As always, I checked the weather forecast several times before the trip, including the night before. All forecasts have foreseen sunshine throughout the day with only a bit of clouds early in the morning. Since I had to drive cca 1.5h I counted on the clouds disappearing by the time I get there.

The route

The starting point was a parking spot by a mountain home Glavaš. From there the path followed a comfortable trail to an old abandoned shelter called Martinove košare (Martin’s baskets). The path continued through vast fields of picturesque Dinaric grass towards the steep section just below the peak. The rocky zig-zag incline started there that took me to the Sinjal/Dinara peak.

The route down from the top was a very straightforward one, descending on the south side and going in parallel with the famous Dinara cliffs. Further down the trail was another mountain shelter “Drago Grubać” after which the 2 trails met at a junction that lead back to start.

Morning

Driving in the car I noticed heavy grey and black clouds dominating in the sky. I thought to myself “the weather forecast people have fucked it up again…”. The enthusiasm was still high as I had another hour of drive so I consoled myself it could still change. Cca 1h later I was sitting in the car waiting for the bloody rain to stop. It was yet another evidence that the mountain forecast has to be taken with a reservation.

30 mins have passed and I was finally on my way. Since I was alone I could set my own pace to make up for the lost time. The first spot that definitely deserved a pause for observation was a medieval fortress.

The Dinarić aka Glavaš fortress built in the 15th century. It was built when the Ottoman invasion was very much expected. Dinarić fortress was a chain link of nearby fortresses in the Vrlika area. Another two are “Prozor” located above the Vrlika town while “Potravnik” sits in the south end of Peruča lake.

The weather was again going for the worse. Thick fog filled the valley and the rain started to drizzle again. I continued further because I have a decent gear, but hiking in rain is no fun especially if you have photo equipment.

Just when I thought “ok, I can handle this drizzle” it started pouring heavily and I had no choice but to hurry to the nearest shelter. The shelter that gave me the break from rain was called “Martinove košare”. It felt nice not being wet while cursing at everything alive and dead, weather forecasts and my bad luck. In the middle of my juiciest curse I got interrupted by few fellow hikers looking for a dry spot too.

We chatted for 30 mins and just when I was about to call it a day the rain stopped, heavy fog cleared up a bit and just like that my plans changed. I went all in with a ridiculously fast tempo to make up for the lost time. The only good thing about the fog was that it made scenery look very mystical, which is always a good thing (…unless you get lost, then it’s a thriller). But the mountains really get a special vibe in these conditions.

All the way from Martinove košare until the last section the weather served me fine, but of course just when I needed it to be good it went for the worse. The last incline had poor markings because the paint had faded away, so hikers used nearby stones to build cones for better visualisation of the route. All that goes down the drain when a thick fog swallows your sight and you are not able to see 3 m ahead.

Luckily I had my GPS watch with a preloaded GPX trail. I could not stress enough how important and valuable that small piece of technology is , especially in situations like that. Without it, I would have been lost.

This, honestly speaking shitty photo, just serves as an evidence of how thick the fog was and that I have actually reached the top. Good news were that the way down was much better.

AFTERNOON

I had no reason to stay on top for long as I could not see anything. It was heavily blowing, I was wearing crampons due to frozen snow below the peak, so I just wanted to get myself in a more visible and comfortable surroundings. For the next 30 mins the fog was still blocking the views all around me, but I could clearly see in a radius of 20m. At one point as I got beneath the cloud it all opened up right in front of me.

I might have not seen much before, but this has made it all worth it. The colour contrast of the unique Dianara grass and the distant dark fields, Peruča lake and other parts of Dinara was beautiful. Now I could slow down completely, take my time and enjoy the tranquillity of the ambient . I was not far away from start, so I had nowhere to hurry. Finally it was time for the drone. Take a minute to watch the video for a better understanding of the place.

