Messing About On The River

Landing at Jože Pučnik airport we got a glimpse of just how verdant Slovenia is. Forest and fields stretched out in all directions with the airport looking like a small, grey island in the middle of a lush green sea. Our first stop was Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana. Roughly a tenth the size of London Ljubljana is one of Europe’s smaller capitals but it still bustles with energy and life.

We wandered down cobbled streets past designer stores, boutique cafés and terracotta roofed town houses, enjoying the city’s unique mix of both traditional and modern style. Ljubljana had everything you’d need from a big city but was still small enough to be welcoming and accessible. It was a chilled place with all the benefits of a modern capital minus the intensity and stress you get from somewhere like London or Paris.

After a phenomenal lunch at AS Aperitvo of salt crusted beef and soufflé that tasted like a tiny chocolate cloud, we headed down to Ljubljana’s main river, the Ljubljanica. As we arrived the Sipa crew were already getting our boards ready, giving us our first chance to see their smart board designs in action.

Paddleboarding In Slovenia – Too Pretty To Be Real?

On top of being one of the greenest countries in Europe, Slovenia is also one of the most mountainous. With an average elevation of 557m above sea level, you’re never far from a decent hike and some inspiring views. This peak laden landscape filters rain water down through the mountains through underground karst rivers producing the crystal clear, drinkable water that fills the country’s beautiful Alpine lakes.

Our second day paddleboarding in Slovenia saw us following the Sava river into the mountains north west of Ljubljana, searching for the picturesque Lake Bled. Nestled in the Julian Alps, just on the edge of the Triglaw National Park, Lake Bled looks like a page torn from a fairytale.

Mirror like water surrounds a small, forested island, with a white church tower rising through the trees. Overlooking the lake, perched high on a limestone cliff, Bled castle puts the final tick on any fairytale photographer’s wish list. Honestly, it must be impossible to take a bad photo here.

Hero Time

In a setting this romantic it was tough not to imagine some damsel in distress, eagerly awaiting rescue from that high white tower, so with heroic knight fantasies in full flow, we made our way down to the edge of the lake ready to head out on our quest.

Strong gusts of wind foiled our first launch attempt, pushing the paddleboards back to shore and lifting some of the spare boards off the dock. We made a swift but incredibly courageous retreat to a sheltered corner of the lake and relaunched. I opted for the all rounder again, figuring that stability would be the right choice for choppier conditions.

Two of the other members of our group were first time SUPers and they’d both gone for one of Sipa’s powered Drive boards. These smart SUPs not only self inflate but also come with a jet propulsion system, capable of speeds up to 3.5 knots. A wireless controller built into the handle lets you adjust your speed, giving you an extra boost to your paddling.

Since day one on the Ljubljanica you could see how the powered boards helped beginners to build SUP confidence, giving them a steady forward speed so that they could concentrate on developing their balance. The Drive boards meant that with almost no experience our two newest paddleboarders were already prepared to try and tackle a fairly exposed and choppy lake. As the wind continued to push hard across the water a powered board was looking like a really good idea, but we soldiered on. This princess wasn’t going to rescue herself.

Adriatic Adventure

For our last day in Slovenia we took a trip to the beach. Along most of Slovenia’s short 46km coastline, white houses with terracotta roofs huddle together, framed by the deep blue sea. We drove through Portoroz, with it’s pristine sandy beaches, explored the twisting lanes and alleys of Piran and munched exquisitely cooked seafood at RiziBizi.

What we’d really come to see though were the salt marshes at the edge of the Sečovlje Nature Park. Located right on Slovenia’s border with Croatia the park is home to the Sečovlje salt flats where salt is produced using traditional methogs that date back 700 years. This quiet little spot is also the perfect place for launching SUPs into the Adriatic, but with reasonable onshore breeze and some pretty choppy conditions we decided to paddle alongside the marshes instead.

Drive Time

Photo: Lindsay Walsh

As it was our last day paddleboarding in Slovenia I had to try out Sipa’s Drive system. Hopping back on one of the All Rounder boards I pushed out from the shore and thumbed the power button built into my paddle. With a quiet hum the compact, emission free motor kicked in and every stroke I made became easier.

Cruising past tall marsh grass and lines of moored boats I soon got the board up to top speed. With the added power my SUP was even easier to steer, carving through the water with every stroke. The onboard motor was powerful enough to keep the SUP moving even when I wasn’t paddling, leaving me free to point the nose where I wanted to go and soak up my surroundings.

Pretty soon I was approached by a regular paddleboarder who’d heard about Sipa’s powered boards but hadn’t seen one in real life. We chatted over how easy it was to use and when we were done it took just a few strokes to open a lead on him and catch up with the rest of my group.

Turbo SUP

On the return leg I switched up to a Cruiser board. The streamlined shape of this model made it the fastest in the range, easily outpacing the other Drive boards we were paddling with. With it’s lower profile the Cruiser took more balance than the comfy All Rounder I was used to, but the Drive system meant I could paddle less and concentrate more on my stability, so I soon got the hang of it.

Chatting to one of the Sipa crew I discovered that Sipa meant cuttlefish in Slovenian which seemed pretty fitting for the cruiser. It’s sleeker lines, smooth style and quiet motor almost made it feel like you were riding a tame sea creature rather than a board.

Heading back to our launch site I was tempted to take a pop at some real sea SUPing. Running at top speed the drive system helped me get out against the onshore wind and choppy waves, saving me the energy I needed get back on the board every time I fell off. After my third or fourth dunking I turned the board back to shore and headed home. With the wind at my back and the drive system full on this was the fastest I’d ever gone on a paddleboard. Bouncing across the waves with sun shining off the water it was impossible to fight the giant, gleeful smile spreading across my face.

Later that night after a bracing walk round the Kamnik-Savinja Alps and another delicious serving of Slovenian cooking, that grin was still there. Sinking into bed at the Repnik Pension, surrounded by the majestic mountains I felt truly blessed to have experienced this beautiful country, and found myself already looking forward to another Slovenian adventure.

Looking to plan your own Slovenia trip? Then head to slovenia.info for everything you need to know about the country.

Wizz Air operates four weekly 2hr 20 min flights to Ljubljana on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from London Luton. Fares start from £18.49 for a one-way ticket, including taxes and non-optional charges. Visit wizzair.com or call 0907 2920102 for details.

If you want to get your hands on a Sipa SUP then check out Sipaboards.com.

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