A big descent into green, steep sided, wooded valleys which I followed to Zavojsko Jezero (Zavojsko Lake).
Breakfast was another large meal following three yesterday so my tummy was well rounded as I descended from Babin Zub into the valley of the Rekitsa river, passing streams tumbling down the hillside in miniature waterfalls. The Rekitsa valley took me to the village of Topli Do which mainly consisted of empty houses and notices of people who had died. No barking dogs, just the occasional clink of distant cows bells. The dusty shop still had bags of crisps, packets of biscuits and bottles of pop, but it looked a long time since anything had been weighed on its old fashioned scales. A sign from Topli Do pointed the way to various impressive looking waterfalls a few hours walk uphill. Hopefully I will revisit the area someday, see some of these falls and traverse some of the high, open ridges but today I headed down the valley of the Toplodolska.
My route today was very clear in "Rambling through Serbia" and led me down a tarmac road beside the river. In my planning I thought traffic might be a problem but in two hours on the road only an old fashioned Renault 4, a Zastava and a six wheeled lorry passed (the lorry was matt green, short and squat, with large wheels, the type of thing that went up rutted forest tracks to fetch logs). The river, a tributary of the Tempska, carved its way through red sandstone (similar to the Old Red Sandstone of Devonian age in Britain), with small falls and lots of white water. It was generally hidden by the trees lining the road. In places where the valley grew narrow large promontories of rock squeezed the road higher up the valley sides.
I left the road I was following and walked up a valley joining from the east. This track would lead me to Zavojsko Jezero but first I had to ford the river I had been following. I removed my socks and replaced my boats, rolled up my trousers and prudently packed away my socks, camera, wallet and GPS in one of the dry bags I had for all my other belongings. Prudently, because as I splashed across slippery boulders in knee deep water I lost my balance. Catching myself with my hands I made my trousers and the front of my tee shirt wet. Later in the year I am sure crossing would be less of a problem. I walked on with my wet clothes letting the warm sun dry them out.
The lake was originally created by a landslip in 1963 displacing the local population. It was later drained and a dam built for hydroelectricity. Fortunately no signs or barriers stopped me crossing the dam and I continued along the road and then a track near the lakeside.
I had imagined camping by the lake but either the land fell steeply into the water or the lakeshore was occupied by boats, caravans or fishermen. The later also had little floating, wooden cabins moored on the lake. So I camped in what I thought was a nice, quiet spot in a flattish clearing in the woods. First I was attacked by mosquitoes, and now retreating into my tent to avoid bites I am listening to a load motor doing something with occasional accompaniment by a barking dog.
31.9 kilometres walked today, mainly downhill descending 1380 metres. A gpx file of my route can be found on wikiloc.com or the route can be downloaded from Outdooractive.
Breakfast was another large meal following three yesterday so my tummy was well rounded as I descended from Babin Zub into the valley of the Rekitsa river, passing streams tumbling down the hillside in miniature waterfalls. The Rekitsa valley took me to the village of Topli Do which mainly consisted of empty houses and notices of people who had died. No barking dogs, just the occasional clink of distant cows bells. The dusty shop still had bags of crisps, packets of biscuits and bottles of pop, but it looked a long time since anything had been weighed on its old fashioned scales. A sign from Topli Do pointed the way to various impressive looking waterfalls a few hours walk uphill. Hopefully I will revisit the area someday, see some of these falls and traverse some of the high, open ridges but today I headed down the valley of the Toplodolska.
My route today was very clear in "Rambling through Serbia" and led me down a tarmac road beside the river. In my planning I thought traffic might be a problem but in two hours on the road only an old fashioned Renault 4, a Zastava and a six wheeled lorry passed (the lorry was matt green, short and squat, with large wheels, the type of thing that went up rutted forest tracks to fetch logs). The river, a tributary of the Tempska, carved its way through red sandstone (similar to the Old Red Sandstone of Devonian age in Britain), with small falls and lots of white water. It was generally hidden by the trees lining the road. In places where the valley grew narrow large promontories of rock squeezed the road higher up the valley sides.
I left the road I was following and walked up a valley joining from the east. This track would lead me to Zavojsko Jezero but first I had to ford the river I had been following. I removed my socks and replaced my boats, rolled up my trousers and prudently packed away my socks, camera, wallet and GPS in one of the dry bags I had for all my other belongings. Prudently, because as I splashed across slippery boulders in knee deep water I lost my balance. Catching myself with my hands I made my trousers and the front of my tee shirt wet. Later in the year I am sure crossing would be less of a problem. I walked on with my wet clothes letting the warm sun dry them out.
The lake was originally created by a landslip in 1963 displacing the local population. It was later drained and a dam built for hydroelectricity. Fortunately no signs or barriers stopped me crossing the dam and I continued along the road and then a track near the lakeside.
I had imagined camping by the lake but either the land fell steeply into the water or the lakeshore was occupied by boats, caravans or fishermen. The later also had little floating, wooden cabins moored on the lake. So I camped in what I thought was a nice, quiet spot in a flattish clearing in the woods. First I was attacked by mosquitoes, and now retreating into my tent to avoid bites I am listening to a load motor doing something with occasional accompaniment by a barking dog.
31.9 kilometres walked today, mainly downhill descending 1380 metres. A gpx file of my route can be found on wikiloc.com or the route can be downloaded from Outdooractive.
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| Largely abandoned village of Topli Do |
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| Toplodolska river |
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| Zavojsko Lake |
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