I was just roaming around for 2 hours, taking shots and admiring the landscape, but then it was time to go on. Not much further ahead, another shelter was awaiting called Drago Grubać. The shelter got its name after a Croatian soldier and a mountaineer who passed away in 2016.

Evening

There was not much left to finish the trail, so I had to cherish every view. And I sure had something to glaze upon as the sun was setting. Only thing left to do was to sit back and observe the magic. The whole Vrlika area was on the palm of my hand. Breathtaking sight.

A crazy day full of turnarounds. All in all it ended amazing and Dinara showed herself in a completely different face to what I have experienced so far. When I approached the car parked by the mountain home, there was one someone so happy that I have returned. He has sent me off to the mountain in the morning and welcomed me back at night. A real good boy (he stole my sock).

One of Croatia’s most beautiful and by far roughest and harshest mountains. Its combination of steep reefs and the sea they fall straight into is a unique sight for eyes. The very things that make it breathtaking and picturesque are the same ones that can put your life in danger. Not to exaggerate, this is not Matterhorn or Mt. Everest by all means, but Biokovo is seriously underestimated. A lot of foreign “hikers” approach it as a walk in the park. More often than not they end up with a Croatian mountain rescue service phone number on their screen.

It is a very steep, rocky and dry (few water refill spots) mountain. The most frequent issues are dehydration, sliding down the accumulations of rock debris or spraining an ankle due to uneven terrain. On many places the markings are very bad. They either faded out, burned down due to fire, got hidden by rocks due to earthquake or just got abandoned by the local mountaineering association. Therefore it is necessary to get all the information of the trail you want to use. Not to forget, check if there are any water sources along the path. That being said, Biokovo is undoubtably stunning!

The route

This time we decided to finally go to Sv. Ilija peak and as always we try to spend 2 days anywhere we go. We had few doubts before the trip, whether to sleep in a tent or to sleep in a shelter. Since we knew that the way up would be steep, for carry-on weight reasons we decided to spend the night in the shelter on the way up. In the following morning we reached the peak Sv. Ilija and then went back to our start in a small place called Bast.

The trail was 15.7 km long and it took us around 8.5h (across 2 days) of walking. Of course, due to taking photos and videos it lasted longer than it normally would. Without that part it could have been comfortable 7h, for us. We made sure we have enough water (3L each) due to sunny weather, steep terrain and Biokovo’s lack of sources of water along the trails. Even though we knew there was one by the shelter, we played it safe.

Day 1

Morning

Everything about this trip was in hurry and so was our start. We left Split at 11.20, hit the highway and were at Bast near Makarska at 12:30. We parked the car on the parking lot basically at the beginning of Bast. 10 mins after we were on our way. By the way Bast is one very cute little place in the foots of Biokovo.

From Bast there are two ways to Sv. Ilija. One to the right through Osičine and one to the left through quarry (rock excavation pit). The one through the quarry is probably the hardest and steepest classical hiking trail in Croatia. Originally we were planning on taking that one but due to the lack of time as we started late we chose Osičine which is a bit milder route. The beginning of the trail passes by the church and enters the forest between local houses on a narrow path. As we started getting higher and higher over the rock debris the view started to get better and better.

For those who don’t know or remember, there was a big fire on Biokovo 1.5 year ago. It destroyed large amount of pine tree forest and several marking posts located on trees. 90% of those big logs are still laying there on and off the hiking trail. So apart from not only being steep, the trail was also covered with tree logs to hop over. On the next cross section we turned left for “Kuća”.

Eveninng

We were loosing the sun here and realized that we would finish the hike with barely any light left, but nonetheless we welcomed the beautiful sunset with open arms. There are very few things if any, prettier than a mountain sunset with a sea view. This one is pretty hard to beat.

It was very hard to look away from this scene, so unfortunately after good 15 mins we had to continue forward to our shelter. From the small hunters cabin we turned right and 12 mins later on the next crossroad (we forgot to take a photo) we continued straight and that took us to our shelter located beneath the peak Korenik. The area is known as “Radića stanovi” which are old shepherd houses where people used to bring their cattle for pasture.

