Skradinski buk
Skradinski buk is one of nature’s most unforgettable water features – a 500m sequence of seventeen mini-cascades spilling over barriers of travertine (limestone sediment), behind which lie pools surrounded by reeds and semi-submerged forest. One of the more dramatic sequences is just up from the boat landing, with several tiers of waterfall tumbling into a broad, shallow pool – it’s the only part of the park where swimming is permitted, and is full of holiday-makers on warm summer days. From here the path crosses over to the eastern side of Skradinski buk, climbing past a nineteenth-century hydroelectric power station (“Jaruga 1”; opened in 1895) that was almost the first of its kind in the world – the Forbes dam on the Niagara Falls beat it by a matter of months. The route ascends towards a collection of stone watermills positioned directly above the rushing Krka. There’s also a network of walkways that break off from the main path, leading you above gurgling waters and through thick riverine vegetation. It’s a beautiful location, and you could spend an entire day here, lolling around on the rocks beside the tumbling water.
Top image: Krka river waterfalls in the Krka National Park, Croatia © Alena Brozova/Shutterstock