On our way to Asia we visit Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the European Balkans.
Our first stop is Una National Park with its rugged roads, historic castles and thundering rivers.
Una National Park
We decide to spend a few days in the Una National Park with its vast forests, challenging mountain hills and raging rivers.
The Una river largely forms the western border between Bosnia and Croatia.
In this season, Autumn 2022, the river is swollen and runs rapidly in the Una valley of the National Park.
Castles
Many castles and old towns are situated on top of strategic hills. We visit Stari Grad Ostrovica that rises high above our lodging town of Kulen Vakuf.
We follow the indicated road from main road R 408. It leads up a steep road that later transforms into an unpaved track of which we wonder whether this is really intended for driving with a car. Our Milady Landy is in its element of course, and we love to drive this trail.
The Castle is no more than a ruin, but we have a beautiful view over the town of Kulen Vakuf and the Una Valley.
Waterfalls
In the Una NP three rivers flow together. The Krka river flows into the Una river near the Croatian border, eventually joining with the Unac river at Martin Brod.Together they form numerous waterfalls.
The Strbaki Buk waterfall is the largest and most famous waterfall in the park. In the summer there is even rafting on this huge flood of river water.
We are lucky with the autumn weather, several days of rain have made the river swell and the waterfall is enormous.
A lesser known fall but in this season even more impressive is the Martin Brod waterfall. The water thunders of several cliffs and finds its way between bushes and trees. The spray of the water dampens our clothes and glasses.
Off Road trails
From the Martin Brod waterfall we find our way south into the National Park. The trail we follow leads along a railway track on one side and the Una river on the other side. Much of the river forms the border between Bosnia and Croatia.
The track is challenging, steep and rocky. Some parts are slippery because of the rain that has fallen in recent days.
We come across two locals who take the trail in the opposite direction. This way we know for sure that this trail will come to an end.
Remembering the 1990’s war
The history of the break-up of former Yugoslavia is still visible in the landscape, the ruinous houses and the numerous cemeteries we pass on our travels.
Many smaller and larger cemeteries remind us of the war that was fought in these Balkan countries from 1991 to 2001. This region was the scene of fierce fighting from 1991 to 1995.
The war graves are scattered in the landscape throughout the park.
We are surprised, however, that there is still dangerous evidence of this so long after the war.
Water crossings
The Una river has swollen and overflows the river banks in many places. The bridge near Martin Brod has been replaced by a temporary Bailey Bridge. The collapsed edges of the old bridge are still visible.
The second bridge we cross is more challengeing. The stone pillars are heavily attacked by the thundering water and the road deck is no more than some timber beams and planks.
It takes some persuasion to cross this bridge. But after a short inspection by Gert Jan we decide to use the newly constructed bridge deck.
Here we fully experience the swollen river, two mountain streams flow over the trail and we hesitate to cross this section.
The end of the track
We finally reach the end of the track following the railway line and the river. We can cross the railway at the old border station.
The trail through the forest leads us to a plateau with some houses, we are back in the inhabited world.
We follow our OSMAnd GPS map and take white roads on the map, expecting that they will be paved or at least more civilized roads.
At the town of Drvar we reach the main road and we can drive back to Kulen Vakuf via the R-408.