This family-friendly trail will take you to the entrance to famous Vintgar Gorge in Triglav National Park. The trail starts at St Catherine Viewpoint above the village of Zasip near Bled.
This hike offers: beautiful view of the countryside and the mountains, grassy walking paths, view of farm animals graze on pastures, smell of wildflowers…
3.5 km (2.2 mi) from Lake Bled
Family-friendly
Not wheelchair accessible
Admission (for Vintgar Gorge)
QUICK FACTS
3.5 km (2.2 mi) from Lake Bled ⋆ Family-friendly ⋆ Not wheelchair accessible ⋆ Admission (for Vintgar Gorge)
Starting your hike at ‘Altar of Gorenjska’
Starting at Saint Catherine Viewpoint above Zasip, a village that lies south of Lake Bled, this hike is special for the wide views it offers.
France Prešeren, a romantic Slovenian poet named Zasip ‘the altar of Gorenjska‘ due to the majestic view. (Note: Gorenjska is a region in the northwest of Slovenia to which Bled belongs.)
From St Catherine Viewpoint (Sv. Katarina in Slovene) you will see a vast area of Upper Gorenjska Region, including Bled and Radovljica with surrounding villages.
There is also a great view of the Karawanks (the mountain range that lies on Slovenia-Austria border) and the Kamnik-Savinja Alps.
The hiking trail runs around one side of Hom, a hill that is mostly known for Vintgar Gorge in Triglav National Park.
It ends in front of the entrance to the gorge that lies between two hills, one of them being Hom.
St Catherine's Church above the village of Zasip
The hiking trail starts next to a charming church dedicated to The Great Martyr Saint Catherine that dates back to the 16th century.
According to an old legend, there is a treasure hidden under the doorstep of this church that is surrounded by a well-preserved defensive wall. That stone wall was constructed in the times of Ottoman invasions that also occurred on the territory of today’s Slovenia.
Close to the viewpoint and the church, you will find a macadam parking area (opposite to Jurček Restaurant). When you are at the parking look for a signpost saying ‘Vintgar – Gorje’. It points to the hiking trail that you need to follow.
Scenic trail above the villages near Bled
The hiking trail that passes through a stunning landscape is flat and grassy. You will be walking above the villages of Zasip, Sebenje and Podhom.
As you will be passing by pastures and meadows you might come across cows, goats or horses grazing peacefully. There are also a few fences along the way – please make sure to close them after getting through.
Further on the hiking trail, you will see Bled Castle and the hill of Straža that lies above Lake Bled. You will also be awarded with the view of the highest peaks of the Julian Alps.
You might want to sit on one of wooden benches along the trail to take a rest or to simply enjoy all that nature has to offer.
To get to the entrance to Vintgar Gorge in Triglav National Park, follow the main hiking trail and the signposts pointing to Vintgar. When you reach the settlement of Podhom, you are almost there.
Circular hike through Vintgar Gorge
If you have not visited Vintgar Gorge yet, then you might want to continue your hike through the gorge that ends with a scenic waterfall.
If you do not wish to visit Vintgar Gorge, walk back to the starting point on the same route that will offer different views when heading into the opposite direction.
– PRACTICAL INFORMATION –
LOCATION: The hiking route starts at St Catherine Viewpoint above the village of Zasip and ends at the entrance to Vintgar in Triglav National Park.
Starting point: St. Catherine Viewpoint above the village of Zasip
REACHING THE STARTING POINT: You can reach the starting point of this hike on foot (around one hour if you start walking from Bled), public transportation (bus), bike or car.
WALK: The hiking route is partly shaded, and in summer when daily temperatures are normally high I would advise you to start hiking in the morning.
BUS: You can take a bus from the main station in Bled to the village of Zasip and get off at Zasip bus stop (map). Check out the bus timetable here.
From the bus stop in Zasip you will need to walk 700 metres (2300 feet) to get to St Catherine Viewpoint. The road is steep, but all your efforts will be paid off when you see the view!
BIKE: If you go by bike from Bled to Zasip/Hom, please be cautious as you will be cycling on a country road.
CAR: If starting your journey in Bled, drive towards the village of Zasip. The road through the village is very narrow and steep in some places. The viewpoint is located above the village.
HIKING TRAIL: The hiking trail that is about 3,5 kilometres (2.5 miles) long is mostly flat and grassy.
It takes approximately one hour to get from St Catherine Viewpoint to Vintgar if you walk at a slow pace.
HIKING ROUTE IN PICTURES
SHUTTLE BUS: If you are too tired to walk back from Vintgar to Saint Catherine, then you can take a shuttle bus heading towards Bled that also stops in Vintgar.
The shuttle bus runs from mid-June until mid-September and stops at various locations in Bled (main bus station, Bled Union bus stop etc.). There are two different bus routes.
GEOCACHING: There is at least one cache hidden along this hiking trail. You will find it somewhere close to St Catherine’s Church. Hint: look for it in the forest behind the church.
Would you like to explore Lake Bled and nearby places in the Julian Alps with me? Follow my day-to-day on Instagram (@bledoscope) and Twitter (@bledoscope).