Vrajži prolaz - Zeleni vir

'Vrajži prolaz' (Devil’s passage), 'Zeleni vir' (Green spring) and the cave 'Muževa hiša' were already in 1962 proclaimed special geo-morphological reserves whose area is around 200 acres. The reserve is located in the area of the municipality of Skrad, at 302m-649m above sea level. The specific attraction of the reserve is the lush forest vegetation covering the whole landscape, thanks to which this pearl of the mountain area of Primorsko – goranska County is renowned outside the national boarders.

The reserve can be reached on foot along climbers’ trails or by car via a paved road. This road is not suitable for lager vehicles (buses).

By mountain paths

The first, shorter climbers’ path (30 minutes) is rather craggy and one has to be careful; it starts by the railway station in Skrad, crosses the tracks bound north and follows the tracks some hundred meters to the exit for Zagreb. It is a path with many hairpin-bends, with an altitude difference of around 300 m, it is marked and will lead you to the entrance of the cave source of Zeleni vir.

The second is a somewhat longer path (a 60 minute easy walk through the forest area of Jasle) and starts by the railway station in Skrad. It goes along the paved road bound south, by the power sub-station, crosses the railway tracks and continues along the forest path to the crossroad from where the signs lead to the left along the walking path. The track then descends through the forest to the cave (Muževa hišica) whose entrance is located in the rock above the Jasle stream. In the vicinity of the cave the path continues in the direction of the source of Kupica river.

The third, easiest mountain path, can be reached by car if you take the turn towards the hamlet of Ložac on the road Delnice – Brod na Kupi. After turning, drive to Ložac and continue another hundred meters till the turn to the right onto an unpaved road. Along that road you will reach the parking area. That is where the mountain path begins upstream by the Curak creek. Walking slowly and enjoying the murmur of the stream in some forty minutes you will reach the climbers’ lodge of „Zeleni vir“.

By car

By car you can reach the centre of the reserve and the climbers’ lodge of „Zeleni vir“ taking the paved and marked road that passes through the village of Planina and is some 5km long. You should drive carefully because the road is steep and winding.

ZELENI VIR

‘Zeleni vir’ (345 m) is as strong source located at the bottom of a shallow cave at the foot of a seventy meters high cliff. A cliff that is very colorful and along which, like a white curtain, falls the stream and sprinkles the cave’s entrance with thousands of water drops. The source was named after the emerald-green water of the small lake whose source in the cave cannot be seen. The waters of the lake, through a small dam, enter into an underground channel that brings the water up to the water power-plant built in 1921, which is the first water power-plant built in Gorski kotar.
In the vicinity of the power-plant there is a nice climbers’ lodge with a restaurant offering local dishes like venison, blueberry cakes and the famous Skrad strudel. In the lodge, besides the catering facility, you can also find the accommodation in nicely decorated rooms in the attic. The excursion to ‘Zeleni vir’ is best accompanied with the visit to the Devil’s passage (Vrajži prolaz).

'VRAJŽI PROLAZ' AND 'MUŽEVA HIŠA'

Among the natural beauties, which are abundant in the area of Skrad, ‘Vrajži prolaz’ (Devil’s passage) is truly peculiar. It is one of the most beautiful Croatian canyons full of wild, romantic beauty. Through a narrow gorge, barely two meters wide, among rocks that are close to a hundred meters high, murmurs the mountain stream Jasle. Above the stream, on supports cut into the rock, galleries and bridges have been made for excursionists. All around there are steep cliffs and below one’s feet rumbles the foamy stream. You can only imagine how an excursionist feels… The path among the noisy elements ends at the foot of the cave ‘Muževa hiša’ where long ago the inhabitants used to hide before the Turks. An ample hallway, 200 m long, leads you into the depth of the cave, at which end there is a small hall with a lake. In the cave there are a few stalagmites and stalactites, and the temperature of the water and air is a constant 8ºC. Explorers of the cave have found here the rarest example of our fauna – the olm. For an in depth exploration of the cave you should bring a torch-light.