Tag: Krasic

Mount Stula

Location:
the little hamlet of Prvinci
This is in the heart of nature park Zumberak. The mountain that you see in the second picture can be climbed all the way to the top. I love this mountain for its pyramid size. It is quite a rare shape and a special landmark in the surrounding.
You can start your climb to the top from here

Photo tip: 
I had been coming to this location in 2017 quite a few times. I noticed the wild apple tree. But it was still without leaves. When I came back a little later the blossom started to bloom. But still, I decided to wait until it reached its full glory. That was quite a gamble. For the Spring beauty is always very short and unpredictable. I wanted it to picture the tree with mount Stula in the back. Two great elements in one picture. I just needed it a bit of a cloudy but bright evening so there would not be too much direct sunlight. I needed evening light to have that special warm grazing light effect. Then I noticed the third element. A flock of sheep that would really add even more interest to the picture. Especially since the flock of sheep somehow resembled the wild apple tree in blossom. This was a well-planned picture. It teaches us that lucky shots are just very few. You always need to plan and even wait for the right time and season. In the end, you will be rewarded!

Take a break: 
There are no restaurants and cafe’s near bye. But the village of Krasic is a 15-minute drive and the main square has a variety of some nice cafes with inexpensive coffee.

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.