I cannot believe there is anyone travelling to Dalmatia (unless they are flying) who would fail to notice the massive rock formation towering directly above one of the longest tunnels on the A1 motorway linking Zagreb with the town of Ploče. This formation is called Tulove grede and draws the eye like a magnet.
Tulove Grede is a very impressive limestone karst ridge in the Southern Velebit mountain range, characterised by steep cliffs and towers, deep crevices and, of course, magnificent views. It is approximately 1 kilometre long and reaches a height of 1,120 metres. This area has also been made famous by well-known film sagas such as *Winetou*, which were filmed in these parts. Various folk legends also circulate about the ridge. According to these, dragons were said to have hatched here and invisible Velebit fairies lived here. Another mythical creature said to have lived here is the Black Queen, who brought misfortune. One of the mountain passes in this area – Kraljičina vrata – is said to be named after her.
And for all these reasons, whilst I was in Starigrad, my friend Katka and I decided to climb this ridge.
*Access*
You can reach Pod Tulove grede by car via Majstorská Road, or on foot along the Via Adriatica hiking trail (blue markings). We decided to go by car.
This route begins in the village of Sveti Rok and ends, after passing through the beautiful landscapes of Southern Velebit, above the A1 motorway, where it joins the D547 road, which ends at the D54 – known as the ‘inland route to the sea’ or the ‘old road’. The Majstorska Road is 41 km long and has a surface that is partly tarmac and partly gravel.
The decision to build it was taken in 1819 in Vienna (at that time, this region was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire). Work began in 1825 and, within just two years, a 24-kilometre section had been built from Obrovac via Podprag, Vrhprag and Kraljičina vrata to the Mali Alan pass. The remainder of the road was completed in 1832, after which it was opened to traffic.
Its builder, Josip Kajetan Knežić, must have been a genius. The road winds its way up a steep slope in numerous hairpin bends. Its builders did not have access to modern construction machinery or dynamite, yet they had to blast through mountain faces, route the road through steep gorges, and construct sturdy retaining walls and barriers. Added to this were the natural conditions – the ‘bura’ wind in winter and the hot weather in summer. Despite all this, the steepest gradient on the Majstorska Road is just 5.5 per cent!!!
So it is no surprise that this road is called the ‘Majstorska cesta’. The name derives from the German word ‘Meisterstück’, which means ‘masterpiece’. For a further 100 years, the road served as the main route linking the south and north of Croatia. It was gradually replaced by the ‘old road to the sea, the D54’, and later still by the A1 motorway.
We were travelling from Starigrad, so our route by car was as follows: Starigrad – Rovanjska – Jasenice (D54) – turn-off onto the D547, and after 35 kilometres we found ourselves at the start of the legendary Majstorska Road. On the D547, there is also a ‘curiosity’ well known to football fans – the birthplace of one of the best Croatian and world footballers of today, Luka Modrić. Or rather, the ruins of it. A sign on the road or a commemorative plaque would be a good idea 🙂 .
A gentle ascent begins, during which we can already see the Tulove grede ridge ahead of us, and we still can’t believe it’s possible to climb it without specialist mountaineering equipment.
After a 3-kilometre climb, we stop the car at the Podprag farmstead. This site is notable above all for the Church of St Francis (Crkva Sv. Frane), which was commissioned by the Austrian Emperor Francis I in 1832 in memory of the builders of the Majstorska Road. Opposite the church lie the ruins of a former passenger station, which included an inn, accommodation and a tollhouse. Nearby are two stone memorials bearing inscriptions that recount the dangers that lurked for travellers in the mid-19th century. There are plans to build a visitor and exhibition centre here in the future.
We make our next stop after 3.5 km at the Damir Tomljanović memorial chapel. We are now 200 metres higher up, and this is evident from the views. Damir Tomljanović was a member of the Croatian army who was killed in Velebit in 1994 during the civil war. The numerous memorials in this area serve as a reminder of the horrors of the conflict during the first half of the 1990s.
Another 200 metres and we’ll be at the Vrprag Pass, at an altitude of 856 metres, where there’s a small car park. If you’ve ever been “hooked on Winetou”, the scenery will start to look familiar. It was right here that many scenes from this cult film saga were filmed. As a reminder, there are noticeboards hung on a stone wall featuring photos of Winetou and his friends.
*Hike*
But we’re already getting ready for the steep climb to our destination – Tulove grede. We’re full of anticipation and, after taking a few selfies 🙂 we set off.
After just 350 metres of climbing, we come to a depression that looks like a crater. It isn’t a crater, however; it is the remains of a huge cave whose ceiling has collapsed. To return to the film saga, this is the place where Winetou’s murderer – Santer – met his end. This formation is called Kapljuv and it’s well worth walking around it to explore it. In the future, I plan to return here with a drone and also physically descend to the bottom of the sinkhole.
We walk another 400 metres and suddenly, looking at the map, I realise I’m standing directly above the Sveti Rok road tunnel. It’s a strange feeling ☺. After about 100 metres, we turn right off the blue Via Adriatica route on the ridge and head towards the Tulove grede karst formation.
We arrive at a grassy clearing inside the rocky massif. We take a short break and have a bit of fun taking photos and climbing on the rocks ☺. There are views in every direction. What more could you ask for…
And this is where the more difficult, more dangerous and, in places, exposed climb to the summit of Tulove grede begins.
You need to be careful here; the edges of the rocks are very sharp, and there are lots of crevices that you could slip into. That’s why you need to use all four limbs and stay fully focused.
Yippee, we’re at the top!!! The views are well worth it; the climb was a bit of a thrill – I reckon a safety rope would come in handy up here.
You need to be just as careful on the way down as you were on the way up! Slowly but surely, and above all without any mishaps, we make our way back to the car.
We get into the car and look forward to lunch in Starigrad. We’re particularly looking forward to the chocolate cake, which is absolutely delicious here. To celebrate our successful climb, we’ll raise a glass of wine to the sound of the sea. We’ll enjoy the sunset on the terrace with its panoramic views.
The route from the Vrhprag pass to the summit of Tulove grede and back is approximately 3 kilometres long. If you love rock climbing and aren’t afraid of heights or snakes, then this climb is perfect for you ☺.
If you decide to follow in my footsteps and need advice on accommodation, food, hiking trails or other ways to spend your time in the Paklenica area, please don’t hesitate to contact me via email at ajka@uzisibalkaninak.com, my Facebook page ‘Enjoy the Balkans differently’ or Instagram.
P.S.: All photos are protected by copyright 🙂
