Istrian mountain trail
For some months now Rafael and I have been collecting the control points of the Istrian mountain trail. The trail takes you through 200 kilometers of Istrian countryside and through all the main summits of Ćićarija, a long hilly plateau, and Učka, the Istrian mountain range. There are 27 control points, and so far we managed to collect 22 of them, including the two on this hike.
We were really set on hiking even though the forecast was rain and storms, so we decided to make it a short hike. The circular route to two of the control points was the perfect choice: even if it started to rain, we could get to the car in a relatively short time, and there were no steep climbs that might become too slippery in the rain. The hike was almost 9 kilometers long, with 490 meters uphill, and it took us two and a half hours to complete. We would have probably taken more time to enjoy the route and the views, had it not been for the wind and the last half hour in the rain.
The hike
As we started walking, we could hear thunder, and the thunder and lightning continued throughout the hike, mostly to the north. After reaching the peak Kremenjak, the first of our control points, the trail turned us in the direction of the storm, and for an hour we were able to see the storm travel north of Učka’s highest peak Vojak, and over te city of Rijeka. It was as if we had the best seats in the house to see the grand opera of the sky! Even better than that, because of all the special effects like the amazingly wonderful air and the wind that brought a few raindrops that far south.
Amazing views
This relatively short hike offers amazing views in all directions. The first great viewing point is the peak Kremenjak, from where you can see the sea, the island of Cres, the ridge with the peak Sisol to the south and the plains and hills of central Istria to the west. As the trail brings you closer to Brgud, a spectacular view opens to the main ridge of mountain Učka with the peak Vojak.
Ok, I am convinced! Učka it is, as soon as we come back from the south! :-)