The potable water of the source pours into 10 big, wooden troughs made of oak (see attached picture »Wooden cascade«). The tasty and refreshing (especially in summer) water cascades from one trough to the next and from the last one it flows into a little pond rich in animal and plant life. A real heaven for nature lovers and botanists.
How to get to the starting point (village Brgudac) by car or bike:
From the village of Lupoglav (close to the highway A8, on the road D44 to Buzet) take the local road number 5014 up the hill in the direction of Lanišće. At about half the way between Lupoglav and Lanišće you will see a sign for the village Brgudac. Turn right here and continue on this road for a couple of kilometers till you reach Brgudac. Drive through the village to the end of the asphalt road and park your vehicle (see waypoint »Park here«). There are lots of parking spaces available.
Description of the hike to Korita and to the cache on Brajkov vrh:
Starting point in Brgudac: 744 m
Brajkov vrh (cache site): 1091 m
Altitude difference: 347 m
Walking time:
Brgudac > Korita: 45 min.
Korita > Brajkov vrh: 5-10 min.
The source of Korita lies at ca. 45 minutes walking distance from the mountain village of Brgudac. You can even do a loop (round trip). To do so walk from the parking in Brgudac on the gravel / forest road in the direction of Korita. After ca. 250 meters you will reach a sign on which it says »Pl. Dom Korita, 45'« = mountain hut Korita, 45 minutes (see picture and waypoint »Turn left here«). Turn left, and just follow the trail markers all the way up to Korita. Easy as pie. You cannot get lost.
If you intend to stay overnight, check the availabilty of free rooms / beds at the Korita mountain hut which is located just 5 min. from the source Korita. On weekends (only during high season) they also offer some basic refreshments and snacks. Better check their opening hours beforehand (tel: +385/ 98 390346).
For the return I recommend you to take a different trail. It starts on the meadow between Korita and Planinski Dom Korita. Watch out for a sign on your right when you walk from Korita in the direction of Pl. Dom. For better orientation take a look at the attached picture »Trail map«.
Both easy to moderate hiking trails (up and down) lead through a lush oak and hornbeam forest where you will find an abundance of animals and plants, also some protected species. The forest canopy is so dense that it provides enough shade for a pleasant (not too sweaty) hike, even on a hot Istrian summer day.
To get your hands on the cache you have to hike up from Korita to the peak of Brajkov vrh (1091 m). The trail to the top starts on the left side (seen from Korita source) and takes you around the cliff. Depending on your physical abilities the little climb should take you about 5 to 10 min. (from the Korita source). It is a short, but very steep ascent. Be careful, especially when you approach ground zero! You do not have to climb to get to the cache location, but directly behind the hiding place the cliff starts. Watch your step at all times and keep an extra watchful eye on your children! Falling is not an option! That is the reason why the terrain value is that high.
But don't worry! If you are used to walking in the mountains, the short hike up to the top is not dangerous at all. And it is really worth the little extra effort and sweat. You will not only be rewarded with the cache. On a clear day the vantage point Brajkov vrh offers magnificient views to all sides. From this »stony balcony« you can admire the entire Učka mountain massif. Awesome!
If you are in doubt where to search for the cache, take a look at the provided spoiler pictures.
Some interesting facts about the area around the cache:
For cachers that want to get some additional information about the area I have copied a few facts that I found on the infoboard near Korita. Actually it is an infobook (see picture »Infobook«).
When you are in the village of Brgudac, watch out for the many monuments dedicated to partizans and villagers killed by fascists during WW II. At almost every corner there is a monument to honor died soldiers and civilists. Since this area was one of the strongholds of the anti-fascist Partizan movement in Istria, Brgudac and the area around it has a big historical importance. The significance of Brgudac for the formation of resistance and an Istrian communist (party) movement is reflected in the fact that the (Yugoslav) authorities decided to build a memorial house (»spomen dom«) in Brgudac. See attached picture »Spomen dom«. In case you are interested, it is located close to the proposed parking.
Korita is located directly at the meeting point of flysch and limestone geological structures. They meet beneath the peak of Brajkov vrh where fresh mountain water springs up to the surface.
The water and meadow at the site of Korita (»The Troughs«) have always been very important to local people. This fact was recognized by the Austro-Hungarian government, which under the rule of Franz Joseph constructed a facility here with the aim of scooping up the water more easily. The water from the source would poor into the first (stone) trough, and then down the slope into 13 troughs made of durable poplar wood (nowadays only 10 made of oak).
During drought, when this would be the only source not to run dry, women used to carry drinking water on their backs from here to the village of Brgudac every day. The people of Brgudac and elsewhere would come here to water their cattle (which at the times counted up to 3,000 head), to take a break from their hard work as farmers, and to talk to their neighbours.
In 2007, drawing on old photos and the accounts of local people, the Učka nature park institution started a project to reconstruct the appearance and function of the old troughs, with the aim of restoring an important part of the authentic atmosphere of this area.
The order in which the 10 oak troughs are arranged has an important water catchment and hygienic function. Drinking water pours in directly from the source; the first trough is supposed to be used for washing the face, the second one for washing the feet, the third one for washing...
, whatever, and the rest for watering cattle.
Please respect this tradition!
Have fun with the hike and the search! The real treasure here is mother nature. The plastic box is just an added value. I am looking forward to reading your logs.