Needless to say how absolutely overwhelming the feeling is, when you have finished your first day of hike and all you have to do at that point is to sit back and relax. Relax in peace and quiet with the best piece of art there is just above your head for as far as your eyes can see…

Day 2

Rise and shine. It was time to head to Sv. Ilija peak. The weather was absolutely perfect, even too good for December. Backpack on, camera in place and we were ready to go. Since we slept in the less sunny north side it was a bit chilly in the shade, but luckily there were gaps where the sun rays could reach us, so they kept us warm until we crossed back to the south side again.

Our next stop was “Matijaševića stanovi”. Another set of old shepherd houses and this one looked just as impressive. A complex of drystone house ruins and yet you could still see and feel the soul of the place. The image in my head of how this little stone village looked like hundred years ago was very beautiful, unobtrusive and in complete sync with the environment.

10 meters from this spot was another sign for water source, but as we already had enough we did not need a refill. Also, we heard that it was not the cleanest and safest water to drink, so use it as a last resort.

After 1.5h we reached our goal, the Sv. Ilija peak located at 1642m. The views that arose on all sides were really spectacular. The sky as clear as it can get, temperature around 14 degrees and comfortable breeze that every now and then turns into a gust. Textbook example of a perfect weather on a perfect mountain. Bioko just like Velebit, acts like a climate separator as the sea side has sensitively different micro climate compared to the one on the other. But we were on the top, getting the best from both worlds.

As always, mesmerising views, the ones that Biokovo never lacks in. Overwhelming and unique combination of sea and sharp and aggressive mountains always has a more powerful and admirable look. Sunrises, sunsets, old drystone shepherd houses, cool shelters and beautiful scenery. Biokovo has it all!

Natural 84 km border between Croatia and Bosnia and Hercegovina, the youngest member of “Park of nature” category (since 2021) and the highest mountain in Croatia. Dinara is positioned between the river Cetina in the SW and Livanjsko Polje in the NE. The highest peak (Troglav – 1913 m) of the massive Dinara is located on a mountain Troglav, one of the 3 mountains (Dinara, Kamešnica and Troglav) that create this massive and is located in BiH. Croatians highest point lays on the mountain Dinara and it is called Sinjal (1831 m).

It is mostly recognized for its curvy grass fields, tall and wide eastern cliffs and its absence of trees. It is also famous for the wind bura that often blows hard in this areas. Compared to Velebit for example or Biokovo it is less attractive, but believe us when we say that Dinara has its charm.

Our plan

Our plan for this hike was to reach the highest point, Troglav. Unfortunately, due to very strong bura we had to cancel our ascent to the top on the 2nd day. Even though a bit disappointed we were very happy with our hygge night at the Pume shelter nonetheless.

As we have walked this trail few times before we knew what to expect in terms of terrain and weather. The trail in total was around 24km and in general not very difficult. We could divide it in 3 parts. The first one through the woods, second on the steeper more open terrain and the third follows the wide grass hills to the hut.

Day 1

We started the hike at 10 o’ clock from a small village called Ježević. To the shelter Pume it takes 4.5-6h depending on the tempo. We had enough time so we took it slow and enjoyed the weather. Dinara is huge and very massive. It showed us that at the very start when we stood in front of it. The first part followed the dirt road for 2 km and one portion of it can be covered with a regular car.

After 2 km of dirt road we entered the forest part. The trail was nicely marked with renewed old markings. Also there were new educational boards since the last time we have been here. The weather was perfect, 18 degrees and full sun. Knowing the weather on Dinara, it was unquestionable that snow and bura would cool us down later on.

