Join us for a walk, in and around Bled!

24.03.2021

Bled Lake Autumn walk © Jošt Gantar

Spring has come, and with it more sun and higher temperatures. Snow has melted in the valleys, and it's time to put your skiing boots away and put on hiking boots. Did you know that Bled offers a wealth of walking and hiking trails, suitable for families with kids as well as more ambitious hikers? After months we have spent glued to our computer and TV screens, scenic, safe and well-marked trails entice us to go outdoors and enjoy a healthy dose of fresh air. Stunning views from Bled's many panoramic lookouts will lift your spirit and help you cope the epidemic and all its many restrictions.

 

Bled's greenery

Blick auf den Lake Bled© Jošt Gantar

Bled is surrounded by a green backdrop of forests on the Pokljuka, Mežakla and Jelovica plateaus, set against the Julian Alps with Mt. Triglav, Rjavina and Debela peč on the one side and the Karavanke range and its peaks Stol, Vrtača and Begunjščica on the other, with the peaks of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps visible in the east. In short, the region is rich in mountains. The mountaineering, or hiking, tradition in Bled spans over 100 years, and was a major driving force of local tourism. Outdoor enthusiasts will be pleased to find that in Bled hiking opportunities are almost limitless.



From mid- to high-altitude hikes

 

Mid-altitude hikes to the plateaus of Jelovica (Talež), Pokljuka (Galetovec, Lipanca), and Mežakla (Jerebikovec), the Karavanke range (Ajdna, Roblekov dom pod Begunjščico) and the Kamnik-Savinja Alps (Dobrča) are an invitation or a test of endurance before attempting to conquer higher peaks. A hike to the Lipanca pasture above the Pokljuka plateau, which boasts a hut that is owned and managed by the Bled Alpine Club, is practically a must for all Bled visitors. The hut on Lipanca is open all-year round.

Other technically undemanding yet beautiful hiking routes include Begunjščica, Stol, Debela peč and Viševnik, while Vrtača, Mali Draški vrh, Veliki Draški vrh or even Triglav as Slovenia's highest mountain require more advanced mountaineering skills. If you are keen to climb them, it is recommended to hire a mountain guide.

 

The Juliana Trail

Juliana Trail Etapa 4 Begunje© Mitja Sodja, Julian Alps

A new addition to the area's tourist offer is the Juliana Trail, a 330-km-long circular distance hiking trail that runs through valleys and across mountain passes of the Julian Alps and Triglav National Park. The trail is recommended to hike in the clockwise direction. It has a total of 20 day stages, each 18 to 25 km long.

 

A walk through Bled…

 

Martin Šolar, expert consultant of Bled Tourist Board for walking and hiking paths, says:

"Ribenska gora is the southernmost of the hillocks embracing the Lake Bled basin. Its steep slopes rising from the fluvial terraces of the Sava Bohinjka river to the top of Ribenska gora limits the flood plain southeast of Bled that features fields belonging to the hamlets Dindol, Jarše, Selo and Ribno. The narrow and sparsely overgrown ridge of Ribenska gora runs parallel to the Sava Bohinjka river, towards the hamlet Ribno, after which it is named. 

Ribenska gora towers over the popular sports and recreation centre called Pod goro (Under the mountain). A circular path runs from Oddih near Hotel Ribno around Ribenska gora, but the ridge and the top can also be reached along a path up the southern slopes along the steep and wooded eastern ridge. Ribenska gora, rising 587 metres above sea level, offers spectacular views of the  Julian Alps and Triglav, Bled Castle, the Karavanke, the Jelovica plateau and the Sava Bohinjka river."

 

A network of Bled's walking trails

Herbstansicht des Bleder Sees von Ribenska Gora © Jošt Gantar

The trail to Ribenska gora is a part of the network of Bled walking and hiking trails. After securing the trails to Straža, Osojnica and Ojstrica in 2021, this year Bled Tourist Board is planning to secure the path to Ribenska gora. Access to the summit ridge and the final climb to the top are relatively difficult, as the path is narrow and precipitious in places. Space is scarce also when you reach the panoramic top. We have worked with experienced and highly-skilled waymarkers' team from the Jesenice Alpine Club, who used the warm March day to equip the path to the top of Ribenska Gora with high-quality protection elements. At the start of the season, Bled is proud to present the appealing, and much needed, trail infrastructure whihc ensures that hikers who choose to climb Ribenska gora can have a safe and memorable hiking experience and be rewarded with scenic views of the beautiful Bled basin.

 

Works on the trail to Mala Osojnica continue

 

Despite last year's repairs on the trail to Mala Osojnica it soon became clear that the huge numbers of visitors and the erosion have taken their toll and further works would be needed to ensure visitor safety. Following an initiative of the Bled Tourist Board, which also financed the works, the Jesenice waymarkers installed additional steel ropes and constructed a wide walking surface and side supports on a steep rocky section of the trail.

 

Mesmerizing views from Ojstrica and Osojnica

Blick auf Bled Island© Jošt Gantar

Ojstrica, aptly named after its characteristic shape ('oster' is Slovene for 'sharp'), rises high above Lake Bled. The ascent, taking about 20 minues, is short but steep and definitely worth the mesmerizing views that stuns the visitor at the top. The hilltop bench faces towards the romantic panorama of Lake Bled. Visitors will enjoy clear views of the Straža hill and the steep castle rock, Stol, the plains along the Sava river and the elongated ridge of the western Karavanke mountains. In the background, one can see the mountain peaks of Vrtača, Begunjščica, Dobrča and many others.

For those willing to take a longer walk, the trail via Mala Osojnica to Velika Osojnica is an excellent choice. The hike to Mala Osojnica located at 685 metres above sea level is a 45-minute walk along a steep forest path, and further 20 minutes to Velika Osojnica rising at 756 metres above sea level. Once on the top, visitors are captivated by top-rated views of Lake Bled and its surroundings, the Karavanke, the Kamnik-Savinja Alps and the Ljubljana basin. You might even recognize the spot as one of the most iconic photo spots in the area.

 

Turizem Bled

Turizem Bled