Jakšići: Nature and Culture Nearby

• Kamačnik is located outside Jakšići, in the Vrbovsko area. This protected significant landscape includes a 3.2 km-long watercourse.
• At Lake Čogrljevo in Moravice, springs, a waterfall and a trail along the edge of a coniferous forest come together.
• Routes in the surrounding area include an 18.4 km cycling route rated easy and the 2.6 km Riblje–Lesci trail, with a stated walking time of 45 minutes.

The source of the Kamačnik has been included in the Natura 2000 network because endemic subterranean crustaceans have been documented there. These include Monolistra sp. and Niphargus sp. Kamačnik itself is a protected significant landscape in the Vrbovsko area. Its watercourse is 3.2 km long. The region’s natural landscape thus encompasses both the setting and the distinctive habitats around the spring.

Lake Čogrljevo in Moravice offers a different waterside landscape. Five small springs feed the lake, which is held back by the Vede waterfall. A trail along the edge of a coniferous forest follows the springs. With a little patience and a keen eye, you may also spot a brown trout there. The lake and its spring areas therefore offer a different focus from the protected source of the Kamačnik.

The length and rating of the cycling routes can help you compare them. The Dobra–Lake Čogrljevo route is 18.4 km long and rated easy. The Vrbovsko–Gomirje–Kamačnik route covers 15.7 km and is rated moderate. The longer of the two routes is therefore rated easy, while the shorter one is rated moderate. These details offer different ways to guide your choice of route, without specifying a walking or cycling time.

For a walk, the Riblje–Lesci trail is described as 2.6 km long, with a stated walking time of 45 minutes. It runs right alongside the Kupa, where swimming is possible at one spot in summer. If you’re more interested in sounds and musical elements, Kamačnik has the Panova staza, a themed sensory and acoustic trail. Five musical and educational instruments line the trail: a gong, xylophone, horn, bells and a stream organ.

The Ivan Goran Kovačić HPM Memorial Museum is housed in the poet’s birthplace. The permanent exhibition about his life and work is divided into five thematic sections. For a different way to experience art outdoors, visit the Staza skulptura – Park mladih umjetnika Plemenitaš sculpture trail, featuring 16 sculptures. It is open to visitors year-round.

The Plemenitaš workshop collection includes 250 contemporary ceramic works. Visits are possible during the summer season or by prior arrangement. The Oblikovna Likovna radionica Plemenitaš workshop also offers its premises for field trips, summer schools in nature and anti-stress workshops. Arrange a visit or programme in advance.

In Moravice, the Orthodox Church of St George the Great Martyr dates back to 1900. In Vrbovsko, the permanent exhibition in the city’s gallery exhibition space focuses on heraldic heritage. The museum, church, gallery and sculpture trail thus differ in theme and format: a biographical exhibition, sacred architecture, local history and outdoor art.

Moravice is a nearby local centre, located on the Lujzinska Road and the Zagreb–Rijeka railway line. If you’re planning to travel by train, check the timetable for your travel date. Another regional road connection is the state route from Rijeka to Zagreb via the Lujzijana, running from Orehovica through Gornje Jelenje, Delnice, Skrad and Vrbovsko to Karlovac. This regional corridor is separate from the trails and excursion sites mentioned above.

Discover more destinations: Moravice, Lukovdol, Gomirje, Tuk, Klanac, Plemenitaš, Vrbovsko and Severin na Kupi.

How do the two cycling routes mentioned differ?

Dobra–Lake Čogrljevo is 18.4 km long and rated easy. Vrbovsko–Gomirje–Kamačnik is shorter, at 15.7 km, but is rated moderate.

When can you visit the Plemenitaš ceramics collection?

The 250 contemporary works can be viewed during the summer season or by prior arrangement.

Is swimming possible along the Riblje–Lesci trail?

The trail runs right alongside the Kupa. Swimming is possible at one spot in summer.

What makes the source of the Kamačnik special?

It has been included in the Natura 2000 network because endemic subterranean crustaceans, including Monolistra sp. and Niphargus sp., have been documented there.

For the wider travel overview: Općina Vrbovsko.