As the crow flies, there are only 20 kilometers between the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana, population 350 000, and the village of Osredek, population 65. However, geological upheavals and the busy work of rivers have created a topography that has kept the city and the village in worlds apart.
"Osredje" means "centre", "central point" or just "the thing in the middle" in Slovenian. "Osredek" is a name often given to hill or mountain tops. Our Osredek is twice aptly named, first, it was built on a hilltop almost 800 m above sea level and second, it is surrounded by three gorges that have been dug by the rivers Zala and Iska and the mountain stream Crni potok. Have a look at this beautiful location.
Osredek seen from the rocks of Krvava pec.
As you can see, Osredek is like a peninsula, surrounded by forests and water. There is only one road that connects the village to the outer world - after a five kilometer drive through dense forest you reach the village of Sveti Vid, population 98, another 20 km drive will bring you to the regional centre of Cerknica, population 3500.
In Osredek, time flows much slower than in Ljubljana and life still follows the ancient circle of the farming seasons. Since many generations, Osredek is a farming community. But mountain farms cannot compete with lowland farms where fields are level, transportation is easy and economies of scale can be used. Therefore, villagers today usually have taken jobs in the bigger settlements, some 30 kilometres away from Osredek, in the Cerknica plain. They work in the furniture or building industries, or as salespersons. Before and after their salaried jobs, and on week-ends, they do the farm work. It is easy to imagine that during the vegetation period people often put in 70 to 80 working hours per week.
From Osredek you walk only half an hour over mountain meadows and through forest to reach the gorges of the Zala and Iska. Get your feet wet during a slightly adventurous trek in the river beds. Enjoy the mountain flowers on the way or try to spot some of the wildlife.
