Bled, Slovenia

I’m not going to even mention how much I hate buses. To get to Bled we had to take two of these horrible vehicles. On arrival we almost killed each other trying to get to our lodgings for the night, a sure sign that we need food. So, after some much needed sustenance (giant kebabs) we were ready to continue our search. 

We had originally booked a studio apartment for three nights but on arrival we were upgraded to a two bedroom apartment. No complaints here! Once settled in we decided to do a quiet spot of sightseeing and found ourselves on the banks of lake Bled. The lake was formed by a glacier which when it melted created a stunning blue green lake. There is a fantastic walking/running/cycle track that circumnavigates the lake and makes you want to take hundreds of photos…see below.

On our second day we woke after a fantastic sleep feeling energetic and decided to do a spot of rowing. It seems everyone who comes to Bled ends up on the island in the middle of the lake one way or the other. We decided to burn a few calories and row out. This provide us with much entertainment as neither of us had rowed a boat in years and we ended up infuriating each other trying to give advice. (Note: Will was much much better.) That said it was fun, and after successfully docking on the island we quickly and quietly explored the small piece of real-estate. After realising that the cost to visit the church was 6 Euro each- more than our previous days lunch for both of us – we decided not to go in. If you wanted to ring the bell (for luck) was a staggering 12 Euro. Sorry, it’s a church, they should be free for all to visit and appreciate. 

After a quiet row back and a bite to eat we headed up to a lookout that promised great views of the lake. The views were breathtaking as was the hike with stairs so steep you swear you were climbing a ladder. But so worth it.

Our third day we started off slow, having calculated the night before that on average we had walked 14.5km per day for the previous month. So we thought we could do with a rest. That being said we had earmarked the day as one where we would visit Vintgar George. The George is within walking distance of Bled town and passed through a small village with beautiful rural views. 

The track we chose included climbing up a rather steep road to the church of St Katherine and then descending through the forest on a steep path to the gorge below. Once at the gorge you follow a series of paths, boardwalks and bridges along the bank of the river. If like us you don’t want to leave you can exit the way you came in which means you have more time to enjoy the natural beauty of the river. Absolutely stunning- Gorge-ous in fact!! P.S. we walked 18km, so much for a rest day. Fail.

After a well deserved dinner we headed up to Bled castle. After another hike up yet another hill we were rewarded with yet another beautiful view of Bled lake. An absolute stunning place we will remember forever.