a morning on Mt Vogel, and afternoon on Lake Bled

Well, dear Virtual Travellers, today was exhilarating! The cunning plan was to take a van to the Vogel Ski Centar  at Lake Bohinj, take the cable car to the first level, walk to the next level, take the cable car and then walk to Sija point, with the option of walking on to Mt Vogel. The rest of the cunning plan was that it would be a beautiful day. But we know what happens sometimes with cunning plans.

Background information first – Bohinjsko Jezero (Lake Bohinj) is part of the Triglav (three heads) National Park, and the biggest lake in Slovenia, a glacial lake dammed by a moraine (didn’t see that one coming did you!). It is almost completely surrounded by mountains, is a go-to ski resort for Slovenians in the winter, with the lake covered in ice for ice-skating. It really is stunningly verdant.

Back to our plans – we arrived very nicely, took the cable car to the first level - it was about 6 degrees – I was the kiwi girl in shorts and underqualified shoes. Actually, there were two of us in shorts, and we were the object of derision from the guy who had been to base camp at Everest and still had his gear in his back pack. And there were three of us in running shoes amongst the tramping boots. No one had alpine walking sticks: you know what I’m like with stick envy - although I suspect Base Camp guy may have found some in his backpack...

Anyway. We walked – visibility was about 5 meters, and as we reached the next cable car station, it poured with rain. And the cable car wasn’t operating. So, we waited out the shower and continued walking. Every now and then there would be a break in the mist and we would see what we were supposed to be seeing (the amazing fairytale vista – mountains, gullies etc).

You’ll see from the photos that we got to Sija point, no help from the markers which were often missing (the markers are red painted dots or straight lines painted on rocks). The last bit was so steep on loose stones that we wondered how we would get down without slipping, especially those in underqualified shoes.

For detailed readers – the first cable car was at 1350 I think, and we walked to just under 1800m, and the return trip was approx. 13 ks. And apart from the downpour as we sheltered at the cable car station (the closed one) there was only a little bit of rain – plenty of low cloud and mist billowing around us, but we were incredibly lucky with the weather.

As we came down, we could hear the tinkle of cow bells in the mist.

We had coffee and burgers when we got back to the first cable car station, then descended (and that cable car is impressive!) rushed for the local bus and got back to Bled.

And given that this is an ‘active’ tour, three of us decided to then walk the circumference of the lake (6 ks) with a boat ride to the Church of the Assumption on the little lake in the middle thrown in for good measure half way around. Seriously – 14 euro for the 4 minute ride – and that doesn’t allow you entry into the church – so we didn’t enter – we had gelato instead.

The legend of the church is that the temple to the ancient Slavic goddess Ziva once stood there but disappeared during the battles between followers of the pagan worshippers and the Christians – traces of prehistoric settlements have been found there. The original church which was then constructed was destroyed by an earthquake (1509), and there have been various reincarnations since then – including the ‘wishing bell’.   (Wait for it..) 

A  young widow lived in the Bled Castle (you saw that yesterday) and she had a bell cast in memory of her husband and while it was being transported to the church on the island, a terrible storm struck the boat and the bell ended in the bottom of the lake where it has tolled from since. The Pope consecrated a replacement bell which rings continually as visitors make wishes. Continually and constantly. Very confusing if you are using the church bell to work out the time.

Oh and if you get married in said church, you are required to carry your bride up the 99 steps from the water’s edge, and your marriage is doooomed if you fail!