-bunk rooms. Nervous exchanges about where is the path, but fire escape would have been more appropriate.

Common sense being the better part of valour 19 became 16, Frane in front, Huw at the back and 14 in the middle. Clouds closing in. Normal sort of scramble followed by some do-or-die cliff-hanging acrobatics where looking down was taboo even if close behind Petzold, who was firing well after two lots of prune tea.

Having levered one's way onto Mali (which means little) Triglav (2,725m) the daunting challenge of Veliki (which means big) Triglav looms into sight. Crossing a narrowish ridge, beginning to regain confidence but what are these memorial plaques and burning candles? Wonder which side they fell? Seems it was lightning that got them. Christ, if I'd reccied the route we'd never have come here.

In for a penny in for a Tolar, a few more metres won't make much difference and eventually on top of the peak (2,864m/9,396ft) at about 16.50. Beers on sale — very enterprising the Slovenes. This might have got the president to the top. It was certainly the thought of the next bar that got him over some of the worst stretches between huts. A few photos and hysteric mirth. How do we get down? It took just over an hour without a blindfold.

To the bar. High altitude beers at 300 Tolars a throw. Not everything was on the gloomy side at the hut one got 183 tolars to the pound as opposed to 165 in the valley. So what's on the menu? Kranjske klobase which means sausage from Kranj (a local town twinned with Oldham!) — little did we know how often this was to feature on the short menus. Have we really done three peaks? There was little Triglav and big Triglav, what about middle Triglav? Frane suggests brown Triglav as a little bump on the way between the two ... but is he just being kind? Or did we maybe walk round instead of over it? What to believe? Aching limbs retire to bunks. Loud snores make their names known. And ...

Day 3: 06.15 hours breakfast rendezvous and a bit later the staff pitch up. Eventually the team is assembled in the mist wondering which direction the big mountain? Frane in front, Huw behind and 17 in the middle downwards bound in expectation of easy stroll to Planika Hut (2,40lm) one hour away and thence to Trieste Hut (2,15lm) for early brunch. Thank goodness for the mist — impossible to see how far you'd fall.

Brunch at Trieste Hut almost turned into a diplomatic incident when someone (maybe the waiter who looked particularly in need of nourishment) ate two of the Petzold bowls of soup. Inclement chiperone suggested we avoid the peak and take the easy route round. The easy route included a testing slog up (2,358m) some shale which yielded some descriptive Antipodean adjectives. 'God! All the puffing and panting and not even an orgasm.'

Down again across a lunar type rock landscape (those of you who have been will understand) and into the spectacular valley of the seven lakes. Steel ropes and pitons behind, beginning to relax. The occasional tree appears.

By early afternoon the overnight stop (Seven Lakes Hut at 1,685m) looms into sight. Pantomime performance about where to sleep (private dormitories or public?) ends with much debate as to the relative prowess in snoring and other exhalatory characteristics in determining fellow dormitory chums. A tea, beer, a schnapps, a late-afternoon route plan in the making until rain and lightning consign all plans to more tea, beer, schnapps and various card schools.

After more kranjske klobase there can be heard the strains of various ditties/melodies issuing forth from the bar. Price of beer had dropped with the altitude to a mere 260 Tolars. Early closing saves the innocents from further cantation.

Day 4: 06.30 hours is the late 10-minute call for the 06.00 voluntary assault on the nearest peak (Tičarica 2,07lm) to ensure the prerequisites for a three peaks walk have been satisfied. Memory is a bit vague but a least seven made it for the spectacular view onto the by now covered with snow Triglav. Even saw an edelweiss! And refrained from picking it.

Having no log books it seemed like a good idea at the time to bend down and imprint the Ticarica stamp on the forehead. And thence down for a hurried breakfast before the final descent.

By 9.00 we were on our way and a few minutes later the rain set in with intermittent lightning to guide our path. By midday we had walked past some Italian First World War defence positions and the lunch stop at Dom Na Komni was reached. Being at the end of a cable car route (1,520m) the beer was a modest 200 Tolars. Fortified by lunch and braving the rain then (really) began.

The bottom was reached at 14.55 (five minutes ahead of schedule) but fortunately the three minibuses arrived four minutes ahead of schedule so no hanging around in the rain. At this point Robert Mason put the finishing touches to the presidential umbrella, which he had borrowed. So much for the sunny side of the Alps. Mission successful, afternoon snooze, wash and onto the AGM.

Walking participants: Frane Kemperle (guide), Huw "Megabyte" Jenkins (organiser), Mike "Mad" Petzold, Verena "Muesli" Petzold, Katja Petzold, Christina Petzold, Ian "Mad Axeman" Mason, Robert Mason, Jean Peters, Stuart "Socks" Leslie, Rupert "West Face" Roschnik, Daphne "DM³" Martin, Bruce "Legs" Martin, Brian "AMLH" Sayers, Dave "Lord of the Big Ruo" Harrison, Guy "Prat of Marden" Harrison, Frank McGinley, Neri, Laurence Summerhill, Catherine Scott

National Park website: http://www.tnp.si/national_park/