How Pretty Is Lake Bohinj?

Old Oct 5th, 2014, 10:02 AM
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How Pretty Is Lake Bohinj?

Thinking of visiting Lake Bohinj from Bled next July. People seem to really like it; many seem to prefer it over Lake Bled. However, when I look at photos online, it doesn't seem amazing. Are the photos not capturing its beauty?
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Old Oct 5th, 2014, 10:32 AM
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Now that is a dippy question; of the "How long is a rope?" variety. When I pulled up images of the lake on Google, the lake looks simply stunning.
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Old Oct 5th, 2014, 11:56 AM
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Thanks so much for your help. I can never figure out why people take the time to respond on this forum when they have nothing to offer other than criticism. If you think my question is dumb, why don't you just ignore it?
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Old Oct 5th, 2014, 12:03 PM
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Sorry, Dig, did not mean to offend; early Sunday morning before my coffee.

If you really want a value; from the photos I would give it an 8.5.
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Old Oct 5th, 2014, 12:32 PM
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It's pretty area to explore. Here are a few of my pictures of it:

http://www.portlandbridges.com/00,5D...-slovenia.html

Compared to Lake Bled, which is a lot smaller and looks like something out of a fairy tale, Bohinj feels like something out of an ordinary natural park. Also much less touristy and less densely populated than Bled.

I think they would provide different experiences. Bohinj is more for people who want to hike in nature and are more active, perhaps more interested in "getting back to nature." Bled is developed and a little resorty.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" as they say.
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Old Oct 5th, 2014, 09:59 PM
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i only spent an hour or so at Lake Bohinj, but thought it absolutely stunning! While I was there, t
he surface was nearly motionless, reflecting the glorious snow-capped Julian Alps and tree-clad slopes below, and there were kayakers gliding in and out of coves and causing the only discernible ripples and OMG, it was breathtakingly beautiful!

Enjoy!
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Old Oct 6th, 2014, 03:48 AM
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Andrew and kja--thank you very much for your replies. It helps to hear from those who have actually been there. Kja--I can't remember. What time of year were you there? I am wondering whether there is usually still snow on the Alps in July.

I am debating whether to spend 3 nights/2days in Bled, figuring one day to see Lake Bled and Vintgar Gorge and one day to see Lake Bohinj. Or 2 nights/1day in Lake Bled. If we do the latter, is it too much to see Bled, Vintgar Gorge, and Bohinj in 1 day? If it's too much, would you pick Bohinj or Vintgar Gorge?
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Old Oct 6th, 2014, 06:18 AM
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Andrew--Just looked through your photos. They were quite good and very helpful. Thanks for the link.
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Old Oct 6th, 2014, 06:35 AM
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I was there in early June, at which time there were still snowcaps.

In case it helps, here's how I spent my time: It took one very long day for me to see Bled castle, walk through the Vintgar Gorge and then back to its start along the ridge above it, take the pletna to Bled Island and back, and walk around Lake Bled. I had stopped at Lake Bohinj for just an hour (less?) the evening before.
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Old Oct 6th, 2014, 07:24 AM
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Thanks kja. I think we may do something similar. Too many places I want to see!!!
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Old Oct 6th, 2014, 08:36 AM
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I spent a good half day at Lake Bohinj. I took the scheduled boat across the lake, took the tram up the mountain to get a view down (as you see in my pictures) and did some hiking. I didn't even get to the waterfall in the area (which requires a bit of a hike). I could easily have spent the rest of the day there.

