I had seen enough photos of Lake Bled and the picturesque island nestled at its far end to be really excited to arrive there. I was hoping to go whitewater rafting in the emerald green Soča River, take a long hike in Triglav National Park, and maybe do some rock climbing, too, except that it rained and rained and rained some more, so these excursions were no longer an option. Someone suggested I visit Vintgar Gorge, just a 4 kilometer walk away, so off I went.
It was only raining a little when I set off but of course that quickly changed and I was drenched in no time.
Once I finally got to the park entrance, it was still another 2 or so kilometers to walk through the gorge. It was beautiful but the rain meant I had to put my camera away before too long.
I was hoping someone would give me a ride back to town like had happened at Predjama Castle, but no such luck. When I got back to Bled, I decided not to change into dry clothes, figuring they'd dry faster with my body heat than in my damp hostel room. Ah, the joys of backpacking!
Eventually, the rain let up a little, and then a lot, and then completely, so I pounced on the chance to walk the 6 kilometers around the lake.
Two hours later, the rain was still holding off, so I pushed my luck and headed up the steep hill to Bled Castle. The original castle dates back to at least May 1011 when it was first mentioned in a written document. The castle has been renovated several times over the centuries and today bares little resemblance to its predecessor. There's a small museum inside with artifacts from the local area.
The best part about Bled Castle has got to be its view of the lake below. The rain started up again, but I stayed put, content to watch the clouds drift over the trees and the rowers practice on the lake.
