After dinner, those of us so inclined, set out for a hike to the creek across the valley. Our trail ended but we managed to backtrack and find where it continues back to the creek on the other side.
This is the first half, ending with all of us at the turn-around point.
We went on, and were able to climb over the hill to rejoin the trail back home. And we stopped in for ice cream at the little corner store for the kids before finishing.
Hiking Day
This was last day in Zlatar for Lothar and me, and designated Hiking day. Some final shots around the house.
For breakfast, a neighbour made us her specialty pita with cheese and eggs. How kind of her!
Then we went off on our “first hike”. We were prepared to do one across the valley from the house (a bit further than last night), then one or two more by car to nearby fortresses. But the first hike took us 4 hours and 5 miles and goodness knows how much vertical distance, and we were DONE after that!
Play the quick video to see just MY part of the hike. Lothar went further, and Simon went EVEN further, as you’ll see in the story.
We hiked to the hill across the valley, and got pics back to Dad’s cottage from the other side.
Then Simon wanted to find the creek he saw on the map which was supposed to be just beyond the ridge. We hiked on, but started splitting up, as not everyone was up for more climbing. Kitch and Claira said they would wait for us at the bottom of a hill. I went up with Simon and Lothar, but then we saw that the trail goes on and would circle back to the road at a different spot. I was pretty wiped out, so volunteered to go back for them, and lead to the next rendezvous point.
We successfully got together again, when Lothar and Simon told us there’s a trail up to a lookout not too much farther. So we all agreed to go up there. There was a nice little covered gezebo where we rested while Simon continued exploring on his own. It wasn’t much of a lookout because the pine trees had grown so tall all around. He came back after about 15 minutes and he too was exhausted.
Then we began heading back. On the way we passed the houses that we see across the valley, and the old lady that lives there came out and greeted us. We told her who Dad was and she was delighted to meet us. She was a bright spark, full of energy and stories. She sent us on our way with many bags of vegetables picked right from her gardens. Then she walked almost all the way down the hill with us before turning back, just to make sure we found the way!
At the bottom we crossed a creek and the kids played around it for a while, so Simon’s search wasn’t in vain either, even if it was a different creek than the one he was trying to find.
When we finally got back, we had a huge appetite. Kitch and kids went back to freshen up as did we on our side. Then we drove (we were going to walk) to a lovely restaurant “Rival” nearby and enjoyed our last dinner all together.
They only had crepes for dessert, so the consensus was to go to a place in town to another place for dessert. It was nice, but they had everything except crepes, and Lothar had actually wanted them!!
Back at the house, Dad’s latest project, finishing this neat crossection of a large tree and adding a “stem” – it will hang on the outdoor wall as a Clover!