After Dinara, The Dinarides continue with a mountain called Kamešnica. Another part of the Croatian – Bosnian border. Majority of it lays in BiH with its highest peak at 1856 m called Konj (Horse). The highest point on the Croatian side is called Glavaš (1308 m). We had a pretty good view of it throughout the whole trip indeed.

After the forest, the path goes on in serpentines to cancel out the steeper incline of this part. From here we could see the whole Vrlika area. The artificial Peruča lake layed in the the foothills of Dinara on one side while having mountain Svilaja on the other.

We were slowly getting near the third part. The saddle after which almost always bura blows at least a bit. Fortunately for us this time it didn’t, but the temperature was sensibly lower. We also had to put our crampons as the snow was more frozen here.

The hut

We could already see the hut from here, but we still had 2.5 km to go and we were dying to see the sunset! There was much more snow here and it was such a pleasure walking surrounded by it on all sides. The sun was setting so it wasn’t strong, snow was around us and views as far as your eyes can see. Perfect. Finally, step by step we arrived.

Pume is the Croatians highest hut located at 1630 m and it serves as one of HGSS (Croatian mountain rescue service) operating points. It had all we could need from a shelter and much more if you ask us. Beautiful hut and without a doubt a view to die for.

After a nice cup of hot tea we were blessed with a spectacular sunset. We could watch this every single day forever. What a bedtime story!

Day 2

As mentioned, this is the birth place of bura. It blew the whole night so hard that we felt its force on the shelter walls. In the morning it blew enough to throw a lighter person into a fence. At that point we still considered continuing to Troglav.

30 mins later, bura lifted the snow dust and covered the whole area. Our visibility reached no more than 10 m. Unfortunately we had to cancel our ascent and head back. Needless to say that without gaiters and crampons this would have been a very tricky descent. Besides, you shouldn’t even consider not bringing them in the first place. We waited a bit until the snow dust settles to start the hike down.

It can be annoying sometimes, but it is a valuable experience and part of the mountain folklore. We were reaching the saddle where the wind weakens a bit and enjoyed the views as now we faced the other direction.

Just like we figured, the wind weakened after the saddle and we could take some clothes and soon the crampons and gaiters off. Now all we had to do is to enjoy the Peruča lake for the next 6 km. Tough job.

Once we hit the forest the views stopped. Soon after the dirt road began and needless to say it wasn’t our favourite part since our feet were already a bit sore. Nonetheless we walked those 3 boring kilometres exchanging our thoughts and commenting all the seen beauty.

Despite not being as dynamic as Velebit or having its surroundings alter constantly, Dinara is absolutely beautiful. Different trails and sides of this massive mountain offer different experiences very much worth the walk. We hope you enjoyed our blog and maybe we gave you a push towards visiting this old beauty.

On our last Velebit trip we visited the peak called Sv. Brdo (1751 m). If you haven’t seen it you can check it out here Sv. Brdo: The view that never disappoints. This time we went for a 2 day hike to the highest point of Velebit, the Vaganski peak (1757 m). Although there is only 6 m between them the ambient was very different. As pretty as both trails are, Vaganski peak trail was for us even better.

The hiking trail starts from a place called Veliko Rujno, but to reach Veliko Rujno you require either an off road car or a bit of patience since the road is not the best. We were packed with a lot of patience, so the holes throughout the 6.5 km dirt road we passed with a smile on our face. We parked the car on the side of the road where our trail began and luckily it was there the day after. The trail was 22km in total and not very difficult or steep, so it is recommended to mostly everyone.

DAY 1

Since we knew we would spend the night in a mountain shelter Struge there was no need for an early start. We began our hike at 11:30 and had around 3h of comfortable walk to the shelter. The first part of the trail follows a path through a beautiful autumn like forest. The first day was cloudy, so we had very few sunny moments to take nice photos. But we used our chances.

