One day trip to Dušice - Velebit

Have you decided to spend your vacation away from all the bad news, away from the crowds that are no longer recommended because it is not “healthy”? Do you want warm and hot days but pleasant cool nights with a good night’s sleep because it needs to be well covered and where the air conditioning serves no purpose?

This is the destination Lovinac - Lika!

I will briefly tell you about our trip to Velebit yesterday, which we ended up swimming in Lake Sveti Rok and spent the night under a winter blanket!

The morning meeting at the Spring of Wisdom in Sveti Rok at the very beginning of the beautiful Majstorska Cesta - Master Road took place in a cheerful mood because the view of Velebit promised us the day we had hoped for. Driving up the Majstorska Cesta is an experience in itself - the fact that it was built in 1832 and that it has been telling the story of renters, travelers, traders, and adventurers for 188 years! All these years it stands firmly as a witness of a time that means nothing to it and is an invaluable wealth for us.

Our first stop was at Trišnja - used to be a huge cherry tree but is no longer there, but all the locals will describe to you this small crossroads where the road separates for Mile Vode and the main one continues for Mali Alan. We decided to leave the car in deep shade. We have a 2 and a half-hour walk to Dušice.

So you would understand what I'm talking about - Dušice is at 1260 m above sea level, pastures at the foot of Sveti Brdo where shepherds brought cattle in early summer and stayed until early autumn. Even today, there are shepherd's apartments - renovated Jurjević apartments - where they lived throughout their stay on the mountain. The name Dušica originates from the 17th century and according to the legend in which the Turks kidnapped children and took them across Velebit in Lika.

We left Sveti Rok at an already high temperature and got out of the car on a temperature ideal for walking. The entire marked hiking trail that led us to our destination is through a dense forest that is hard to describe in words. The sound of the breeze in the canopy, the singing of the birds, and our footsteps. The hours flew by and we broke out into a meadow that opened up a view of Sveto Brdo surrounded by endless pastures. A goal worth every step and moment.

We spiced up the return by picking wild strawberries. Festival of flavors and aromas!

We ended the day happy and fulfilled, enriched by the experience that only preserved nature can give by planning our next conquest of Southern Velebit.