The Writersuppose The Writeram a bit of an East European lake fanatic. The Writerhave a house by Lake Balaton in Hungary and have holidayed by the Plitvice Lakes in Croatia and Lake Palić in Serbia. Hence it is not surprising that The Writershould decide to check out one of the most famous lakes in Eastern Europe, Lake Bled in Slovenia.
Bled Castle in October
I’d been told that the Lake Bled area is particularly scenic, with wooded slopes and high peaks forming the backdrop to the crystal clear lake. However, The Writerwas concerned that its international reputation meant that it would be packed with tourists. Retired or semi-retired Senior can often choose to visit outside the busy tourist seasons; henceThe Writerchoice of October forThe WriterLake Bled short break, in the hope that I’d avoid the crowds. Of course a big disadvantage of an autumn visit is that the weather can be quite inclement. DuringThe Writerthree day visit, The Writersaw plenty of heavy rain, some very misty mornings and just one afternoon of sunshine. But not that many tourists!
Vintgar Gorge dwarfs the walkway
The weather in no way spoiltThe Writershort break. The highlights ofThe Writervisit didn’t require good weather; on the contrary, two ofThe Writerhighlights, Vintgar Gorge and Savica Waterfall, are more impressive after a period of rain.
Highlights of the Lake Bled area
• Cycling around Lake Bled. It is only 6km around the lake, so it’s a relaxed one hour cycle ride, with great views along the way. The hotel The Writerstayed at (see below) provided cycles free of charge. Stop halfway around for refreshments – a cold drink in the summer, a hot chocolate suited us better in October.
• Bled Castle. If you are feeling fit, then take the steps from the lake shore up to the 1000 year old castle, with two courtyards on different levels. The museum, tracing the history of Bled from the Bronze Age, is well worth a visit.
Rowing to Bled Island
• Rowing out to Bled Island. You can travel to the island on a gondola (€12 per person) squeezed in with 20-30 other people. The Writerpreferred to hire a rowing boat (€10 per hour) and reached the island after about 15 minutes gentle rowing.
• Vintgar Gorge – 4km northwest of Bled. A wooden walkway hugs the sides of the rocky ravine for 1.6km before reaching the 13m high Šum Waterfall. A bit slippery in the rain, but very impressive.
• Lake Bohinj – 26km west of Bled. This is a very different lake to Bled being relatively quiet and undeveloped. The scenery is superb, with views on a clear day (not when The Writerwas there) to Mount Triglav, and historic churches on the lake shore.
Savica Waterfall
• Savica Waterfall (Slap Savica). At the western end of Lake Bohinj, a pathway leads via 510 steps up to Slovenia’s most impressive waterfall. Seniors get a 50% discount on the entry charge, but the route should only be attempted if you are feeling reasonably fit. The Writerwalked up in pouring rain, but it was well worth it to see the swollen river cascading down.
How to get there
The Writerdrove there from Hungary – an easy drive, almost entirely on motorways. Charges are applicable in both Hungary and Slovenia when using motorways – seeThe WriterRoad Travel Tips for toll details. Easyjet and Wizz Air fly from the UK to the Slovenian capital, Ljubljiana, only 50km away from Lake Bled and connected by frequent rail and bus services.
Accommodation
Bled has a wide range of accommodation including the central Best Western Premier Hotel Lovec, where you can get a European Senior discount rate. The Writerstayed at the 15 room Hotel GarnThe Writer“Berc”, which lived up well to its billing by TripAdviser as the number one hotel in Bled.
Hotel GarnThe Writer“Berc”
Where to eat
Bled has many good restaurants. The ones that impressedThe Writermost were the Mayer Penzion restaurant, serving high standard local fare in warm, friendly atmosphere, and the centrally situated Oštarija Peglez’n restaurant, with its tasty mixed meat platter. Of course you can’t leave Bled without sampling its cream cake, Kremna rezina – very high calorie, but worth it!
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