Morning has its strengths but the sunset always prevails. Nothing beats the golden colours of a setting sun. As the path is very friendly we progress fast. Already within 1.5 hour with all the photo taking we were at half point to the hut. Velebit is a place where you could encounter some wild horses and we were hoping for some. Unfortunately they didn’t show up, but they left hundreds of their smelly regards along the path haha. Cruising through this forest was really relaxing, the ambient and colours were very calming.

Once we hit the clearance from the trees we could see Velika Paklenica canyon. Another national park (since 1949) located in south Velebit called Paklenica combines two stream flow canyons Velika and Mala Paklenica (Big and small Paklenica). Outside the summer time when the water fills the canyons it is very nice to go for a trek following the stream flow. If there is a lot of water then it is best to skip and visit in winter time as it can be very tricky with high and strong flow.

Struge shelter

1.5 km later we arrived at our shelter Struge (1400 m). We still had several hours of light so we used them to collect some dry wood and timber since the previous guest didn’t prepare any for the incoming ones. There are several common sense rules every hiker should follow when visiting huts and shelters:

• Clean the shelter before you leave
• Put things back where they belong
• If you used wood and timber, prepare more for the next hikers if it’s possible. If they are wet, dry them in the stove.
• Do not leave any food that can go bad. Cans are a better option.
• Take the trash with you!

As funny as it may seem, but lot of people don’t follow these rules. There is nothing worse then to enter a messy shelter. Especially in winter time when all you need is some warm fire and there are no woods. If you have the possibility and equipment to do these things, you should. So we managed to collect some dry leaves and after 2h of fighting with the wet timber the fire was finally on. There are few more hygge and cosy images than the one of fire.

To make sure everything doesn’t go according to plan we forgot the candles, so we had to use our headlamps for find our way in the hut. It added to the cosiness. Soon after our delicious dinner we hit the bed as tomorrow Vaganski peak awaited us.

Day 2

Waking up to rays of sunshine hits different, even though the sleep was not the best. It is very difficult to kill the good mood on a mountain.

After a nice morning tea we cleaned the shelter and started our hike for the top. The weather was perfect. A bit chilly, but after few steps warm blood creates the balance. From Struge to Vaganski peak we had around 5 km and 357 m of height gain to cover. Good thing about this trail is that throughout the whole way there were two water sources to restock your water supplies. One in the forest at the start of the trail and one just 20 mins from Struge called Marasovac.

From this point it started getting even more beautiful. 2 km after water resupply we were entering a Lord of the rings like ambient. At least that is how it looked to us. Steep chasms surrounded by vast green colour and skyscraper high reefs. The path that went in a snake looking shape was disappearing between smaller peaks in the distance. All that within next 2.5 km. Stunningly beautiful.

The Vaganski peak

Pictures speak more than words and we don’t think there are words to describe all this. 70 m still to the top and we couldn’t wait to have our lunch and a nice warm cup of tea with the whole horizon on our hands. Last time we were looking at the Vaganski peak from Sv. Brdo, but this time it’s the other way around and we were dying to see it. Take a look at these views.

We were speechless. These views were spectacular. Sitting there connected with nature and soaking each millimetre of endless views all around us. We truly didn’t want to leave. Maybe we are not objective, but so far the prettiest landscape we have seen. After taking as much as possible from these sights we had to head back. 10.5 km was not a lot and especially not on this terrain.

Half way in the return around the same spot where we could see the Velika Paklenica canyon we noticed an interesting rock that could be a potentially very good photo spot. What do you think?

As if this trip was just getting better and better. Sun was slowly setting, so after an hour of enjoying this crazy photo session we headed back. Colours were getting warmer and warmer with each minute. The best way to end a hiking trip is a nice sunset. As we entered the last piece of the trail and got in the forest, that autumn look kicked in again.

And with that this trip was finished. We had absolutely an amazing time. One to remember. We hope you enjoyed our blog trip and these photos at least a fraction of how much we did. Thank you for reading and stay tuned for some future hygge trails of beautiful Croatia.

