Tag: Gorski Kotar

Brod Moravice in Gorski Kotar

   Location:   Brod Moravice
Brod Moravice is a small village located in the heart of Gorski Kotar. Above the village is a hilltop with magnificent views over the Gorski Kotar mountain range. This is one of my favourite photo locations and a place where you can just sit, relax, and enjoy the wonderful surrounding.

   Take a break: 
There are no restaurants in Brod Moravice. There is a small supermarket for restocking your supplies and there is a coffee bar.

   Take a walk:
You can walk from the village and climb the steep hill to the little chapel of  Sveti Andria. For this walk park your car here and choose the unpaved gravel road left of the main road. the walk will take about 15 minutes.
You can also choose to drive to Gornji Kuti and park your car near the hunters lodge and take the narrow gravel road to the top of the hill. Park your car here and take the gravel road on the left side. This walk takes about 10 minutes.

    Photo tips: 
It is always a guess to what level the mist will rise in the morning. But most of the time the mist lingers in the village itself and the top of the hill is bathing in bright sunlight. Make sure to come at least 20 minutes before sunrise. The sky will mostly change its colours rapidly and that makes it the most interesting time of the day. The mist quickly changes its patterns, it comes and goes; it hides and reveals. So make sure to take as many shots as you can. Soon the sun will be too bright and the mist will lose its depth and becomes flattened and uninteresting. So try to make the best of this early bird situation. Make sure to enjoy the fresh air, the sounds of the birds and the great view itself.

Klanac at the Kupa river

   Location:  The Kupa river at Klanac
   Short video impression

From the main road heading to Rijeka or Karlovac, turn into the village of Klanac at the restaurant Mirni Kut.
Turn right and drive down the hill until you reach the river. The road is not visible in google maps but has lately been paved and widened so no worries!
There are some unorganized parking places. Avoid weekends.

Definitely one of the loveliest a beautiful spots on river Kupa. In the early days, the Kupa river had many watermills. Most of them have withered and nowadays only the remains can be found. Nevertheless, the artificial waterfall at Klanac is very beautiful and when the water is low you can walk to the other side of the river and visit the little hamlet of Damelj, Slovenia.
The village is an ideal setting for morning photography. There is not just the waterfall that is very photogenic. About 200 meters upstream you can spot a very nice old watermill that is still in good shape. The village next to Klanac is Damalj (see picture 2). The church and the old houses make it a very picturesque place. The Kupa itself is sleepy, dreamy and fairytale-like at this location.

   Take a walk:
You can consider a short walk from the Kupa river at Klanac to the next village of Damalj. It is very easy just walk through the fields. There is a pathway that leads you to the village.
The second option is just to follow the course of the river till the next waterfall and even further. The road is narrow and unpaved but easy to walk.

   Take a break: 
There are picnic benches at the riverside and a grill.
Up in the village is the traditional restaurant of Mirni Kut
The next village of Severin na Kupi has a small grocery store and two coffee bars and a gas station. This village also hosts one of the many Frankopan castles in Croatia.

    Photo tip: 
Klanac is famous for the morning mist. In fact, every time I come there during late Summer, Autumn, Winter and early Spring there is morning mist. The mist adds so much more atmosphere to a picture. Sunlight comes into the Kupa valley about an hour after sunrise. Even though the Autumn colours are much more attractive this location is an all year round photo hot spot.
Watch the local weather report (I can highly recommend the YR app) for weather circumstances.

 

Zeleni Vir canyon

Location
   Zeleni Vir – Skrad, Gorski Kotar
You need to be a kind of a daredevil to take the narrow roads deep into the canyon of Zeleni Vir. It is quite scary to drive.

   Take a walk: 
There are some nice waterfalls in this nature reserve and you can hike over wooden footpaths and bridges. A fantastic experience.

   Take a break: 
During the summer season, there is a “planinarski dom”(mountain hut) near the entrance that serves food and drinks.

   Photo tip: 
If you want to take pictures of waterfalls always take your tripod and choose a low shutter time for that special effect. Avoid bright and direct sunlight as the contrast of the white water and the nearby surrounding is just too much to handle in one picture.