Tag: hiking path

Slapnica nature reserve

   Location: Slapnica
If you love a wonderful hike through dense forest and you want to avoid the heat on a hot sunny day or the usual crowd at Plitvice then try this wonderful hidden gem. It is a 10-minute drive away from Krasic and easy to reach by car. You can walk all the way from the quarry (park your car there) to the old watermill where grandma “Nada” and her dog and sheep reside. She has her own private waterfall in her backyard!
The path is very easy and absolutely not demanding. No steep climbs. You walk along the creek and you are accompanied by the beautiful sounds of the rushing water and some very nice waterfalls. There are two waterfalls that take you off the track. They are called Brisalo and Vranjak. There are signs that help you find them. One of them is a bit hard to reach. The road is unpaved. You can also drive it with a four-wheel-drive car. In total it is 9 kilometres.

You can extend your hike by taking a right at the watermill by taking the road to the almost abandoned village of Pecno. From there you walk to Rude Pribicki (great views!) and you head back to the main road at Svrzevo. If you want to do this long hike please consider a full day. (but it is worth it)

    Warning: 
The bridge before the quarry has no safety railings. Be careful!
Please make sure not to block the lorry trucks when you park your car. The starting point for such a beautiful nature reserve might seem a bit odd, but you are definitely in the right place 🙂

   Photo tips: 
➨   Waterfalls are best after some rainy days, there is more water!
➨   Avoid direct sunlight as it makes the water beams too bright to handle later on in photoshop.
➨   Use a tripod in order to have a low shutter time and create this “milky effect”.
➨   Do some clean up of branches that might disturb your picture.
➨   Take boots so you can stand in the water.
➨   Look for some boulders like in the first picture and some colourful leaves. They really add a great atmosphere to your picture.
➨   Some late afternoon light in the background is highly recommendable.
➨   Personally, I prefer using a wide-angle when I take pictures of lakes, rivers, and waterfalls.

   Take a break: 
The nearest place for refreshments is the great restaurant “Zumberacki Raj”. The restaurant is in the heart of the nature park in a very idyllic setting. They serve a simple but delicious meal of fresh brook trout, potatoes (3 choices), and fresh salad. They also offer some other meat dishes.

The little village of Vrhovac

Location: 
   Vrhovac (near Ozalj)
The village of Vrhovac is located in the hilly area of the Zumberak Mountains. It is located only five minutes from Ozalj. I personally love this village for the many lovely vineyards and small “klets” (wine sheds). It is an ideal starting point for a simple walk. You can start your walk at the church. There are signs that show you the way.

You can park your car at the church and a little further there is a nice cafe. Just drop in because some of my photos can be seen there. Next to the cafe, there is a small supermarket where you can buy the necessary provisions. The route also passes a beautiful stretch of the Kupa River. In good weather, you can go for a swim.

   Take a break: 

The homestead of Culig is a wonderful place to taste some real homemade food. The location itself is ideal for landscape photography.

   Photo tip: 
The human element and influence in the landscape make the landscape picture more interesting. This is what I appreciate so much about Croatia. The area around Vrhovac has many little chapels and churches and they really serve as a very welcome object in many of my pictures. This picture shows that even a dull morning without any direct sunlight can be a good photo opportunity. I like the dark grey/blue sky. The great thing about Spring is that for a period of 10-14 days the green colors are not so boring and overwhelming. In this picture, the fresh leaves are just opening up whilst there is still a lot of brown branches around. It adds great “freshness” to the picture. Take that same picture two weeks later and it is much less interesting. Take it two weeks earlier and it will be too brown. Because of the lack of sunlight, the picture almost becomes a pastel painting. I really like the fact that the little sandy road that is part of the walking trail catches the attention and leads you to the main topic of this picture; the church.