CROATIA - NATURE PARK UCKA

the mountain nearby Rijeka

Croatia - Kvarner - Nature park UCKA, the peak close by Rijeka,Opatija,Lovran

UCKA, a mountain in the eastern part of Istria; it stretches in the total length of 20 km from the Poklon pass (road Rijeka - Pazin leads over it) to the Plomin Bay.

It has an aspect of a prominent sheer rock, with peaks descending toward the south: Plas (1,285 m), the highest peak Vojak (1,401 m), Suhi Vrh (1,333 m), Brgud (907 m), Kremenjak (827 m) and Sisol (835 m).

Both slopes abound in water sources; some of them are capped for the purpose of waterworks, while the other form water streams, rather powerful in winter months (Banina, Medveja). The slopes feature several canyon and transverse valleys (Vela Draga) and there are many -other karst formations (sinkholes, caves). Ucka represents an important climatic barrier which forces air masses to rise; this in turn causes considerable rainfall. With its luxuriant vegetation Ucka differs very much from other mountains in the region of Primorje.

The coastal belt is covered by Mediterranean vegetation, the prevalent species is laurel. Lower parts of the slopes are covered with oak and chestnut forests; hornbeam, ash and maple are also rather amply represented. The forests of Ucka provide pleasant freshness in summer and its peaks offer a unique view.

The Primorje slope of Ucka Mountain is densely populated, especially in the northern part, where villages are found on the elevation above 500 m. On the continental slope, villages are not found above 250 m and there are only a few of them. Exceptions are the villages of Vela and Mala Ucka, at 900-950 m, with permanent sources of water and some plots of arable land and pastures.

Access to Ucka Mountain. The main point on Ucka is the Poklon Pass (in Croatian: "bow" - the pilgrims from Istria, while making a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Trsat, used to bow when they saw Trsat).

Poklon may be reached from all seaside resorts - Opatija, Icici, Ika, Lovran, Medveja, Moscenicka Draga - and from there farther to Ucka or Cicarija.
From the Istrian side are walking trails from Lupoglav from the entrance to the Ucka Tunnel.
There are several mountain cottages, lodges and catering establishments on Ucka: Ucka mountain lodge, a boarding house and a restaurant on Poklon, Hotel INA below Poklon, a tower-vista point on Vojak.