17.8.: In the valley of the river Krupa.
By chance, I found a tour description for this day trip - thanks to Peter Übleis. We drive back to Maslenica, then along the Velebit mountains and to a very remote small car park, having been nearly full at 10:30, with 7 cars.
A first glimpse into the valley of the river Krupa.
A steep, stony path leads down into the valley.
The downstream valley.
Our desitnation is the bridge called Kudin Most. This bridge is built of of travertine with 12 separate arcs, at the turn from 18th to 19th century. The legend says that it was built by a wedding party to enable Kuda, a young man from Kastel Zegarski, to meet his bride from Golubic.
The Krupa valley is rather wide here. The river flows through many lakes and waterfalls, similar to the much more known areas of Plitvice and Krka.
Click here or into the picture for a larger display.
Arrived at the valley floor, we first turn to the right to walk the oval, flat grassland, to look at the waterfalls beneath the bridge.
The grassland forms a small peninsula within the lake beneath the bridge.
Panoramic view of the lower lake. Click here or into the picture for a larger display.
Looking downstream. The next natural dam is at the river bend.
Back at the bridge. This seems to have been a house.
Looking from the bridge to the lower lake, ...
... with a few small dams in front.
A large lake above the bridge, the left one seen from above before.
The natural barrages with the view to the lower lake.
View upstream from the bridge.
Panoramic picture of the bridge"Kudin Most na Krupi". Click here or into the picture for a larger display.
Kudin Most
Several big and small waterfalls flowing onto the upper lake.
The river bed is rather wide here, so one easily could wade to the other side. Click here or into the picture for a larger display
A short leg upstream.
Another path leads along the river on the opposite side, in this location interrupted by a short ferrata along the rock wall - with iron arcs and a steel rope to hold on.
Flat river bed, flooded in high water times.
Back at the upper lake.
Another short walk along the river on the opposite (southern) side ...
... coming very close to the wonderul waterfalls beneath the bridge, collecting their water to the lower lake.
Approaching the river bend ...
... just cross this large grassland ...
... and we enther the mosdt beautiful part of the river dale.
Dried waterfall with stalagmites ...
... and a small cave.
Here, the Krupa is narrower, flowing between bushes, ...
... and through small lakes ...
... and small waterfalls, where you can sit down beneath and let you flow over with the water.
Bathing is a real delight here.
Back over the meadow ...
... and the bridge ...
... and ascending in scorching heat.
A view to our bathing place from above, ...
... and a bit zooming in.
We spend the evening in moonlight at the beach ...
... and look over to Zadar.
The lighthouse lit by the moonlight.
