I have been planning this walk for some time. In October, a new suspended footbridge was opened across the Soca river, and we finally did our walk with the family. We went for the walk in the morning, because the weather forecast for the afternoon was not very promising. You know, I'd rather have a bad walk in the dry than a good walk in the rain 😏

Solkan is a small town, a suburban settlement on the northern outskirts of Nova Gorica, located in western Slovenia, right next to the Italian border. The town is best known for the Solkan Bridge, which has the longest stone arch in the world, and for organising the biggest kayaking competitions for juniors and younger on wild waters.

Let's go back to our walk on Wednesday. As soon as we got out of the car, we saw the new suspended footbridge in front of us. I have to admit that this new facility changes the view of the whole area quite a bit, in my opinion, for the better, of course.

Construction of the suspended bridge started in autumn 2020, but unforeseen field works delayed construction until October this year, when the suspended footbridge was finally opened to the public. This is the third bridge over the Soca River in Solkan, the first for road traffic, the second for rail traffic, and the third (and for now the last) for pedestrians and cyclists.

The 120-metre-long and three-metre-wide suspended footbridge has a carrying capacity of up to 1000 people. I hope the builders have calculated the carrying capacity correctly, as the height of the suspended footbridge over the river is 22 metres 😗

The view from the suspended footbridge was truly breathtaking. When you are 22 metres above the emerald Soca River, you realise the power of nature and you feel so small. On top of it all, I didn't expect the suspended footbridge to sway. I didn't feel it when I stepped on the suspended footbridge, but when I stopped to take a few more photos, I realised without a doubt, that I was standing on a suspension footbridge and not on a normal bridge. It wasn't too bad, but we continued on our way quite quickly 😋

The new suspended footbridge also connects the new cycle path with the existing one along the Soca riverbed. In the future, it will also connect the new inter-city cycle links, which will be completed soon.

The start of the route climbs steeply immediately. For less physically fit cyclists it will probably be a challenge, but for good recreational cyclists it will be a piece of cake. We warmed up quite nicely at the top of the hill and got a bit out of breath 🙃

The path is well maintained and protected by a fence. Signposts are placed in the right places, so you can find your way around even if it's your first time. Speed limit signs were not forgotten either, as the safety of all participants is the first priority.

We continued our walk for another half an hour. On the way we came across an orchard with a beehive, a beautifully decorated cottage and the ruins of an old house, showing us where people used to live. Then our walk was interrupted by rain, which made us head back home.

I hope you enjoyed today's walk. The construction of the new planned paths will provide new recreational opportunities in the area, as well as wonderful new walks and cycling trips. I can't wait 😚