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By Sean James.

If steep, bolted, quality, pumpy, "european style" sport climbing is what interests you, look no further. 
Your dreams have come true. 
Misja Pec, situated on the border of Slovenia and Italy, is one of a number of crags located not only in this small valley, but throughout Slovenia. 
Slovenia?  Where the @*!% is Slovenia I hear you asking?  Isn't there a war going on over there?  There is.  There was.  Who knows.   The only trouble we encountered was deciding which routes to try in the two weeks we spent there.  The number and quality of all the routes at Misja Pec is such that a short trip of two weeks was never going to be long enough.  This page is one of a number that describes our trip and tells you how to get there and get around.

Why Slovenia?
Slovenia and particularly Misja Pec has not yet entered the vocabulary of the masses in the UK, but it soon will.  So how did a trip to this distant, unknown crag come about. 
You might know Misja Pec as Osp, which is partly right and partly wrong.  Misja Pec is one of a number of crags in this location.  Osp is in fact a separate crag, 1/2km down the road.   Both crags are situated above the small, Mediterranean village of Osp.
When a friend, who had already visited the area,  first suggested Osp or Misja Pec as a climbing destination, I was deeply cynical and mumbled something about missiles and political unrest.  He grinned and corrected me.  I then offered the argument that I had no wish to climb sandstone towers in one of the former Czech Republics (try booking a rental car with Hertz, Avis etc. - they haven't got a clue where Slovenia is either, although they can do you a great deal in Slovakia!!).  My friend again put me right.  I was still dubious.  He then lent me his library of topos, guide books, hand-written notes and maps in a final effort to enlighten me.  One look inside the thick, guide book had me instantly hooked.  This was like pornography for sport climbers.  Stacks of routes all lined up next to each other just waiting to be plundered.  Long ones, short ones, hard ones, easy ones, slopers, jugs, undercuts, crimps.  One big outdoor playground.  And to top it all only 10 minutes walk from the campsite.

The general scene
Misja Pec, although not well known in the UK, is full of Germans, Austrians, Italians, French, Japanese and Americans and is so good, that the Slovenia National Climbing Team use it as a training ground and regularly hold competitions on the routes. 
The climbing scene around Misja Pec really took off in 1987, although climbing at the nearby crag of Osp began as far back as the 1970s.  You can see in the routes section that the locals, most notably Tadej Slabe, have been pushing the limits of grading system ever since. 
At present, Misja Pec has over 40 quality routes above 8A, with 3 in the 8C / 8C+ category.  There is potential to establish many more.  This is certainly a crag that can hold its own with anything France has to offer.
The climbing can be regarded as steep, not roofy, but gently overhanging at about 20 - 30 degrees.  Every route, whatever the grade will double the size of your forearms.   The holds are all there and the moves easy to read.  Using the holds in the correct sequence is a different matter.
As a result of the friendly nature of the rock and the climate, there is a very strong local group of climbers.  They are all extremely friendly and welcoming, offering beta and information about other areas.  The convivial atmosphere is not intimidating and is enhanced by the abundance of female climbers and children, important groups that are missing at all the UK crags. 
The motivation of the female climbers can be attributed to the success of Martina Curfar on the international climbing circuit and the routes she has redpointed at Misja Pec - Chiquita, a steep, sustained 35m given the grade of 8B / 8B+. 

Slovenia - the country
Finally, a brief note about Slovenia, the country.  If you don't have the affliction that is climbing and your main aim in life is not climbing, Slovenia is a small gem.  What first strikes you about Slovenia is the greenness.   The entire country seems to have more trees and green bits than even Wales.  
The area around the village of Osp, as is much of the country is deeply forested.   This is in complete contrast to the clean, idyllic, deserted Mediterranean coast only 10kms away.  Slovenia only has a short stretch of coast but it is charming and enchanting, especially in the off season. 
Further inland there are the lakes (Bled & Bohinj) and health resorts, high alpine mountains (Mt Triglav), ski resorts, castles built into rocky outcrops, deep caves and the lively, engaging, friendly capital city of Ljubljana.  The beauty of Slovenia is also to be found in its size.  Although being very small in surface area, (you could possibly drive all the way around in a day if you don't get stopped by the police) you will struggle to see all the attractions in one visit.  All this forces the visitor to return home wanting more and vowing to return.   I certainly will.

Good things

• cheap beer
• cheap food
• awesome climbing
• friendly people
• cheap accommodation
• lots to see and do on rest days
• weather
• Ljubljana
• lots of routes from 7A and harder
• a change from France

Bad things

• expensive car hire
• nightlife - not many bars (apart from Ljubljana)
• not many routes below 7A
• strange language (not really a problem)