Traveling from Starigrad to Knin took me a day, but I got to see the beautiful old town of Ŝibenik. In Knin I checked in at a hotel at the outskirts of the town and close to the trail. Since it’s really warm out here I decided to leave the hotel early in the morning.

After hiking for about an hour I crossed a dirt road, just at the moment an old truck came slowly driving uphill. In it were the bee keeper and his two friends, I learned. Since they were driving all the way to Brezovac, where I was heading too, I had to get in truck. No discussion.
So as I sat on a plastic chair between bee hives enjoying the early morning views on the surrounding mountains, I was slowly driven up to Brezovac.

Brezovac
There were no other hikers, so Brezovac mountain hut was closed (it’s only open by arrangement). There’s some nice, shaded camping-spots near the hut. But, don’t count on getting water from the cistern: it’s locked!

As I wasn’t carrying enough water to hike the Dinara on this warm day, I tried my luck at some holiday houses close-by. No one was in and there was no outside access to water. As one house was being renovated an old barrel stood outside, from which I took water.



The next cistern is at the other side of Dinara at Skloniŝte Martinova Košara – so hopefully the cistern at Brezovac will be unlocked for thru-hikers.

To the top
The hike to the top of the Dinara is quite easy. The only hard part, is that’s its very exposed. I reached the top around 10.30 and since I heard thunder I hiked down at fast as possible.

Skloniste Martinova Koŝara
This from the outside nice looking shelter is kind of a mess inside; lot’s of flies and bugs and critter droppings. The good thing about this hut is the earlier mentioned cystern nearby. Since of the mess, the threatening thunder and the exposed surroundings I decided to hike to Glavaš



On trail at a 1000 meter there’s a, again, surprise spring; fresh water coming straight from the mountain, yum yum! Just before Glavaš there’s the impressive ruins of a 15th century fort. I took a short break, since of the weather.



As I arrived a Glavaš it started to rain. The door of the hut (container) was closed, so I pitched my tarp as quick as possible. Just as the thunderstorm started I lay under the tarp, a big storm it was including hail as big as M&M’s.

Later, when it stopped raining, I discovered a second door in the hut. This one’s open and in it an pretty OK space containing bunk beds.



Kijevo
The next morning I hiked eight kilometers to the road and village of Kijevo. There was supposed to run some busses, but after waiting for 2.5 hours and no bus showing up, I decided to hitch back to Knin. From were I traveled by train to Split. The next two stages aren’t hiking trails, they’re biking trails over paved roads. So after buying a new pair of trail runners and other supplies I’m taking a bus from Split to Tomislavrad in BIH. After getting Bosnian cash and a sim card I’ll get back to trail at stage 27. From here, hopefully, no detours (except for resupplies) until Albania anymore.

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This blog has blog has been written on trail and on a mobile phone.