Blidinje Nature Park
Blidinje Nature Park, established in 1995, is located in the middle part of the high mountains of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which includes the large surface of the mountains of Čvrsnica, Čabulja and Vran and municipalities of Posušje, Tomislavgrad, Prozor-Rama and Jablanica. The Blidinje Nature Park spreads on the territory of 364 s q km, within the territories of Posušje, Tomislavgrad and Jablanica Municipalities and provides unique experiences throughout the year. Čvrsnica Mountain is one of the highest mountains of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in the northern Herzegovina, and covers parts of the municipalities of Posušje, Jablanica and Mostar, with the highest paek of Herzegovina – Pločno, 2228 meters. Thanks to its unique beauties and pure natural environment, the Čvrsnica Mountain is regular and frequented hiking destination for hikers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the whole region and international hikers. In the very proximity of the Čvrsnica Mountain there is the somewhat lower Vran-planina /2074 meters/. Experts regard the Herzegovinian mountains of Čvrsnica, Čabulja, Vran and Prenj one of the most beautiful mountainous areas of Europe. The largest populated places nearby is the town of Jablanica direction northeast and Posusje and Tomislavgrad to the southwest.
Dugo polje with the Blidinje Lake dominate the central part of the Blidinje Nature Park, with the lake situated in the southeastern part of the park. The western border of the Blidinje Nature Park forms the Vran planina, in the southeast are Neretva River and Čvrsnica Mountain, while in the northeast is the Doljanka River. By geologial structure, the Blidine Nature Park features carbonate layers created by the Mesozoic sediment 180 milion years ago. In the geo-mofphologic sense there are four regions of the Blidinje Nature Park : Čvrsnica Mountain massif /2228 m/, Vran Mountain massif /2074 m/, ridge of the west Čabulja Mt and ravine of the Dugo polje. The Blidinje Nature Park is situated only 2 hours of drive from the Adriatic sea, and can be accessed from Rama, Jablanica, Tomislavgrad and Posušje.
The most signiicant hydrographic phenomenon within the Blidinje Nature Park is the Blidinje Lake, which some scholars assume is of the glacial origin, created in the ravine between the mountains of Čvrsnica and Vran, in the small carst hole. Surface of the Blidinje Lake varies from 2,5 to 6 s q km, while its average depth is around 1 meter. In periods of intense evaporation the lake comes almost dry. Besides precipitation from rain and snow, the Blidinje Lake is fed by waters of the streams from the Vran Mountain, Dugo Polje and Cvrsnica Mt. The important role of formation of the present day Blidinje area relief is of man activity, who destroyed large portion of the forests and covered number of holes. The gorgeous masiff of the Cvrsnica Mountain is adorned with the unique geomorphologic reserve of Diva Grabovica River and its majestic canyon. Diva Grabovica River flows through the deep cut massif of the Cvrsnica Mountain and is like an amphitheater closed from three sides by its 2000 meters high sides, making impression of visitors that it is the most beautiful canyon of the Dinarides.
The name of Diva Grabovica comes from a girl Diva of Luka Grabovac from Rama, who was proposed a marriage by a Bey from Kupres. Legen has it that the girl runs away, but was soon found by bey and killed. Even today there are numerous pilgrims who visit her grave, especially young girls. The large necropolis of stecaks in Dugo Polje testify about Slavic tribes who populated those areas in the 7th century, which soon became their home. The unique tourist attraction of the Blidinje Nature Park is the Hajduk Republik – High Duke Republic, established in 2002 and dedicated to high duke Mijat Tomic, and the famous facility of the Hajdučke vrleti. Oral epics and numerous songs remember the heroic history and skills of Mijat Tomic, whose origin was the northwestern Herzegovina.
The Blidinje Nature Park features 2 types of climate. The lower and southern parts which are exposed parts of the Cvrsnica, Cabulja and Vran mountains feature Mediterranean climate, which penetrates up to Jablanica and further along the Neretva River valley and its tributaries. The northern slopes and high elevations come under influence of the continental climate. With higher elevations temperature falls and the snow cover remains longer. Winters are long and cold, with plenty of snow which reamin from October to May, which is very suitable for winter and ski tourism. The evarage precipitation reach 1590 mm/year, with majority of snow. The Valley of the Drežanka River from its source to the confluence with the artificial lake on Neretva river, divides two huge mountain massifs of Herzegovina – the Čabulja Mountain on right side and the Čvrsnica Mt on the left side. Thanks to its cultural sites and intact environment, the whole area of the Blidinje makes a precious treasure. In recent decae on the Blidinje plateau a large number of facilities have been built. Mostly they are weeken houses whose owners use them in winter when the Risovac Ski center works /1250 meters/. The Ski Center is located at the elevation of 1800 meters, at the foot of the Vran and Cvrsnica Mountains. Although the Ski center functions only for few years, it is well arranged and visitors are provided with ski lift 575 meters long, the new four-chair lift which pools up 1600 skiers per hour, as well as the children ski lift, with capacity of 560 skeirs per hour. Further investments are planned, as construction of new ski lifts and other ski facilities. Daily ski ticket is 20 KM, and equipment can be rented for additional 20 KM, which is much affordable then in ski centers of Europe.
Visitors of the Blidinje Nature Park enjoy in hiking tours led by highly professional expert and experienced hiking guides /best in the region/, mount-biking, skiing, other outdoor activities, visit to the breathtaking Grabovica River Canyon and the botanical-zoo Reserve of Masna luka at the foot of the Čvrsnica Mt, with modern Franciscan Monastery and the Church of Saint Eliah, several springs with perfectly pure clean mountain water and diversity of flora and fauna, picnic at the mountain hut, as well as in unbeleivable experiences of the Hajducka Republika offers and the legendary Mijat Tomic heritage.
