Summer adventures with a frog and jumping into water from the 10-metre diving board

August is a time of summer mischief and carefree enjoyment. Those who choose to seek holiday refreshment in Radovljica, and choose Kunstelj as their holiday base, are ‘busy’ from morning to night.

If you already have itchy feet in the morning, take a walk to the confluence of the Sava Bohinjka and Sava Dolinka rivers, or a walk by the Sava river to the Šobec camp (the Sava River Trail is a marked path, which has various sights of interest and information boards). Others might hire a bike in the shop 18sedem3 and cycle to the Ribno ponds, whilst adrenaline junkies can join in some water-based fun at Tina Raft.

 

Our Toni also set off on summer adventures in his youth. However, not on foot, but in father’s frog! The legendary Citroen DS 19 was his favourite car. Still today Toni loves to recall his adventures with the frog. One day in particular remains in his memory, when he managed to cross the stream beneath the Bodešče rock in the frog. The car had hydro-pneumatic suspension, which allowed adjustment of the ride height, thus enabling adventurous journeys!

Toni liked adrenaline in general. Therefore, he loved to spend summers at the Radovljica swimming pool, where he would jump into the water from the high diving board. Grandfather Tone used to say that the pool brought a real revolution to Radovljica. The swimming pool opened in 1933 and immediately became the town’s main attraction since, at that time, it was only the third place in Slovenia to have a 50-metre swimming pool, the other two pools being the Ljubljana Ilirija and the Maribor Otok. It was designed by Ivan Vurnik and included an elegant tower (diving board) which, in the years that followed, became a tourist symbol of Radovljica on postcards and brochures.

Toni loved the diving board. He jumped from the 10-metre high board head first, and from the lower 5-metre board he went a step further and jumped from a headstand!

 

When the tower was demolished due to wear and tear, a small part of Toni’s world was also lost. Only after a long 20 years did his grandchildren soften him and convince him to accompany them swimming, meaning he was once again back at the pool where he had once spent so many great moments.

Through the addition of the swimming pool, Radovljica became a real tourist destination and the sport of swimming also began to develop. Numerous successful swimmers come from Radovljica and we are all very proud of our Olympic delegation, who, prior to leaving for Rio in summer 2016, were welcomed by Radovljica’s mayor on the terrace at Kunstelj Inn.

 

However you choose to cool-off in August, allow yourself to have some fun.

During the long winter evenings, in addition to Kunstelj’s home-cooked delights, such memories will help keep you warm!