Vintgar Gorge (green path - return via St. Catherine's Church) (06/2023)
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 4.25 mi
- Elevation gain
- 351 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Easy
- Elevation loss
- 351 ft
- Max elevation
- 2,093 ft
- TrailRank
-
64
5
- Min elevation
- 1,673 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Moving time
- one hour 50 minutes
- Time
- 3 hours 6 minutes
- Coordinates
- 1206
- Uploaded
- June 9, 2023
- Recorded
- June 2023
near Podhom, Bled (Slovenija)
Viewed 933 times, downloaded 57 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
Technical difficulty: 1/5
Note: Vintgar Gorge is commercialized. While it's beautiful, it's hardly 'virgin land'.
There is only one entrance at Podhom village (near Bled). You cannot access the gorge any other way.
Then, parking at Podhom is allowed ONLY on designated areas, and it's paid 10€ (cash) for cars, valid for 2.5 hrs. We stayed about an hour and half longer without issue, but be aware of the "official" time limit.
Entrance to the gorge itself is 10€ per person. Don't expect to be alone on this trail. Your best chance at solitude is to go on workdays and arrive just after the ticket booth opens.
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The trail starts at the parking lot in Podhom (P2 on the official map/see waypoint #1). The entry to the gorge is about 5 mins from the parking lot. After you buy your tickets and/or souvenirs at the ticket booth, you continue through the revolving metal gate and enter the gorge proper.
The gorge is beautiful, needless to say. The path is well maintained and children-friendly, but not accessible for strollers. The walk through the gorge is about 1.6km/30mins. Then, on the exit at the Šum waterfall you can go either left (red path) or right (green path).
The red path is shorter (45 mins) and goes back through the woods above the gorge. The green path is longer (60 mins) and more picturesque.
On the green path, at St. Catharine's Church, there's also a picnic area with a restaurant serving food & beverages, and a children's playground. From the picninc area, you continue through the pastures on the hills above Podhom and return to the parking lot in about half an hour.
Waypoints
Car park
1,941 ft
Vintgar Gorge / parking lot (P2)
The entrance to the Vintgar Gorge, near parking lot P2.
Waypoint
1,871 ft
Ticket booth / Tourist info / Souvenir shop
The official entrance, where you buy your tickets, souvenirs, and validate your tickets.
Photo
Intersection
1,736 ft
Intersection #2 / Vintgar Gorge exit at Šum waterfall & souvenir shop
The exit to the Vintgar gorge at the 13m tall Šum waterfall. It's here that you choose your return path: red or green.
Waterfall
1,682 ft
Šum waterfall (photo spot)
The Šum waterfall. Will be pretty crowded as this THE "Instagram spot" to snap a photo of the waterfall.
Intersection
1,904 ft
Intersection #5 / to Sv. Katarina
Intersection
2,013 ft
Intersection #6 / to 'Sv. Katarina'
Intersection
2,090 ft
Intersection #7 / to 'Sv. Katarina'
Religious site
2,081 ft
St. Catherine's Church / Picnic area
The picnic area, also site of the St. Catherine's Church (slo. Sv. Katarina). The church was closed, and isn't particularly interesting. From the church you can return back directly on the asphalt road, or take a right at the church and past the picnic area - across the hill pastures above Podhom (the path we took).
Intersection
2,076 ft
Intersection #8 / Podhomski rob (eng. Podhom's Edge)
A nice 180° viewpoint on the return trail.
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Information
Easy to follow
Scenery
Moderate
Mooie afwisselende route. Eerst door de kloof daarna door het bos omhoog via het kleine kerkje en een klein restaurantje door de weilanden met vergezichten en velden met bloemen terug.