Via Dinarica BH-W-05 Čvrsnica mountain and Jablanica city

Did over 2x days. A great stage with a fantastic mountain hut stay at Vilinac. Host there was super friendly and welcoming (open weekends in summer months) but just message ahead and you might find that they are open during the week too. Route from Blidinje Lake straight forward, although you'll need to take a bearing/follow GPS markings through plain from the lake to the base of first climb. Track from here is well marked and maintained and although a slog uphill it was great!! We followed top route (not via chapel). The landscape is diverse with karsk rock, forest, baby pine, meadows and the views from top of Veliki Vilinac were just stunning, as was Hajducka vrata (Rebel's Gate). Took enough water for the day to Vilinac Hut and then refilled the next day from the hut well (lovely fresh water). No water at Plasa. The only unpleasant part of this stage was the downhill to Jablanica, steep in parts, long and tough on the feet.

Completed this section over two days with an overnight stay at Plasa Hut. I began my Via Dinarica trek at Lake Blidinje which I reached by taxi from Jablanica for 50 Bosnian Marks. The first day between Lake Blidinje and Plasa Hut took me around 9 hours which included an hour of lost time after I lost the trail near the Monastery. Most of this day was going up. Firstly through forests and then over exposed peaks. For the most part markings are frequent but there was a lack of signage at key junctions which often led to me following the wrong trail before I realised I was off the GPS track. The scenery once you get above the tree line is breath taking. I had booked with Vilinac Hut but they cancelled my booking three days before I was due to stay. Instead I managed to get the keys for Plasa Hut from Yusuf (Mountain club secretary) in Jablanica. Plasa Hut had a rain water tank, a wood burner fire, plenty of bedding, a basic kitchen and an outdoor toilet. I was the only guest. The cost to use the hut is 20 Bosnian Marks. Between Plasa Hut and Jablanica it was 4 hours down hill. Firstly, along a steep trail through the woods and then for the last 2 hours on a dull fire trail past the local garbage dump. I carried enough water to last me each day. Some of the GPS marked water sources were dry or seemed quite dirty.

Hiked in reverse.Very beautiful stage. (except the roadwalk an the huge are full of trash directly after Jablanica) The climb from Jablanica to Plasa Dom is exhausting but not steep or dangerous. Well marked and ok maintained. Slept at Villinac Hut, the host was super friendly and has food and drinks. Good water source there. At Plasa hut only rainwater. Descend to Blindinje was easy and well marked. Slept at Blidinje Mountain Hut wich is great.