My phone drowned in the Treskavica showers and I had to take a zero to buy a new one (no phone, no blogs…). At six in the morning a bus runs from Kalinovik to Sarajevo and it returns at four in the afternoon, which gave me a few hours to arrange the phone, charge and set it up.
On the road to nowhere
Asking the bus driver to drop me off just outside of Kalinovik confuses him and another passenger. ‘This is the road to nowhere’. He really doesn’t get me (probably not a hiker) and doesn’t want me to leave the bus. I firmly get up and out, waving happily at them while they drive off.
The first 10 km’s or so out off Kalinovik go through hills and meadows where I find a good flat, somewhat dry and somewhat insect-free spot for bivouac. The next morning getting up and out of my warm and comfortable sleeping bag is challenging. Ending me up with a late start at around nine. The weather, with a little below 100% humidity, doesn’t help.
The hike up to Lelija turns up being wet, misty and windy. Out here there’s lots of markings and signs of previous hikers making it a fast and easy hike. On my way down to Štirinsko Lake I meet the first hikers since the day leaving Sarajevo; a large group of Czechs on a camping trip going in the opposite direction. From the lake the markings get scarce, but due to the landscape navigating isn’t very challenging. Oh and if there’s no mist spectacular views are out here!
Lovacka kuća
Because of the rainy weather I quit hiking today upon arriving at Lovacka kuća, which is closed (open by arrangement), but the large veranda (with table and benches) seems like a ****accommodation out here and with this kind of weather. It must, at least, be more comfortable than camping at the cold and windy lake just down the road. I get into my comfi sleeping bag early, ending this day like I started it this morning.
An almost encounter with Eva, fellow Dinarica hiker, Dutchie and blogger. Hiking the second part of this stage starts misty, windy and rainy: just like yesterday, only with better views.
The hike up on Zelengora’s highest mountain, Bregoč, is easy and when entering my name in the register I realize I barely ran into fellow hiker and blogger Eva.
It being windy and chilly there’s one thing to do: hike on. And that’s what I do. Slowly the clouds move and patches of blue appear in the sky and I get to enjoy the surroundings while hiking to Donje Bare.
At the hut I get to speak Dutch for the first time since leaving the low countries six weeks ago; there’s Dutchies staying at the hut. At the nearby picknick area a log is left burning in the fire ring. I collect wood and make a big campfire to dry my trail runners and warm my feet.
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This blog has been written on trail and on a mobile phone.
