WELCOME TO Lake Bled

Lake Bled SLOVENIA

WELCOME TO Lake Bled The tiny nation of Slovenia sits at the crossroads of Europe, bordered by Italy, Austria, Croatia and Hungary, as well as the Adriatic Sea. As a result, this nation enjoys a mixture of its own proud Slovene heritage and neighbouring cultures. Its position, nestling between the Alps and the Balkans provides a wonderful contrast of landscapes and climates. Slovenia is incredibly green. The Slovenes love the outdoors and the beautiful Triglav National Park, set in the Julian Alps, is the setting for many of our walks. Our base near breathtaking Lake Bled provides the perfect location from which to explore the region. The town of Bled sits on the shores of the lake, framed by snow-capped mountains and watched over by a precariously placed fairytale castle. Due to its setting, the town is popular all year round, and loses none of its charm. There are two things that any visitor should seek out: the town s famous Bled cake, similar to a vanilla slice; and a journey across the lake on a pletna boat to Bled Island, with a staircase leading to a tiny church. This island has for centuries been a symbol of Bled, a destination which attracts visitors from all over the world. In ancient times, the people worshipped Živa, the Slavic goddess of love and fertility. Later, Christian pilgrims visited the island to praise St Mary. A foot and bicycle path circles the lake and the circuit takes about an hour. The island in the centre of the lake is actually the only island in Slovenia. The best view of the lake and its magnificent mountain setting is from the ramparts of Bled Castle, which dates from the 11th century. The castle watches over the town and lake and is perched on a rocky outcrop about 100 metres above the lake. 2 Call 0345 470 7558 or visit hfholidays.co.uk

ACCOMMODATION Hotel Astoria Bled Prešernova Cesta 44 4260 Bled Tel: 00386 45794400 This compact and stylish 3-star hotel offers a great location for our holidays, with Bled town centre, the lakeshore and castle all within walking distance. The comfortable en-suite bedrooms are decorated in a contemporary style. Bedrooms: All 72 en-suite bedrooms include a TV, hairdryer, mini bar, air conditioning, complimentary toiletries, and a safe deposit box (free). Facilities: There is a wellness centre with sauna and spa pool, as well as a gym and bar. Included in the holiday price, we have arranged for our guests to enjoy one complimentary visit to the wellness centre. There is a 24 hour reception and a laundry service. Meals: All our holidays include breakfast and evening meal. It is important that guests with special dietary requirements, including vegetarians, let our reservations team know before travelling and discuss with the restaurant staff on arrival. Breakfast: Served from 7am, the buffet breakfast consists of a wide selection of hot and cold options. Where possible, the hotel will serve local products. Evening meal: This consists of an extensive 3-course buffet. On the last evening our guests can enjoy a traditional Slovenian meal, accompanied by a local musician. Lunch: You may be able to purchase a picnic lunch from the hotel. Alternatively it is possible to buy ingredients from local shops or on some days to eat at one of the local cafés; your leaders will advise you of the options. Call 0345 470 7558 or visit hfholidays.co.uk 3

Guided Walking Easier Walks: 5 to 8 miles (8-13km) generally on good paths, with some rocky sections. Up to 1,200ft (360m) of ascent in a day. ITINERARY A unique feature of our Guided Walking holidays is the daily choice of walks. Each evening your leaders will give a short talk about the options for the next day and answer any questions that you may have. In Lake Bled you ll have a choice of two guided walks on each walking day. The cost of the transport to and from your walks each day is included in the cost of your holiday. Harder Walks: 8 to 10 miles (13-16km) with some steep ascents and descents. There are also some rocky and exposed sections. Up to 3,100ft (930m) of ascent in a day. Please note that the itinerary outlined below is provisional and may be subject to change. For the most up to date information, please check our website. A finalised itinerary will be available at the resort and your leaders will talk every evening about the next day s walks. Day 1: Arrival day Depending on your arrival time, you may have the opportunity to see a little of Bled before your evening meal. On the first evening our leaders will explain more about our walks and there will be plenty of time to meet your fellow guests. Day 2: Lake Bled, Osjnica and Rcitna Today s walks take in Lake Bled and explore the wooded upland areas to the west of the lake. Easier Walk: Starting by the lake, we walk towards the village of Mlino and then descend towards the River 4 Call 0345 470 7558 or visit hfholidays.co.uk Bohinjka and the village of Bohinjska Bela. Here we take a wooded path which rise over a coll and returns to the northern side of the lake where we walk back to the hotel below the castle with views to the island. 7 miles (11km) with 700ft (210m) of ascent and descent. Harder Walk: Our route takes us to the west end of the lake and the wooded valley beyond, and to the upland area of Rcitno. Our return drops back to the lake and the path below the castle with views to the island. 9 miles (14.5km) with 2,000ft (600m) of ascent and descent.

