Route: Poljica – Čavlena Bay – old oak trees – Poljica

Šotovento or the westernmost part of Krk Island, which is associated with the area that provides natural shelter from the wind, boasts an abundant natural and cultural heritage connected with a wide network of hiking trails. One such trail is 6.6 km long and passes through the settlement of Poljica, extending in its northwestern hinterland, where Čavlena Bay and the site with the largest and oldest oak tree on the island draw the most attention.

– Šotovento or the westernmost part of Krk Island, which is associated with the area that provides natural shelter from the wind, boasts an abundant natural and cultural heritage connected with a wide network of hiking trails. One such trail is 6.6 km long and passes through the settlement of Poljica, extending in its northwestern hinterland, which is covered in a dense forest. This generally easy trail begins in the very centre of Poljica on the parking lot plateau near the Parish Church of SS Cosmas and Damian, which also encompasses a massive stone bell tower that was built in the second half of the 18th century and whose architecture has undoubtedly become a symbol of this quaint village. Poljica and the other twelve picturesque villages and hamlets of Šotovento have managed to preserve their original layout with rows of compact houses lining the village roads. After passing through the village along the White Road, the trail winds through woodland, occasionally following cultivated agricultural areas and descending to the coast, where hikers can have some well-earned respite or go swimming during the summer in the embrace of Čavlena Bay, while enjoying the view of the Srednja Vrata channel and the western shore of the adjacent Cres Island. The hike resumes along the coast and is followed by a steep climb on macadam before turning to a thick forest in the area of Dolinji Drmun Puški, where the largest, oldest and most famous oak tree on the island resides. This towering 400-year-old tree (a breed between two or more oak varieties) stands out with a height of 20 metres, a crown diameter of 30 metres and a trunk circumference exceeding five metres. It is best to see it in the spring when its powerful visage will truly leave you breathless. Such exquisite specimens have definitely contributed to oak trees being viewed as sacred and linked with various deities throughout history. Celtic druids worshipped the oak as the holiest of trees, especially if it grew mistletoe, with similar rituals practiced by the Greeks, Germans and even Slavs, who dedicated it to their supreme god Perun. Christians have also fostered a special relationship with the oak due to its firmness which symbolises the strength of faith, perseverance and virtue. However, other than the gargantuan trees, outdoor enthusiasts are also attracted to the karst ponds that can be glimpsed in their shadows. They were used to water cattle, irrigate the fields and as a source of drinking water, but today these genuine little oases should be preserved because they have become invaluable habitats of many plant and animal species. In its last section, which passes through lush vegetation in a soothing environment, the route ends in Poljica, where it also began.

Highlights:

– Parish Church of St Cosmas and Damian, Poljica

– monumental bell tower of the parish church, Poljica

– bay and port of Čavlena

– largest and oldest island oak; two ponds, Dolinji Drmun Puški