We chose a beautiful, but quite physically demanding trail. In short, the plan was a 2 day circle hike while passing the Napoleon trail to begin with. By following the Bukovac trail we would reach Šćirovac peak in the afternoon and spend the night in the magical mountain hut PS Pakline to finish off the day. The return to the car was planned for the next day, saving the easiest part for last.

DAY 1

MORNING

Since we were driving from Split we didn’t have to head out too early. There is around 1h to Brela, so we left Split at 7 and arrived around 8. We parked the car in the bushes on the side of a dirt road, took our gear and crossed ourselves in the hope to find the car on the way back.

We started the hike through a small pine tree forest just to come out before a piece of Croatian history. A civil engineering breakthrough of the 19th century called “The Napoleon road”. During a short, but engineeringly effective Napoleon’s reign over Croatia, the French started building. To connect Dalmatia with other parts of the country they came up with a new way of road making. This is one of the best preserved examples of the French road engineering.

Our path onwards took us mainly through the woods and forest for the next 4 km, so we decided to enjoy the view a bit with some photo session.

From the Napoleon road we took the path towards the chapel of Sv. Nikola (St. Nicholas) through a pine tree forest. There is something about those walks under the green pines high enough to create a shade, but their canopy thin enough to still feel the sun. In addition to that, these pine trees had a unique look. They had a wide canopy and not only that, but they were very short. The resin from those trees is called paklina hence the hut’s name Pakline.

AFTERNOON

Upon arrival at the chapel of Sv. Nikola on a small hill Prirovac (527 m) we passed around 4.7 km and still had 13 km to go for the day. The chapel was built in the 14th century in the name of the protector of Brela Sv. Nikola, so it felt like a good spot for another short break before peak Bukovac.

Whenever you are surrounded with views on all sides, every 10 m feel like a whole new view. That is how we felt like on Biokovo. In fact each new step gave us something new to process. Next 3 km we covered 600 m of height straight to the “T” intersection. We took a turn to the peak Bukovac (1,262 m) because those views should not be missed. This obviously gave us a boost for the remaining of the day and we sure did need it.

We went back to the T intersection where we now chose Šćirovac. The first part was a 300 m of height gain in 1 km of distance (average 33% incline) followed by a relatively easy 1.5 km to Šćirovac. From Šćirovac (1619 m) we could see another two important peeks of Biokovo. The middle one from the left is Sv. Ilija (St. Elijah) and the one with the big radio beacon is the highest point of Biokovo, Sv. Jure.

Biokovo is a true definition of Dalmatia. It is pointy, heavy, aggressive and full of uncomfortable stones both at the beaches at it’s foothills and it’s peeks. Yet, it is so damn beautiful and worth all the sweat and blood. The same you could apply to it’s people because we are Impulsive, hasty and on first impression aggressive. But actually heartful, kind and ready to give our blood if you ask for it.

EVENING

From Širovac we covered almost 1 km of height on a very steep and above all uncomfortable terrain. Some parts reminded us of the steep stairs Smeagoll took Frodo and Sam on their way to Mordor. You could really see and feel why Biokovo is a home to chamois (wild goats). It is not that common to spot chamois or let alone come near it as it will run away over those stones like a cheetah. It is insane how agile and quick they are. But the fortune smiles at us for all the hard work so far…

After reaching Topol (957 m) we had around 500 m to cover before entering our last section and some parts were really steep (up to 60% grade). 700 m prior to the intersection and our final climb gave us many problems with the markings. We lost it several times because of poor marking condition, big rocks that fell of and covered the markings or overgrown bushes. At one point we had to break through the vegetation and hope to find the trail on the other side. We did, thanks to the map on my watch. At that moment we already did 15 km on a relatively rough terrain. We were looking at the final 2.5 km out of which 1 km was a steep incline (40% in average).

