Unlike yesterday my boots were not frozen due to the thaw at lower elevations, just very wet.
Most of the day was following a route to Krupajsko Springhead sent to me by Planinarsko Drustvo Gornjak (Gornjak mountain association) for which they have my thanks. A picturesque walk with several vista's of the surrounding countryside. I particularly liked a road across some high ground passing several farms, because of the great views but also as it was clear of snow so easy walking. One downside was that the streams were swollen by melt water and I had to ford one that you could normally jump across. No great loss as my boots were already saturated by water due to the melting snow which was taking on a wet, coarsely crystalline form as it thawed and pushed up underneath my gaiters as I pressed into it. On a second brook, a bridge formed by a single log had been provided with a rudely formed handrail for balance. I am glad the handrail did not collapse as I eased my way across!
At Krupajsko Springhead (a national monument) a large volume of water came straight out of a limestone cave. To see it you walk along a narrow concrete "wall" which encloses large numbers of fish swimming against the current (presumably being farmed). After the usual language impass I gained a cup of coffee at the nearby café (?), the lady serving did not understand me but at least she made an effort and another visitor helped.
For the last few hours of my hike, I climbed into the Beljanica mountains, with increasing amounts of snow on the ground. I am now camped on snow. If it thaws too quickly overnight the tent will collapse as the pegs don't reach the soil!
23.2 kilometres today with 1280 metres of ascent. A gpx file of my route can be found on Wikiloc.com, and WanderMap.net. The route can also be downloaded from Viewranger.com as johnpon0027.
Most of the day was following a route to Krupajsko Springhead sent to me by Planinarsko Drustvo Gornjak (Gornjak mountain association) for which they have my thanks. A picturesque walk with several vista's of the surrounding countryside. I particularly liked a road across some high ground passing several farms, because of the great views but also as it was clear of snow so easy walking. One downside was that the streams were swollen by melt water and I had to ford one that you could normally jump across. No great loss as my boots were already saturated by water due to the melting snow which was taking on a wet, coarsely crystalline form as it thawed and pushed up underneath my gaiters as I pressed into it. On a second brook, a bridge formed by a single log had been provided with a rudely formed handrail for balance. I am glad the handrail did not collapse as I eased my way across!
At Krupajsko Springhead (a national monument) a large volume of water came straight out of a limestone cave. To see it you walk along a narrow concrete "wall" which encloses large numbers of fish swimming against the current (presumably being farmed). After the usual language impass I gained a cup of coffee at the nearby café (?), the lady serving did not understand me but at least she made an effort and another visitor helped.
For the last few hours of my hike, I climbed into the Beljanica mountains, with increasing amounts of snow on the ground. I am now camped on snow. If it thaws too quickly overnight the tent will collapse as the pegs don't reach the soil!
23.2 kilometres today with 1280 metres of ascent. A gpx file of my route can be found on Wikiloc.com, and WanderMap.net. The route can also be downloaded from Viewranger.com as johnpon0027.
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| Typical farms |
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| Krupajsko springhead |
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