Devil's passage and Green vortex
Green spring (345 m) is a powerful source of water at the bottom of a shallow cave which is located at the foot of seventy meters high, colorful layered rock series which, like a white curtain, crashes stream showering entrance thousands of droplets. Named after the emerald - green water pond whose source in the cave is not eevn noticable.
Near the hydroelectric plant there is a nice excursion home and a restaurant that serves local dishes of Gorski Kotar.
Among the natural advantages which nature has generously donated to the surroundings of Skrad, Devil's passage holds a special place. It is one of the most beautiful Croatian canyons, full of wild romance. Through a narrow gorge, barely two meters wide, and among rocks hundred meters high flows a wild humming mountain stream named Jasle. Above it, on the carriers cut into solid rock, the galleries and bridges have been made for enjoyment of walking around the steep cliffs, and in depth, under the feet of passengers - roars a foamy stream. The path through the noisy maelstrom ends at the foot of the entrance to the cave Muževa kuća.
Devil's passage and Green vortex
Region: Gorski Kotar
Nearest town: Rijeka
Content: Nature
Devil's passage, Green vortex and caves Muževa kuća, even as far back as 1962, were declared a special geomorphological reservation with area of about 200 ha. Today the area of the Green vortex is considered as category of protected landscape. It is located in the Municipality of Skrad, at an altitude of 302-649 m. A special attraction of the reserve is the lush forest vegetation which clothed the whole landscape.
Green spring (345 m) is a powerful source of water at the bottom of a shallow cave which is located at the foot of seventy meters high, colorful layered rock series which, like a white curtain, crashes stream showering entrance thousands of droplets. Named after the emerald - green water pond whose source in the cave is not eevn noticable.
Near the hydroelectric plant there is a nice excursion home and a restaurant that serves local dishes of Gorski Kotar.
Among the natural advantages which nature has generously donated to the surroundings of Skrad, Devil's passage holds a special place. It is one of the most beautiful Croatian canyons, full of wild romance. Through a narrow gorge, barely two meters wide, and among rocks hundred meters high flows a wild humming mountain stream named Jasle. Above it, on the carriers cut into solid rock, the galleries and bridges have been made for enjoyment of walking around the steep cliffs, and in depth, under the feet of passengers - roars a foamy stream. The path through the noisy maelstrom ends at the foot of the entrance to the cave Muževa kuća.
Nature Park Škarline
Region: Istra
Nearest town: Pula
Content: Nature park
To residents of the area, Nature Park Škarline is an inseparable part of local identity and holds an indelible place in the collective mind. Visitors to the area sometimes fail to discover this perfectly preserved nature park located only two kilometres from Brtonigla and named Škarline after the stream that springs in the park. Along its course to Mirna River, several kilometres to the south, the stream has created a luscious, green canyon, one of its kind in Istria.
A two-kilometre macadam track leads from the village of Nova Vas, near Brtonigla, along the edges of vineyards to the nature park. In dry weather, the nature park can be reached by car. To find out how to reach the park directly from Brtonigla, contact the local tourist office. The canyon is not immediately visible from the park entrance. First, you will encounter a tame, spacious landscape with meadows, two small lakes and a bridge. Several benches and a tap for potable water make this picture-perfect area a great spot for a picnic, and fun and games.
To hike through the green canyon and follow the stream to where it flows into Mirna River, cross the bridge and carefully climb down the steep sides leading from the small lake. If uncertain which direction to take, just follow the gurgling sound of the stream. Once inside the canyon, you will enter into a new world with a cascade and a pristine watercourse meandering for several kilometres towards Mirna River through thick, shady woodland. The freshness of the air will catch you by surprise. The villagers of Brtonigla say that Nature Park Škarline is an ideal haven against the summer heat.
Nature Park Škarline excites the imagination. No one looking for adventure or an invigorating hike will be able to resist following the stream’s course to Istria’s largest river. It would be wise to bring food and beverages with you on this journey through the lush and uncharted regions of green Istria.
http://www.coloursofistria.com/en/nature-and-camping/natural-attractions/nature-park-skarline
Biokovo Nature Park
Content: Nature park
The main characteristics of the nature park mountain, crucial to designate the Biokovo as Nature Park are its geomorphological features, numerous karst phenomena and exceptional biodiversity: a great wealth of flora and fauna, including many endemic and tertiary relicts.
Biokovo Botanical garden
Located on the coastal slopes of the mountain slope above the village Kotišina, at an altitude of 350-500 meters and is part of the nature park.
The garden was founded by dr. Fra Jure Radic (1920-1990), a Franciscan priest and scholar, for the purpose of scientific research and monitoring, protection and preservation and popularization and learning about plant life mountain slope. Biokovo Botanical Garden is not a botanical garden in the classical sense, where each plant is brought by certain rules, but is designed as a "walled part of nature", which will retain the natural vegetation forms with its native flora. On a relatively small area of 16.5 ha are very diverse habitats such as the rockery, extractor, arable land and Proslap canyon with a waterfall of the same name, which is dry most of the year, but grows significantly during heavy rains.
On the surface Biokovo botanical garden Kotišina was found about 300 wild plant species, typical of the Mediterranean to the mountains, and in some areas were planted exotics, agricultural and medicinal herbs. Among the perennials that this growth is particularly impressive Iris pseudopallida Trinajstić - Adriatic iris in the spring when the entire garden replavljen her big, beautiful purple flowers. The Dalmatian is endemic in the family Iridaceae. It grows on the rocks, gullies and along the paths in the garden is there are many.
There are several hiking trails throughout the garden.
Near the entrance to the garden, next to the cliff walls is large castle - impressive fortress from the 17th century,
Kopacki rit
Content: Nature
Kopacki rit is floodplain area of the Danube, located in the northeast Croatian at the confluence of the Drava and Danube. It is one of the largest alluvial plains in Europe.
Specific morphological and hydrological conditions allow the development of numerical and diverse plant life, which in turn provides favorable living conditions for the development of even more numerous wildlife species.
The indigenous flora and vegetation with more than 400 so far registered plant species provides favorable living conditions of the wild life representatives, some of which should be emphasized more than 400 species of invertebrates, 44 species of fish, 11 species of amphibians, 10 species of reptiles, 291 species of birds and 55 species of mammals .
Due to the specific Microrelief vegetation Kopacki Rit is very diverse. On the one hand, there are different types of forests and other aquatic and marsh vegetation.
Kopacki rit is a valuable wetland area, and represents an extraordinary example of the evolution of wetland ecosystems and floodplains. At the same time gives us the opportunity to enjoy the unique nature and, in Europe today, rare ecosystems.
Ombla - the shortest river in the world
Region: Dalmatia
Ombla - the shortest river in the world
Ombla is one of the many rivers that flows as a part of Trebisnjica underground river that plunges in Popovo Polje in the Dubrovnik hinterland.
Thirty meters from the river Ombla there is a small waterfall height of 70 cm followed by Ombla flows into the Adriatic sea, only 5 km long bay near the town of Dubrovačk and therefore it is considered that its watercourse of 30 meters makes river Ombla the shortest river worldwide.
Until recently it was erroneously believed that the Roe River in the state of Montana in the United States, and whose length is from 30 to 60 meters, depending on the season, the shortest rivers in the world, and as such even listed in the Guinness Book of Records. However, since the average amount of water that flows at the source of the river Ombla 24 m³ / sec, it meets all the criteria to be declared Ombla river, and is therefore considered, although not yet officially confirmed, that the Ombla assumed the title of world's shortest river.