Unica under the old bridge at Haasberg
The karst river Unica, which emerges from Planina Cave and crosses Planinsko polje, is mostly too shallow to dive in summer – except below an ancient stone bridge near the ruins of Haasberg manor, where the road embankment channels the whole flow under the arches and scours a pool up to about 4 m deep. The pool is full of large fish waiting for food swept through the arches; smaller fish stay in the shallows. Even in summer heat the water is barely 11 °C and usually very clear at low water. The pool only has room for one buddy pair at a time; a dive with a short excursion above the bridge takes about 30 minutes.
Facts
- Region: Slovenia – Lakes, Rivers & Caves
- Area: Notranjska & Brkini (Cerknica, Postojna, Pivka)
- Depth: 0–4 m
- Level: beginner
- Current: low
- Type: drift
- Coordinates: 45.82899, 14.26425
- Highlights: large fish in the pool below the bridge, old stone arched bridge, ruins of Haasberg (Hošperk) manor nearby, rich aquatic vegetation, cold, clear karst water (~11 °C in summer)
- Tips: Dive only at low water, in cold-water gear. Beware of the steel cable strung across the pool for jumping into the water. The current is stronger under the bridge arches. This is an open-river dive – the nearby cave sections of the Unica fall under the Cave Protection Act and are not part of this site. Nearest club: DPD Rak (Rakek).