After 17 long and tiring kilometres the hut “Pakline” welcomed us with this scenery. There was no better reward. The most golden sun, a hygge hut and sea view to die for. Once again it proves to be true, the best things in life are free. Tired as we were, we enjoyed these views for some time before making a quick dinner and calling it a day. A nice sleep awaited us.

DAY 2

MORNING

Imagine, you wake up in a small hut. You go outside and find birds chirping, sun shining and sea as blue as it gets. Only thing you could add to it is a cup of freshly made coffee to match the view.

We were not in a hurry, so we decided to enjoy this lovely day and chill in the nice weather and nature while exploring the area. Some were reading books in the sun, some sunbathing or enjoying the the tasty dry leftovers from yesterday sandwiches. In a place like this it all tastes like a Michelin star restaurant.

AFTERNOON

Time was to head off and we had an easy 5 km of relaxing and beautiful trail back. It was a good idea to leave this for last as it gave us time to enjoy the walk without heavy breaths. Along the way there were still a lot of amazing scenes like “The hollow rock” (Eye of the Biokovo), cute pine tree forest and amazing sunset views.

EVENING

The mountain told us farewell with this amazing sunset. We really could not have had a better trip. Tired as hell, we soaked up the last rays of sunshine over Omiška Dinara and Adriatic sea in the distance and left Biokovo with the best memories. We are coming back!

Our plan this time was a 3 day hike in Bosnia and Hercegovina (BiH) and for that we chose a mountain called Čvrsnica located in the Park of nature Blidinje.

The trail we had in plan was a circle trail starting from Masna Luka close to Blidinje lake. The path would begin next to a St. Elijah church. The first part goes through dirt road and steep forest until we hit an open area surrounded by small hills. Then goes the T-section where we should take the left turn towards another steep part before the peak Pločno. On the way back the straight path would take us to the hut Vilinac. From there we would visit Hajdučka vrata (The Outlaws doors) and the head back to the start in a circle. All in all around 45 km and with some parts being a bit steep.

DAY 1

MORNING

Sadly, my prettier half couldn’t join me on this trip because she got sick the day before, so I had to find another victim, Luka. We left Split around 7 and already 1h later we drove though a Croatian-BiH border crossing called Kamensko. 1.5h drive further from the border we reached our destination at Masna Luka in Blidinje park. As we came with an old Golf 4 we weren’t too scared about someone stealing the car. On the plus side, the car was parked close to a church, so we counted on a low criminal activity in the area (speaking of the irony).

All jokes aside, the church of Sv. Ilija (St. Elijah) and the whole location was indeed radiating with peacefulness and zen. You could really understand why priests come here for a spiritual renewal. It was 10 o’clock and the sun rays escorted us to the beginning of our little adventure. The trail started behind the church following a 1 km pine tree forest before exiting on a wide dirt road.

10 mins into the road lead us to an intersection where we took a turn into the woods again for the peak Pločno. From that point we had 3 km of relatively steep uphill. We covered 500 m of elevation with 35% incline in average. Along the last bits of the uphill, a vertical, sharp and impossible to ignore reef called Ćužića kuk (1,793 m) appeared on our right side. As if someone just took an axe and cut of its face. A dream for any free climber.

AFTERNOON

Our next 4 km were quite opposite from the previous part. Hygge trail, joyful walk and fast pace over small rocky hills and bushes until we reached our second intersection. We covered 7.5 km in 3.5h so far and despite having only 2.5 km left it was not that easy. Not only were we a bit tired already but also that last incline was quite steep.

As we were going up the serpentines of those last 200 steep meters that seemed like kilometres, one thought was going through our head. Damn that soup from a bag will taste good! The house visible on the top is not a mountain hut, but actually a military base with permanent on duty soldiers. Needless to say that rules of conduct in this area must be followed! Finally, we reached the top and after meeting with the soldiers they allowed us to camp in the vicinity of the base.

