Day 1 - Suha to Trnovačko Lake (19th June)

Day 1 actually started the evening before on 18th June with an Easyjet flight from Glasgow to London Stansted, followed by an overnight flight to Istanbul with Pegasus Airlines, and an early morning flight to Sarajevo, arriving around 10:30am.

Samer Hajric from Green Visions met me off the flight and treated me to a cappuccino and a quick discussion of plans before dropping me at Istočno Sarajevo bus station to catch the so-called Balkans Express for a 2-hour minibus ride to Tjentište / Sutjeska National Park.  I managed to explain to the bus driver that I wanted to jump out at a bend in the road called Suha which would give me access to a track to Trnovačko Lake and Maglić (highest peak in Bosnia).

Once the bus pulled away, I was struck by the silence and the sense of being alone in a wild mountain landscape.  The hike up to Trnovačko Lake was straightforward enough, and I pitched my tent around the far side of the lake just before the trail started climbing into the forest for Maglić.  That would wait until tomorrow.

The good weather broke in the night for thunder & lightning, and torrential rain, so I awoke the next morning to low cloud and damp dismal conditions, which set the tone for the next couple of days.

Google Earth image for Day 1

Suha, Sutjeska National Park

The starting point at Suha

First night's camping at Trnovačko Lake