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Day 3: Lake Bohinj & Mostnica Gorge Today we travel to the beautiful Bohinj valley and lake; both groups will be dropped off at the village of Stara Fuzina. Easier Walk: We ascend through the attractive old village into a narrow valley that opens out into alpine pastureland. At the head of the valley is the spectacular Mostnica waterfall, one of the must see attractions of the area. There may be time for a swim in Lake Bohinj or a paddle in the Mostnica river. 8 miles (13km) with 800ft (240m) of ascent and descent. Harder Walk: We begin by following the same route as the easier group to the waterfall. We head east, ascending to the village of Uskovnica before descending on tracks and forest paths back to Stara Fuzina. 9 miles (14km) with 2,700ft (810m) of ascent. Day 4: Vršič Pass to Kranjska Gora The longest coach ride of the holiday takes us to Kranjska Gora, a mountain village and skiing centre deep in the Julian Alps. The coach leavesthe valley to ascend through 24 hairpin bends to reach the top of the Vršič Pass, where both groups will enjoy the view. Easier Walk: The group leaves the bus in the Vršič valley and descends through woodland, pasture and beside a stream with waterfalls, passing near a glacial lake and onwards through pasture to Kranjska Gora village. 7 miles (11km) with 500ft (150m) of ascent and 1,600ft (490m) of descent. Harder Walk: We start by descending a path from the pass followed by an ascent on a zig-zag path through woodland to the Visoki Maverinc Belvedere. We stop for lunch at the summit and enjoy stunning views of the valley and surrounding hills before descending to Kranjska Gora. 10 miles (16km) with 1,200ft (360m) of ascent and 3,200ft (960m) of descent. Day 5: Free day Each week there is a free day when no guided walks are offered. This is an ideal opportunity to relax around the hotel, walk independently or visit local places of interest. Some options for your free day might include: Ljubljana The capital city of Slovenia is a most attractive city, with plenty of museums and shops. It can be reached easily by bus or minibus. See our leaders for further details and fares. Bled Castle A short but steep walk will take you to the castle. It costs approximately 9 to go round the museum. There is a shop, historic printing press and a café. 6 Call 0345 470 7558 or visit hfholidays.co.uk

