No, don’t worry, I’m not going to give you a lecture on the Solar System. The name “Life on Mars” refers to a network of running and hiking trails on the beautiful Croatian island of Pag, more specifically near the village of Metajna, which is just a short drive from the major tourist resort of Novalja. The “Life on Mars” network includes four hiking sections with a total length of 16 km. It also features Croatia’s first coastal via ferrata, also named “Life on Mars,” which is 100 meters long and rated at difficulty level D/E. I don’t consider the via ferrata dangerous, since it runs just above the water—so even if you fall, you’ll just take a dip in the sea. However, it’s actually quite challenging, since you traverse almost the entire route in a backward-leaning position and have to rely mainly on your hands.
*Metajna*
A few words about the resort town of Metajna. It is a tiny village located at the end of Pag Bay; the road ends here, and from there you can only continue on foot. It is a relatively young village; its history dates back only to the early 18th century, when two Croatian fishing families settled here.
Metajna is also popular for its wild beaches, where—if you’re lucky—you’ll have them all to yourself even during the high season. Although the village has its own beach, the truly beautiful ones are a few meters away—or, in some cases, kilometers away. The best-known beaches are Ručica, Beritnica, and Slana, but there are, of course, many more.
And we mustn’t forget the beautiful “lunar” landscape that surrounds Metajna. It is precisely through this landscape that the trails included in Life on Mars wind their way.
*My little self on the “Life on Mars” route*
In the morning, I parked my car in the large parking lot by Ručica Beach, which is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island of Pag. The weather was perfect for this kind of trip… the sun was shining, occasionally obscured by a passing cloud. I was looking forward to the beautiful views. These feelings were further enhanced by the sight of the sea, which reflected every shade of blue. Here, too, it was a sight fit for the gods—or, in my case, for the Goddess 🙂 .
From Ručica Beach, the trail began to climb into the hills. The ascent wasn’t difficult; the terrain was mostly rocky, and the trail alternated between ascents and descents. It was fascinating for me to see the sea and wild beaches on one side and massive mountain ranges, such as Visoka Strana (205 m), on the other.
I come to a massive rock formation, alongside which the road winds its way to Beritnica Beach—another beautiful beach.
Since I was looking forward to the via ferrata, I decided to continue along the Life on Mars trail and not descend to Beritnica Beach. I plan to return there in the summer. In the distance, I can already see one of the landmarks of my journey—the Stogaj rock massif, which I’ve affectionately nicknamed “The Cathedral” and which is known for having several climbing routes. As I get closer to “The Cathedral,” I find myself more and more fascinated by it. Only one thought comes to mind: how small a person really is… 🙂
I continue along the red trail toward Slana Bay and Beach, and I can’t get enough of the views.
This beautiful place also hides a tremendous tragedy… During World War II, a men’s concentration camp was built right above the bay; it was part of the Ustaše network of concentration camps. The camp was established in June 1941 and covered an area of approximately 5 hectares. The first group—30 Jews from Zagreb—was interned in the camp on June 20, 1941. The camp existed for only a few months, but thousands of Jews, Serbs, and Croats who did not support the Ustaše regime perished there (the estimated number of victims is approximately 12,000). Please, God, never let this happen again :´-( .
*Via Ferrata*
As I approach Slana Beach and see dark clouds in the sky, I feel a little uneasy because I think I heard thunder in the distance. I tell myself that can’t be possible, because the forecast didn’t call for a storm. I slowly make my way down to the beach toward the via ferrata and can’t wait to get geared up. When I reached the beach, I set my things down in a rock alcove and began preparing to start the via ferrata. I gradually take items out of my backpack. First, I put on my helmet to take a few selfies. After this little ritual of mine, I went to take the harness out of my backpack, but lo and behold, it wasn’t there. I only had a fall arrest device and carabiners. Now what? Just then, like a bolt from the blue—literally a bolt of lightning from the now-overcast sky—it struck. I’ve been through storms in open terrain before, and I have to admit, they really scare me.
*The Way Back*
This time, I moved at lightning speed—I packed up my things in a flash and set off on the way back. The raincoat from Switzerland served its purpose 100%. I turned off my cell phone just to be safe, and I won’t lie—I even prayed on the way and shed a few tears. There was nowhere to hide—there were only rocks everywhere. You can probably guess that I don’t have any photos from this stretch… .
*…and after the rain, the sun always comes out…*
In this case, the sun didn’t come out, but at least the storm had passed. So I turned on my phone and took a selfie to see if it was still me 🙂 .
*Back to Ručica Beach*
The beach scenery is beautiful in any weather—see for yourself…
This route was very short, measuring about 6.5 kilometers. Normally, you can complete it in two hours, but thanks to the storm, my time was much, much faster. The hike around Slana Bay isn’t difficult at all; almost anyone can do it. So don’t wait—go for it 🙂 … By the way, I made sure to be prepared this time, and when I got back to the car, a chilled Pilsner was waiting for me—just in time.
On my way to Starigrad, where I was staying, I stopped to watch some donkeys grazing. I have to say, they were very photogenic and used to people.
If you decide to follow in my footsteps and need advice on accommodations, food, hiking trails, or other ways to spend your time on Pag island, feel free to contact me via email at ajka@uzisibalkaninak.com, my Facebook page “Enjoy the Balkans differently” or Instagram.
