The Šum waterfall in Blejski Vintgar can not boast of a high drop in water, but its strong flow is worthy of admiration. The Radovna River, fed by the Krmarica and Kotarica streams, flows through this magnificent gorge. Hidden between the high walls of the Boršt hills (931 m) and Hom (834 m), the gorge is more than 1.5 km long.
In spite of the immediate vicinity of Bled (only 4 km away), Vintgar was not opened until 1891. The then mayor of Gorje, Jakob Žumer, and photographer Benedikt Lergerporter explored the gorge during an unusually low water level. The beauty of the waterfalls and rapids was so exciting that a tourist route was quickly arranged and officially opened in August 1893.
The highest point of interest is the 13 m high Šum waterfall at the outflow of the Radovna River from the gorge. However, the river could not escape industrial exploitation; a dam was built just above the waterfall to lead water to a power plant. Today, the waterfall shows its full flow mainly after heavy rains or when the barrier is raised.
ACCESS: The gorge is accessible from two sides:
a) From Jesenice via Bled Dobrava towards the power plant under the Šum waterfall.
b) From Bled to the village of Podhom, where a large parking lot is located, leading to the picturesque 1.6 km trail through the gorge.
*Note: The geomorphological term "vintgar" means a river valley where depth erosion is so strong that the slope processes are negligible, resulting in vertical walls.