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Wellness Centre The hotel has a wellness centre, located on the first floor. It offers concessionary rates to guests, details of which can be found in your room. Treatments include various types of massage, manicures, facials, sauna and a plunge pool. Activities Near the bus station are offices offering a variety of activities, including gorge walking/ canyoning, horse riding, paragliding and kayaking. Guests may also like to try the summer toboggan run on the slopes of Straza. Cycle hire The hotel has bikes for hire. Explore the quiet side roads and farming villages around Bled. Please book this at reception. Current rates are from 4 for an hour. Land train around Lake Bled A land train follows the lakeside path. It leaves the town every 45 minutes from late April until mid-october; however it doesn t run in poor weather. For information on Lake Bled please visit www.bled.si/ en/ Day 6: Lake Bohinj, Vogel and Sija Today we return by bus to Lake Bohinj, the easier group taking a lovely lakeside walk while the harder party takes in peaks to the south of the lake. Easier Walk: The bus takes us to the village of Ribcev Laz, with its much photographed church beside the lake. We ascend through woods to a terrace path above the south side of the lake, walking across numerous wooden plank bridges before descending to the cable car station. There is an option to take the cable car to the upper station and enjoy the views over the lake. From the lower cable car station we visit the First World War cemetery at Ukanc and descend further to the lakeshore. We then follow a path close by the lake for our return to Ribčev Laz. 7 miles (11km) with 300ft (90m) of ascent. Harder Walk: The bus will drop this group at the foot of the cable car, and we then ascend to the upper station. We ascend through a picturesque valley to the summit of Vogel. Mt Vogel is a great viewpoint in good weather and provides an excellent vantage point for Triglav, the highest mountain in Slovenia. On the return route to the cable car, we can also take in the summit of Sija. 8 miles (13km) with 2,900ft (870m) of ascent. This route can be disrupted by snow early and late in the season. Your leaders will explain alternatives in this situation. Day 7: Vintgar Gorge and Debela Pec Today the two parties split. The easier walk returns to the Bled area to visit the Vintgar Gorge, yet another fpopular attraction in the region. The harder group will ascend Debela Pec; this peak has spectacular views into the deep Krma Valley, with the Triglav massif beyond. Easier Walk: We take a service bus to Podhom and the start of the Vintgar Gorge. After paying the entrance fee, we walk along the gorge, following wooden walkways and paths cut into the steep valley sides. At the final office we descend steps to view the waterfall at the end of the gorge. Retracing our steps to the ticket office, we ascend through deciduous woodland to the church of St Katarina. Here there are seats to enjoy the stunning view across towards Bled and the surrounding hills. We then descend on a good gravel path to the plains below. A short stretch of road and a much longer gravel track following the edge of the river valley take us back into Bled. Here we can visit the National Park Centre before returning to the hotel. 7 miles (11km) with 600ft (180m) of ascent. Harder Walk: We use hired transport to reach the high forests to the west of Bled. The walk ascends gently through woodland pitted with the remnants of ancient iron workings, then more steeply to reach a remote mountain hut or dom. We continue ascending the ridge above the Krma valley where a winding path passes deep swallow holes, and takes us to the final ridge and viewpoint of Debla Pec. We will retrace our steps along the ridge and take a different route down to the dom. From here we follow our outward route, continuing through alpine pastures and woodland to the end and a well-earned drink in a bar. 8 miles (13km) with 2,700ft (820m) of ascent. Day 8: Departure day In the evenings In Europe, our walking holidays continue into the evening. Enjoy a glass of wine or local beer whilst listening to your leaders outlining the next day s walks. You can listen to our evening speaker who will talk about the colourful local history and after a relaxing evening meal you may like to join your group to walk into Bled and walk on the lake shore with an icecream to finish your day. Call 0345 470 7558 or visit hfholidays.co.uk 9

Your Walking Leaders: HF Holidays leaders are a pivotal feature of our walking holidays. During the day they will guide you on the walks in a caring and considerate way, showing you places of interest on the route. All our leaders have been selected on an intensive residential course so you can relax and enjoy your holiday knowing that you are in safe hands. Our leaders welcome your comments on the holiday survey; constructive suggestions are very helpful. We take pride in the quality of our holidays and work closely with all our providers to ensure our holidays meet your expectations. If for any reason you are not satisfied our leaders are the best people to help. Local interest guides: In some of our resorts we may employ the services of a local interest guide who will accompany you on a walk to enhance your enjoyment of the area by giving you an insight into its history and culture. Tips for local guides have not been included in the price of your holiday. This is at your own discretion and we invite you to do this directly with the local guide. Children: We welcome unaccompanied children of 14 or over on our walks on the basis that they can take full responsibility for themselves. Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult. WALKING SAFETY Hydration: In warm weather it is very important to keep hydrated. You will need to carry water with you on walks, more during hot weather or on more demanding walks. One good way of hydrating is to use a hydration pack which allows drinking without constant stopping. This can then be filled up from water sources as required. Insurance: Insurance is a condition of booking. Therefore if you have not already arranged insurance, it is imperative that you do so, and advise us of the insurance company and policy number. We have negotiated special holiday insurance and full details of this cover can be found in our brochure or at hfholidays.co.uk. There is no extra charge for preexisting illnesses. If you would like to purchase insurance from us please call us on 020 8732 1220 or email holidayservices@hfholidays.co.uk. Even with an EHIC card, medicines and out-patient treatment normally have to be paid for at the time and the costs reclaimed afterwards details are available at dh.gov.uk/travellers. Therefore insurance is extremely important, as is access to emergency money, preferably a credit card. 10 Call 0345 470 7558 or visit hfholidays.co.uk WHAT TO WEAR & BRING To enjoy your walking comfortably and safely, it is essential that your footwear, clothing and equipment are suitable. Changeable weather is possible throughout the year, so our advice is to come prepared for all eventualities. You will need: comfortable outdoor clothing waterproof jacket and overtrousers ankle supporting footwear with non-slip soles small rucksack water bottle (at least 2 litres, more for hot climates) and a thermos flask if you wish sunhat, sun cream and sunglasses The following are recommended to all walkers, and are essential for mountainous and hilly areas: walking boots spare pullover or fleece hat and gloves spare high-energy food e.g. chocolate bar or Kendal mint cake torch You may also wish to consider bringing: walking pole(s) many guests find these useful, particularly for descents camera personal first aid kit Footwear: We recommend wearing walking boots on all our walks, as these provide the best ankle support and grip. Modern approach shoes offer appropriate levels of grip and may be worn on some low level walks, but users should be aware that they offer less ankle support. Lightweight trainers, denim jeans and waterproof capes are not recommended for any walks. HOLIDAY TIPS Language: Slovenian Currency: Euro Money: There are several ATM machines in Lake Bled where you can obtain money. Electricity: 2340 Volt AC with round two pin plugs; you will need an adaptor for any appliances brought from the UK. Tap water: Is considered safe to drink, but if you prefer, bottled mineral water can be purchased from the hotel or local supermarkets. Telephone code: If the international number you wish to call starts with a 0, you must drop the starting digit when dialling the number. To dial a UK number 0044 To dial a Slovenian number 00386

