Beautiful Lake Bled healing waters visit, 9-30-24
Lake Bled is one of the most picturesque settings ever, which is why so many people travel to Slovenia to experience the site of the clifftop castle, the monastery on an island and to enjoy the lake waters unspoilt by powered-boats. The setting is almost mystical or magical, with its calming waters and expansive views of the landscape that are certainly glorified by it’s alpine surroundings affording visitors with a mountain backdrop that is truly awesome. I came to Slovenia to see two sites, one of which is Lake Bled with a portion of natural spring waters that is considered curative and the second is to see the Franja Hospital which is a secret World War II Hospital. Unfortunately for my visit, the Franja Hospital is closed due to flooding at the site and is under current restoration that may last a year to 18 months. So, focusing my attentions on Lake Bled was eye-opening and enjoyable experience I will not soon forget.
When I came to the site, I drove most of the way up and parked in the parking lot then went up an extreme sloped ramp up to the cliffside Lake Bled Castle. The panoramic views at the top were expansive, with the castle, Julian alps, azure waters and the island monastery seeming as if it popped right out of a fairy tale.
There is an associated museum that showcased a lot of the site’s history inside the castle. From an exhibit in the museum called “Life’s Cycle: rituals, time work, feast days, death and birth” historians talk about finding silver votive tablets that account that there were fertility cults from the early Slavic periods. Lake Bled is associated with an ancient Slavic cult (aforementioned) and a Bronze Age Cult (features solar and lunar focuses). Also, there were many exhibits that focused on the site’s history which began in Prehistoric times until today. There were relics from prehistoric bronze age times that showcase a hoard of metal objects like bronze axes, sickles, needles, a spearhead, chisel, drill bit from the 13th-11th centuries. There were quite a few glass cases that showed the found artifacts of the Lake Bled site of the years. There was a Linen mask of Bohin Osto, a early example of a calendar and a baby cradle that showed the way of past living on the Lake. There was also an info board about Lake Bled’s geologic history which has been dynamic over the past 400 million years, where forces lifted and lowered the entire area several times over history causing the land to drain water from it, Into the seabed. Volcanic eruptions flowed to the bottom of the sea. Numerous earthquakes led to the rise of mountain ranges and erosion forces shaped a diverse landscape in the vicinity of Bled.
These tectonic structures contributed to the thermal springs being created on the east side of the lake. I was interested in was the rumor that Lake Bled had healing waters, which none of the exhibits within the Castle’s museum talked about. So I started asking around. I asked the people in the museum, the gift shop and even the bartender about it with no one having an answer. Then I went to a demonstration on early newsprint which spread the word about Lake Bled to a wider audience using an early printing press. So I looked through the staff member’s material and watched his demonstration, then finally asked him about the rumor since I figured he’s interested in history and was likely to read about it. He knew right away that there were 3 hot springs in the corner of Lake Bled, one of which is currently used to heat the pool at the nearby hotel. I was able to confirm this to be true on the Grand Hotel’s website which says that at their facility you can bathe in the thermal water which will have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system and that they also offer tastes of the water which can sooth stomach and digestive problems.
The different springs are said to contain mineral waters that contains CO2 and dissolved minerals. These famous springs have attracted a class of wealthy tourists over the years, and in 1885 one Arnold Rikli came to Lake Bled and started his air, water, land wellness center after he heard about the thermal mineral springs and founded a health institute which consisted of places to stay, 3 large baths and a kitchen/dining hall along with an area for recreation where the focus of his treatments were on massage, vegetarianism, and sunshine. After his death, it was difficult for his philosophies to be maintained due to war and a lack of continued interest. But recently, there have been some attempts to set up and assert similar claims that Lake Bled is a fantastic location for health retreats/tourism. (citation https://theincrediblylongjourney.com/2015/09/01/the-healing-powers-of-lake-bled/#:~:text=A%20cliff%2Dtop%20castle%2C%20an,Bled%20is%20one%20magical%20place.)
It also makes sense that the recreational activities of swimming, hiking, and rowboating around the Lake certainly contribute to health. There are quite a few nearby campsites where campers enjoy being a stones-throw from the Lake. Walking around the Lake takes 60-90 minutes to complete the 6 km pathway.
After I visited, the castle, I went down to try to get as close to the Lake as possible so I could see if I could see these famed natural springs, and to try to see the iconic Castle and Monastery from the waters’ edge. I had trouble parking as the site is very popular, and finally parked near a bar kind of a distance from the Lake but from where I could still see the Lake and knew that my walk downhill would likely bring me there. I walked down a steep incline and stairs and through a campgrounds area and then crossed over a beach and up to a pathway that was paved and continuous around the Lake. From there I caught some rather nice, peaceful and serene shots of the views from the shores. I breathed in the crisp, clean mountain air and sat on a bench and enjoyed the views.
#lakebled