The Vintgar Gorge

The wild and untamed Radovna has carved its way between the slopes of the Pokljuka and Mežakla plateaus. A narrow and deep gorge was formed with steep, in places vertical banks overgrown with forest.

Moč narave se zrcali v bučanju razpenjene vode, številnih brzicah in bistrih tolmunih, kjer se Radovna za hip umiri. 1600 metrov dolga soteska Vintgar se konča s slikovitim 16 metrov visokim rečnim slapom Šum, ki je kot naravna znamenitost postala del Triglavskega narodnega parka.
 

The gorge in the immediate vicinity of Gorje, about 4 km north-west of Bled, was discovered in February 1891 by Jakob Žumer, the mayor of Gorje, and the cartographer and photographer Benedikt Lergetporer. The discovery was accidental, and at a time when the water level of the Radovna, which flows through Vintgar, was exceptionally low. They set off on their exploratory journey from Spodnje Gorje towards Blejska Dobrava. With effort they forced their way through the otherwise impassable gorge. They discovered so many natural beauties that they decided to set up a building committee. The gorge was arranged for visits, above all by guests from Bled. The public opening was on 26 August 1893. The Vintgar gorge, 1.6 km long, is cut between the vertical walls of the hills Hom and Boršt, and it is adorned by the Radovna with its waterfalls, pools and rapids.

Pot vodi preko mostov in t. i. Žumrovih galerij ter se končuje z mostom nad mogočnim 16 m visokim rečnim slapom Šum. Zaradi naravnih lepot je bil Vintgar uvrščen med pomembnejše turistične zanimivosti Slovenije, in število obiskovalcev se iz leta v leto veča. V eni smeri obiska soteske lahko izkoristite možnost “razgledne pešpoti” preko Homa do sv. Katarine (zgodovinska cerkvica in prelep razgled).

At the entrance and by the Šum waterfall you can take refreshment at the buffets. Access by car and bus is possible up to the car park in front of the entrance to the gorge.