Vintgar Gorge

The Vintgar Gorge, a short way from Lake Bled, is a dramatic mile-and-a-half ravine where the Radovna river rushes between sheer cliffs over turquoise pools and rapids. A walkway of wooden galleries and bridges, pinned to the rock walls just above the water since 1893, carries walkers through the gorge to a waterfall at its end.

Background

The gorge formed after ice and detritus of the Bohinj Glacier made a dam, and the lake behind it cut a new path northeast between Boršt (931 metres) and Hom (844 metres), through a soft layer of Triassic limestone. The Radovna now runs 1.6 kilometres between walls rising 50 to 100 metres, its total slope is about 250 metres, and it ends at Šum Falls, 13 metres high and Slovenia's largest river waterfall. Until 1890 the river could be reached at only two points. Jakob Žumer and the photographer Benedikt Lergetporer explored the rest in 1891, and wooden walkways and bridges let the public in from August 26, 1893.

Source: Wikipedia, "Vintgar Gorge"

What you'll find

• The wooden galleries - the walkways pinned to the cliffs above the river.
• The turquoise pools and rapids - the clear river rushing through the gorge.
• The Sum waterfall - the waterfall at the end of the gorge.
• The bridges - the crossings, including a high stone railway arch.

When to go

Late spring to autumn, when the gorge and its walkways are open; it closes in winter. Timed entry now applies, so book ahead in the busy season and go early.

Before you go

It is very popular, so timed-entry tickets and an early start help avoid the crush on the narrow walkways. The path is one-way through the gorge with a return route. The walkways can be slippery when wet.

Nearby

Lake Bled is a short distance away; Triglav National Park spreads around.

Key facts