Rukavac - Orjak (above Opatija) (direct way)

Access to starting point:
Through the border crossing Jelšane or Pasjak, we drive on the highway towards Rijeka to the Jurdani exit. We then continue right on the old road. A little after the settlement Jurdani, we stay alert for the right turn-off to Rukavac. We take this road, and after passing Rukavac railway station and reaching the village, we turn right into the village center and park at one of the parking lots in the village. The described path begins at a triangular intersection, next to which is a small parking lot.

Route description:
From the parking lot, we cross the road onto the street footpath, which leads us among houses to the road, where we continue right. The road begins to ascend and soon leaves the village Rukavac. After about 25 minutes of walking, we reach a crossroads and also a turn-off for Orljak. Here, a marked path from the village joins us from the left. We turn right onto the road, and signs immediately direct us onto a steep, narrower logging trail. We ascend for a while, soon cross an asphalt road again, and continue on a rougher cart track, which quickly turns into a logging trail and later into a wider path. The steep and quite rocky path leads us along and beside an indistinct ridge. After about 25 minutes of ascent, the path briefly returns to a logging trail, which we follow, and it soon turns back into a path. The path is initially still somewhat steep, then begins to traverse to the right. After about 15 minutes of traversing the slopes of Orjak, we arrive at a crossroads and a saddle between Beljač and Orjak. From the right, a poorly marked path from Rukavac via Andretići joins us. Straight ahead leads to Beljač and Crni vrh. Slightly to the left is Veprinac. We continue sharply left toward Orjak. The steep path above leads through the forest, and in 15 minutes we reach a clearing below the summit, with only a few meters of gentle walking to the rocky peak. From the summit, some views open up.
The description and pictures refer to the condition in December 2024.

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