A trip to the Brežice accumulation lake

A trip to the Brežice accumulation lake – the “Brežice Sea”

For some, it is a paradise on the other side of the world, but for me, it is our “Brežice sea”. Here time stops, as the walking path along the Sava offers quite a few kilometres, where the river and the sky meet; an oasis of blue.

If you are a fan of walking paths where you stay at the same altitude, then this is the perfect location for your recreation. The lake with its two banks, the “Styrian” and “Carniolan” sides, offers a beautifully landscaped path, suitable for walking, running or cycling.

The Styrian side of the lake has a 6.5 km long route that stretches from the Brežice Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP) to the dams of the Krško Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). In the direction of the Krško NPP, we have the Sava on our left side, and almost within arm’s reach, on the right side first Vrbina and in the distance the centre of Brežice. The trail is worth visiting in fine, sunny weather, especially when it is not very windy. It is in the open, and on windy days it can spoil our idyllic time there. Therefore, it is advisable to check the weather forecast prior, to have the best from our trip.

We will be accompanied by swans and ducks all the way, and we can also spot a common tern and a river gull. The four artificial islands located in the central part of the accumulation lake take care of the fauna. The islands serve as resting places for waterbirds, as only there can they find peace.

The proposed trip is suitable for very active, as well as not so fit individuals and families. We can turn around at any time and return to Brežice HPP, to the starting point.

Some basic information for the “Styrian part” of the route from the Brežice HPP to the Krško NPP dams:

• Length: 6.5 km one way, a total of 13 km
• Walking time: 2.5 h (average pace)

If all this has not yet convinced you, our “Brežice sea” is just behind Lake Ptuj in total surface area. It is the second-largest lake in Slovenia, it is as big as two lake Bled’s. Why this is a paradise on earth – where nature can charm one to forget for a few moments about everyday things – can be found in the picture gallery.

The Carniolan side is still in need of exploration, and a contribution will be featured in a future follow up.

Author: Sara Gregl