The Hag’s tooth (in Slovenian Babji zob) is a protruding and picturesque rock rising on the northwestern edge of the Jelovica plateau and high above the villages Bohinjska Bela and Kupljenik, near Bled.
Legend says that the tooth-like rock was created by an old witch who lived on the Jelovica plateau, gathering herbs and casting spells across the valley. One day, while gathering herbs, she slipped and fell into the depths and decided to curse the plateau. Echoed by the mountains, her spell could be heard to the valley: »Jelovica, you shan’t be as steep as before, let there be a rock in this place.«
From that moment on, the rock has been known as Babji zob or Hag’s tooth.
What many people don’t know is that in its vicinity, at an altitude of 1008 metres above sea level, lies the entrance of a »hidden« cave which is only accessible by taking a hike up a forest path.
The 300-metre-long cave system is adorned with beautiful dripstone formations, among them calcite crystals. The cave’s most unique feature is helictites – spiral-shaped stalactites that are very rare in Slovenia.
Some sources suggest that the Hag’s tooth is one of the oldest caves in Slovenia. It was formed in the ice age when the Sava River invaded the inside of the Jelovica plateau. The cave was discovered by chance some 200 years ago by a local villager and was one of the most visited caves in Central Europe.
Today Babji zob is closed to mass tourism, and tours are limited to preserve the cave’s system. Tourist can visit the cave in the summer months, by prior arrangement, or on May 1st, when local cavers of the Cave Exploration Society of Bled (‘Društvo za raziskovanje jam Bled’) organise free guided tours.
With the ascent to the entrance, the resting time, the 1-hour tour of the cave and the descent, the trip takes about 3 hours, making it a perfect choice for a half-day trip.
The cave is open in July and August every Sunday at 10 a.m. Tours can be arranged by phone (041597426, 041368965) or e-mail dzrjbled@gmail.com.
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