Picturesque Jezersko celebrating sheep herding heritage

The peak of the festival, held annually in the popular Alpine spot on the border with Austria, is when shepherds bring their herds back to the valley.

The event attracts a number of visitors as it showcases the old traditions of life in the mountain and the work involved in processing sheep's wool.

Visitors, many of whom also come to listen to pop folk music bands, get a chance to taste local dishes prepared in the traditional way over open fire.

Made of sour and sweet cream with a bit of buckwheat flour, "masunjek" is a typical dish shepherds would eat, preferably with some sour milk.

Buckwheat žganci, a kind of porridge, with sauerkraut is also what they would enjoy, while festive occasions would feature freshly fried "flancati", or angel wings.

The festival is organised by the Jezersko Tourism Association, the Inn at Lake Planšar, the Jezersko Cultural Association and the Association of Breeders of Jezersko - Solčavska Sheep.

The main attraction is the Jezersko-Solčavskaa sheep, one of Slovenia's indigenous breeds. It takes its name from the towns of Jezersko and Solčava, where its breeding was most numerous and best organised.

That local shepherds did an excellent job was proved by the awards the local sheep received at international livestock exhibitions in Paris in the second half of the 19th century, taking its name beyond its place of origin, as farmers from Tyrol and Bavaria would come here to buy breeding rams.