I guess you could quick sample it in an hour (takes you half an hour to drive there from Bled) if that's all the time you have. In September, the boats weren't running constantly - I remember being frustrated that I had just missed one when I first arrived and had to wait over an hour for the next one (The boat takes you near the tram entrance at the bottom. I could have just driven there but wanted the boat ride across the lake.) So in an hour, don't expect to do anything besides get out and walk around the lake a little. It's a huge lake, though. Not something you're going to see all of quickly.
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Old Oct 6th, 2014, 09:35 AM
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Thanks Andrew! Your info on Slovenia has been extremely helpful. I am thinking we may see Bohinj quickly so that we have 2 full days in Ljubljana. Bohinj looks very pretty, but I'm not sure it looks much more impressive than what we can see in the Colorado Rockies. Whereas, we have nothing like Ljubljana in the states.

I need to do a little more reading on Ljubljana to figure out what we want to do there so that I can make a decision.
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Old Oct 6th, 2014, 12:30 PM
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As I have pointed out before (if you read my trip report), I stopped in the town of Škofja Loka on the way driving from Ljubljana to Bled, and I found the drive from Škofja Loka on to Bled very scenic. I assume many tourists simply take the fast freeway from Ljubljana to Bled and miss the beautiful views. I know your time is limited, but f you have time at all, I highly recommend this little detour (and a stop in Škofja Loka).

Ljubljana is a delightful town with beautiful architecture, but it's not very big. You can get the gist of it very quickly.
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Old Oct 6th, 2014, 03:52 PM
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"I need to do a little more reading on Ljubljana to figure out what we want to do there so that I can make a decision."

FWIW, I thought the Rough Guide the best of the guide books I used for my time in the area.

And yes - there's WAY too much to see in this corner of the world! The good news is that you really don't have a bad option. Enjoy!
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Old Oct 6th, 2014, 04:02 PM
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Yes, and I found the Rick Steves Croatia/Slovenia book extremely helpful for planning my two trips to Slovenia and Croatia. I would highly recommend it.
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Old Oct 7th, 2014, 09:44 AM
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Thank you both for all your help. I have the Rick Steves guide, but will look into the Rough Guide too.

Andrew--I had initially planned to do the Julian Alps drive, but your trip report made me think that the back way between Bled and Ljubljana might be preferable. If you could only do one, which would it be? I think we will visit Skofja Loka whichever drive we pick. Is the rest of the drive after Skofja Loka especially pretty?
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Old Oct 7th, 2014, 09:56 AM
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I probably should clarify my trip report. I didn't mean to say that the much shorter drive from Škofja Loka to Bled is equivalent/better than the Julian Alps loop that Rick Steves recommends. They are two different experiences. I think what I said (or meant to say) is that I found some of the views on the drive from Škofja Loka even prettier than I saw on the Julian Alps loop. Partly I had extremely high expectations about the Julian Alps loop and zero expectations about the drive from Škofja Loka, which I did kind of ad hoc, so it was a pleasant surprise.

However, the Julian Alps loop is in many ways more interesting. It's a historical road built during World War I by prisoners of war, and there are neat markers and chapels to stop and see as you drive up. So it's more than just the views. (I'm a photographer, after all.) And on the other side of the loop (if driving counter-clockwise from Bled) you come down into the Soca Valley.

If you are driving from Ljubljana to Bled, you could do my recommended detour without a lot of extra time. You don't have to spend hours in Škofja Loka, though it is a neat town. So it's not necessarily an either-or proposition. If you have time, I'd do the Julian Alps drive. If you don't, spend more time in some of these other places.

(And the drive from Škofja Loka to/from Ljubljana isn't very interesting at all as I recall.)
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Old Oct 7th, 2014, 10:02 AM
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Thanks for clarifying!
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Old Oct 8th, 2014, 06:06 AM
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Andrew and kja--has either of you been in Ljubljana on a Sunday? Rick Steves guide says not to visit then, but our best itinerary has us there on that day. Wondering whether I should adjust things so that we are there on a Friday or Saturday.
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Old Oct 8th, 2014, 07:50 AM
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I was not there on a Sunday. Once you decide what you would like to see and do, check opening days / hours for Ljubljana and the other places you hope to visit. That should tell you whether it is worth considering shifting your plans.
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