Kosca Waterfalls

Who would believe that moss can create waterfalls? It can... with the help of water rich in calcium carbonate, a bit of partial pressure during the spraying of droplets... and the moss acquires a sedimentary shell... A nearly schoolbook example is the pleasant little valley with the Kosca brook near Višnja Gora. At the head of the two-kilometer-long valley, just below the source of the brook, flourish tufa mounds overgrown with moss, over which the brook flows in a fan-like shape, building a unique water curtain. After heavy rain, the waterfall turns into a noisy wildling. During dry periods, water only glides over the 20 m high tufa wall in countless gentle water droplets. A special feature of this waterfall is also the tufa cave, which gradually grows larger as the waterfall grows.

Access

From Višnja Gora, head east along the road across the railway tracks. After crossing the railway, turn left and then immediately right under the highway. Follow the road along the brook, and pay attention to the wooden signpost "Kosca" on the left side. You can continue the journey along the cart track, for approximately 2 km all the way to the largest tufa waterfall, which you reach after 30 minutes of moderate ascent.

The Path, Right Tributary

The brook needs to be crossed several times via wooden footbridges. The cart track soon begins to rise above the left bank and, after a few minutes of ascent, brings us above the lower, 5 m high waterfall. Between the top of the lower waterfall and the bottom of the upper waterfall is approximately 10 m of tufa-covered shelf. Above it, the upper waterfall rises in several stages to a height of almost 20 m (65 ft). A little above it, the gorge closes with steep walls from under which the Kosca brook originates.

The Path, Left Tributary

Slightly above the hunting observatory, a left tributary flows into the main brook, which differs from the others by the color of its bed, the bottom of which is covered with lighter tufa. If we head upstream under the thick bushes, we will be rewarded with a beautiful waterfall that falls over a tufa shelf overgrown with lush green moss. In doing so, it overcomes a height difference of 10 m. It is here that we can best see how limestone is deposited in the moss and tufa is formed. Right at the top of this waterfall, a cart track leads across the brook, and above it, the brook becomes smaller and smaller during the dry period. After a few dozen meters of walking along the bed, we reach a second break with a height of 4 m, over which the water barely trickles. It is clearly visible that tufa was once quarried here, which was used in the construction of houses. Along the cart track, we can return back to the main brook (right tributary) and continue the journey upwards.