Wild Lake

The Julian Alps


A 3km trail called Pot ob Rakah follows the Idrijca River Canal from the Kamšt (an 18th-century waterwheel used by the mines) to Wild Lake, a tiny, impossibly green lake fed by a deep karst spring. After heavy rains, water gushes up from the tunnel like a geyser and the lake appears to be boiling. With your own wheels, take the road out of town towards Ljubljana and turn at the sign to Idrijska Bela – it's 600m to the lake.

West of the lake, there's a footbridge and a river-swimming area, used in summer when the water averages about 20°C (68°F).


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Julian Alps attractions

1. Kamšt

1.17 MILES

One of the most interesting examples of mining technology that still exists is the Kamšt, a 13.6m waterwheel made of wood that was used to pump the water…

2. Anthony Mine Shaft

1.23 MILES

The mine is a ‘living museum’, allowing you to get a feel for the working conditions of mercury miners in Idrija. The entrance is the Anthony Shaft, built…

3. Idrija Lace School

1.34 MILES

The Idrija Lace School was founded in 1876 (it's the biggest and oldest lace school in the world), and continues to offer lace-making skills to younger…

4. Municipal Museum

1.36 MILES

This award-winning museum is housed in the hilltop Gewerkenegg Castle. The excellent collections, which deal with mercury, lace and local history (but,…

5. Gewerkenegg Castle

1.36 MILES

The castle was built in the 1520s to serve as the administrative headquarters of the Idrija mine. This award-winning Municipal Museum is housed inside.

6. Miner’s House

1.41 MILES

Laid out across the slopes encircling the valley are Idrija’s distinctive miners’ houses. Large wooden A-frames with cladding and dozens of windows, they…

7. NašRaj

7.12 MILES

Describing this place as a farm just doesn't do it justice. This ecological farm, for want of a better word, sits almost 1000m above sea level around 20km…

8. Cerkno Museum

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The town's museum is not far southwest of Glavni trg. Its main displays trace the development of the region from earliest times to the modern period, but…

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