As regular readers of my blog will know, I moved to Radovljica back in 2007, and have called it home ever since – well, almost. Last November, we made the (not exactly dramatic) move from Radovljica to Lesce. The towns are essentially neighbours – practically one and the same place if you ask me (although I’m fairly sure some locals would strongly disagree!) – and both fall under of the Municipality of Radovljica.

So, why the move? Quite simply, we needed a little more space. My previous flat had served us well, but it was starting to feel like it was bursting at the seams. I must admit that I was initially adamant about wanting to remain in Radovljica. But after a long, complicated – and at times rather stressful –  house hunt, with a few hiccups along the way, reality set in. There just wasn’t much on the market and what there was came with eye-watering price tags. In the end, we widened our search ever so slightly, and, fortunately, didn’t have to go far to find what we were looking for.

Lesce sits conveniently between Radovljica and Bled, and is very well served by public transport. The Lesce/Bled railway and bus stations are centrally located, with each access to the Gorenjska motorway. It’s also an ideal base for lovers of the great outdoors – whether gentle strolls, longer walks, cycling, running and heading a little further afield for hikes in the Karavanke mountains and the Julian Alps.

That said, I do miss Radovljica’s picturesque old town. Thankfully, it’s only a stone’s throw away – and since I still work there, I can easily get my regular ‘fix’.

Lately, one of my favourite afternoon walks has been along the edge of the Royal Bled Golf Course. The trail starts within a few minutes from the Lesce/Bled railway station, which makes it ideal for those reliant on public transport. Within minutes, you leave the town behind and find yourself surrounded by greenery with magnificent views of the surrounding mountains. Straight ahead rises Mt. Golica, to the left stretches the Jelovica Plateau, and to the right stands Mt. Stol – the highest peak in the Karavanke range.

If you’re after a shorter walk, you can simply follow the trail as far as the golf course fence, then turn left to create a pleasant circular route.

For something longer, or if you fancy turning it into more of a day out, you can continue along the path as it climbs gently before levelling out again.

At the next junction, you have the option to head towards Vrba. A quick note here: the signpost is misleading (it points across the railway line), but the correct route continues straight on, parallel to the tracks, with no need to risk your life crossing the railway line.

At this point, an alternative would be to turn left and follow the road through the golf course, sticking strictly to the road so as not to veer off onto the golf course itself. However, this option means either returning the same way or a rather long walk down a road, which, although not busy, joins the busy main Lesce–Bled road, from where you follow the cycle path back to Lesce.

Vrba may be small, but it’s culturally significant as the birthplace of France Prešeren, Slovenia’s greatest poet. His birth house has been preserved as a museum and is well worth a visit.

For a short stretch, the path runs alongside the motorway – which does mean a bit of noise – but it soon veers away again as you approach Vrba.

By this point, you will have covered a fair distance, so rather than turning back, you could continue to Žirovnica, which has numerous cultural and natural attractions. From there, it’s easy to catch a train or bus back to Lesce/Bled.

Another popular walk in the area is around the award-winning Camp Šobec, which I wrote about previously here https://adeleinslovenia.com/category/sobec-camp/: 

Before I end, I can’t but mention the forthcoming Radovljica Chocolate Festival, which will take place this year for the 12th time. It is by far the biggest chocolate festival of its kind in Slovenia and attracts visitors in their tens of thousands every year. More about this year’s festival coming soon!

© Adele in Slovenia