Budakovo brdo – Velebit

It would be hard to single out any one peak or climb on the Velebit and say that it is finer than the others. Most of them have beautiful views, both of the sea and of the inland. This trail up Budakovo brdo (1,317 m) is no exception – quite the opposite, it offers an interesting combination of everything that makes the Velebit special: the ever-present Premužićeva staza, spectacular views of the sea and the inland, grassy landscapes, dark beech forests, views of striking rock formations (kukovi) and a climb up one of them, an interesting stretch of gravel mountain road adorned with surreal tunnels, and the proximity of the Ravni dabar mountain hut. Add easy access by car and you have a place that is perfect for a whole day of enjoying the clean mountain air.

The trail is designed as a circular one and, although we experienced it as moderately difficult, a height difference of over 300 m and more than 4 hours of walking put it in the difficult category on our scale. That includes the section as far as the summit stamp on Bačića kuk, but not the final climb up it. The climb up Bačića would be rated “very difficult”, but since this is an exceptional place offering plenty of variations, and since the route can be adapted to beginners and to the more experienced alike, we have left the climb up Bačića out of the rating so as not to discourage the less experienced. Those after a shot of adrenaline can even head from Bačića towards the road along a steeper path which you reach by climbing down a ladder with a beautiful view of the chasm below. Via ferrata equipment is not obligatory here, but exceptional care is needed. There is no room for mistakes here, because on stretches like this any mistake can be fatal.

The trail is circular and full of junctions with other hiking paths, so it is adaptable and can be enjoyed by beginners and experienced hikers alike. The proximity of the Ravni dabar mountain hut is a further plus!

If you are coming by car from the direction of Karlobag or Baške Oštarije, you can drive on asphalt all the way to Dabarska kosa, where there is enough room to park. The road continues as a gravel mountain track, the last 3.5 km of which we used on the way back to complete this circular route.

We do not usually publish our GPS track, because it includes a good many detours to points we happen to find interesting, but we were surprised by the difference between our measurements and the route “drawn” on the AllTrails service. Our GPS showed 16 kilometres covered and 1,200 m of height difference. The plan was 13.5 km and 830 m of ascent (including Bačića kuk). As we have already mentioned, the route can be shortened and adapted to your fitness.

On the way to Budakovo brdo you cross two other peaks – Visibaba (1,160 m) and Prikinuto brdo (1,265 m). Both offer beautiful views, so anyone who does not feel like walking the whole route can happily cut it down to a half or even a quarter.

From the car park the trail sets off westwards along the Premužićeva staza. Already here you can enjoy the view of the sea and the island of Pag. On this stretch the path is easy and level. After a little over a kilometre we reach the signposted turning for Visibaba. Here the climb becomes steep and the terrain decidedly rocky. The final ascent of Visibaba is over grass, and the views from it are beautiful in every direction. Especially impressive are the Dabarski kukovi, which end in Bačića kuk.

From there you carry on with an easy descent, mostly through grassy stretches, passing only briefly through a patch of beech forest before reaching Bačića kosa and the ruins of the old students’ mountain hut of the School of Public Health. In the first half of the last century Andrija Štampar launched a major campaign promoting a healthy way of life, and this hut was part of that project.

After the ruins of the hut comes the climb up Prikinuto brdo. The view from it needs no particular praise, and by now you can see the rest of the way to Budakovo brdo. The trail drops deep down and then goes straight up to the summit at a considerable gradient, all of it through beautiful grassy scenery.

The view from Budakovo brdo is distinctive and very recognisable. To the south-east you can see the undulating line of the trail running over all the peaks climbed so far, each one a step lower than the last, with Bačića kuk dominating the scene on the left.

After a short rest comes the descent back towards Prikinuto brdo, but we do not climb it again; instead, at Soline we turn left downhill into the forest. Here the forest is a more serious affair. Everything is full of fallen trees that have to be climbed over, with branches to be pushed aside by hand. At Ripinovac there is a junction where you again turn left towards Bačića kuk. We will come back to this junction later and carry on downhill through the valley to the gravel road that leads back to Dabarska kosa.

Even on the way up to the foot of Bačića kuk you occasionally need to use your hands, but the path is not especially difficult. On reaching the cliffs, at the foot on a rock to the left we see the box with the summit stamp. Now comes the climb up Bačića. I set off up alone, which I would certainly not recommend, because climbs like this are always easier in pairs. The hardest part is the one with the cable. At first the cable was no help at all, because it “pulled” the wrong way, which made climbing with it impossible. So I set off without it, up the face itself, bracing myself between two opposing walls. Then I noticed a piton in the rock on the right, which I used to hook one of the rings on the cable over it. The climb was clearly meant to work this way, but somebody had clumsily unhooked the cable from the piton and left it hanging. Now it was considerably easier, although the climb is still hard and risky. At the top the awkward part is that you come out onto a rounded rock with a drop on the right-hand side, so you need to take care. After this section there remains the easier part of the climb, for which you need a little help from your hands.

The view from Bačića kuk is spectacular, unobstructed in every direction. The rock formations look very impressive, and in the distance the other Dabarski kukovi dominate, stretching away towards Baške Oštarije.

The way back goes via Ripinovac, which we had already passed on the way out. There you turn left and carry on downhill. By now you are entering deep forest, and we had the feeling that we might run into a bear at any moment 🙂

After the forest you come out onto very rough scree that descends towards the gravel road. The terrain is harsh and takes a good deal of time, especially when your legs are already tired, so concentration is essential. This is that “we are nearly there, but we never seem to arrive” feeling.

Once you reach the road, the next 3.5 km are an easy walk back to the car park. This stretch along the road is also very attractive, as you can see from the photographs at the bottom of the page.

Budakovo brdo is definitely recommended for a full-day outing in nature!