linger a little LONGER If you enjoyed your holiday in our destination of Lake Bled, we recommend our other holiday at our new destination in Luz on the Western Algarve. Two weeks or more Make the most of your break and enjoy a longer holiday either two weeks of walking at one resort or by combining complementary holidays, such as Sorrento on the Neapolitan coastline and Altamura, in the undiscovered region of Puglia. We arrange the transfers between the resorts so that you don t have to. See our brochure or website for more information. Self-guided Walking For those who prefer to explore independently, we recommend our Self-guided Walking holidays. In selected European destinations you can discover unspoiled scenery, historic sites and the local culture at your own pace by following our carefully planned walking routes. Leisure Activities We offer a range of Leisure Activities holidays at some of our European destinations, including Discovery or Garden Tours, Photography, Painting, or Yoga. Worldwide From Alaska to Australia our Worldwide Journeys invite you to explore world famous destinations, and some lesser known gems, on six continents including Europe. TRANSFER INFORMATION If you have booked your holiday with flight you will arrive at Ljubljana Airport. From the UK we offer flights from London Stansted and Manchester. These may arrive at different times. Please note that no meals are provided on most European flights, although some airlines may offer a small snack. Where possible you will be met as you enter the arrivals hall by an HF Holidays leader. Your leader may be on the same flight as you or may arrive on another flight. Occasionally we will ask our transfer coach company to meet you. The driver will be in the arrivals hall holding an HF Holidays sign. Please note that where possible we combine our airport transfers and you may have a short wait at the airport for the rest of your group who will be arriving on a different flight. You will be notified of this in your final confirmation letter. The onward journey to Lake Bled by coach takes approximately 30 minutes. For independent travellers: For guests who have booked their holiday without flight HF Holidays can help you to reach the hotel in the following ways: HF Holidays transfer coach from Ljubljana airport. These are timed to meet the HF Holidays flights (provisional flight times can be found on www.hfholidays.co.uk or call (1) 20 8732 1220). Cost per single journey is 17.50. Please note that HF Holidays is not responsible for your onward travel if you fail to meet the transfer coach under any circumstance. Our Airport Taxi service is available on request. Transfers and taxis must be pre-booked. If you have not already booked your transfer or taxi please call +44 (0)20 8732 1220 Airport parking and accommodation If you require airport parking or accommodation before your flight, we recommend our partner Holiday Extras. Call 0871 360 2603 and quote HX031 or book online at holidayextras.co.uk/hfholidays Call 0345 470 7558 or visit hfholidays.co.uk 11

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