Croatia – Dinara (1,831 m)
🕒 Summit at 11:01
📍 Coordinates: 43°56′42″N, 16°35′49″E
🗺️ Route: Glavaš – Martinova Košara – Dinara Summit – Return
🚗 Transport to region: 1,281 km total
• 233 km drive Gornji Lom → Blagoevgrad
• 158 km drive Blagoevgrad → Sofia Airport
• 866 km flight Sofia → Kraków
• 24 km drive Kraków Airport → Świątniki
• 24 km drive Świątniki → Kraków Airport
• 774 km flight Kraków → Split
• 99 km drive Split Airport → Glavaš (Dinara trailhead)
💤 Accommodation: Slept in the car before the hike
🌤️ Conditions: Clear, warm, and calm — perfect late-summer weather
❤️ A restart after fear and exhaustion
After the Midžor climb in Serbia, things took a frightening turn. Magda (my wife) became seriously ill and had to be admitted to a hospital in Bulgaria. For days, everything was uncertain. I spent the time by her side, waiting for the doctors’ updates and quietly wondering if the expedition would have to end there.
When she finally began to recover and insisted that I continue, it was both emotional and humbling. We flew together to Poland, where she could rest safely with her family, and I took a short pause to regain energy. The next step, Dinara in Croatia, would mark the emotional restart of the Crown of Europe journey.
🧗 Slow steps through the limestone
I flew from Kraków to Split, rented a car, and drove to Glavaš, the base for Dinara. I slept in the car that night, a familiar ritual by now, and woke up early to a calm, clear morning.
I began the climb at 07:57, pacing carefully through the open limestone slopes and scattered pines. I wasn’t feeling great, tired, dizzy, and weak from the stress of the past week. Still, I kept moving, one slow step at a time, not pushing for speed but for stability.
The 15.6 km route gained 1,286 m of elevation, and by 11:01, I reached the summit. The view stretched endlessly, rugged, dry mountains rolling toward the Adriatic. There was a deep silence, broken only by the sound of the wind.
☀️ A symbolic moment
I didn’t stay long. I took a few photos, sat quietly for a while, and began descending slowly, reaching the car just before 14:00. Despite physical fatigue, the sense of inner calm was strong; I was back on the trail, back in motion.
This climb wasn’t about power or time. It was about returning to balance, physically, emotionally, and mentally. Standing on Dinara reminded me that sometimes strength doesn’t come from speed, but from simply showing up when it would be easier to stop.
📅 Date: 26 August 2025