EVENING

Before setting our tent and making ourselves like home we took advantage of the remaining sun light to take a few proof photos that we actually were here. It was November after all and the sun does set fast. After a small chat and a thank you to the soldiers for letting us stay around we decided it was time to make our beds. The first row from the stars and without a doubt one of the prettiest sights before bed time.

DAY 2

MORNING

Our morning views were just as captivating. Blue tones in addition to valleys filled with fog really made that fresh morning inhale even tastier. While sipping our tea and coffee we observed the whole atmosphere changing from morning blue to yellow as sun was slowly rising.

With our batteries charged we said goodbye to this amazing view and friendly soldiers. Our next point was the mountain hut Vilinac where we spent our second night. The distance from peak Pločno till Vilinac hut was 10 km and much easier path than the day before.

Steep way down took us back to the intersection where we now chose right towards “Peharovi stanovi”. We took advantage of the easy trail and developed a comfortably fast pace.

AFTERNOON

While going through “Janjičari” area thousand little hills looked like small islands sticking out of the sea. 2.5h into our walk brought us to Peharovi stanovi, a picturesque valley just 40 mins from hut Vilinac.

At last, Vilinac hut. Located bellow the peak Veliki Vilinac (2,113 m) it offered wonderful scenery to experience from its 1,885 m height. Even though our hike for the day was still not finished, it felt nice to sit back and rest. Old sandwiches were out while we took pleasure of the view in front!

Such a unique piece of nature this is. Veliki Kuk (The Great Hip) carries the title as the highest rock on Balkan reaching 1,700 m above sea level. Above all an imposing sight. Once we took our break we left the hut for a short 3 km sightseeing walk. We were headed towards Hajdučka Vrata (The Outlaws door – 2,000 m). Hajdučka Vrata is a natural phenomenon created by the hand of mother nature itself, untouched by the human hand.

Undoubtedly the most impressive view we have seen. Such a magnificent sight. The grandiose canyon of the river Diva Grabovica which is more than 1,600 m deep and 6.2 km long blew our minds away. Easily a place we could sit and admire for weeks. Unfortunately we had to leave already as the day was soon coming to an end.

EVENING

Since the hut can be entered only by making a reservation, we decided to sleep in our tent again since it was fully booked for the weekend. Just when we made peace with a chilly night, a rescue came out of the blue. As we were sitting around the fire, the mountain hut host Sabahudin and his friend Muhamed spotted us from the distance and invited us to join them for the evening in the hut. They came the night before to welcome the group tomorrow and once again showed how amazing people in the mountains are. Another big thanks to them!

DAY 3

MORNING

A cosy and warm night gave us a nice rest for our last day. Before heading back to the car we decided to take a quick look of the Veliki Kuk (The Big hip) as it wasn’t a long walk and we just couldn’t resist. When we left the hut the weather was more or less fine and clear, but 20 mins after the fog just covered the whole area.

Unfortunately we didn’t get the clear view from Veliki Kuk, but the fog gave it a cool mystical look! Now the time was to head back. We had 13 km to cover on the way back so we figured that the last few hundred metres would be at night. After we climbed the Veliki Vilinac peak (2,113 m) just above the Vilinac hut, everything was more or less downhill onwards.

1.5 km after descending from Veliki Vilinac we had some problems with the markings of the trail. Having a watch with a preloaded map helps massively!

AFTERNOON

14:30 and a well deserved lunch break. These food making moments in nature always give off the cosiest energy, don’t they? We still had 3h to go, so 15 min break was all we needed.

Once we reached an open view of our start point it hit us. You all know that feeling when some amazing journey is coming to an end and nostalgy just kicks in. As we were going down the forest path we were sharing our experiences and thoughts about the trip we just did. We lead those “Ahhh you remeber when we saw that…” or “damn that view was fascinating!” conversations all the way to the car. We cannot even put into words how amazing this trip and how beautiful Čvrsnica was in all of the 45 km we did in these 3 days. Bosnia is full of it and we are coming back for more!