Bjelsko - Klek (via ferrata)

Access to starting point:
Highway Zagreb - Split we leave at the Ogulin exit. Through Ogulin we continue toward the settlement Vrbovsko, and at the end of the town, by the NK Dobra football field, we reach a crossroad where we continue toward Jasenak. We continue over the bridge on the Dobra and drive a few more kilometers, then arrive at the village Bjelsko. The start of the path is by an abandoned building, where there is plenty of parking space.

Path description:
From the starting point or parking lot we go into the forest, where we cross some forest roads. Higher up, the path leads us through a smaller meadow, and then brings us into a beech forest. We walk on a wide and well-trodden path, which then moderately to steeply ascends. Higher up, the path becomes more rocky and joins the path from Ogulin.
After the crossing, we reach a bench for rest, followed by two turns. After the second zigzag, a steep ascent follows, and the path then soon flattens. Here, where the path flattens, we are near the cottage, as indicated by a welcome sign, and a memorial plaque is also located nearby.
At the cottage, which is situated exactly at 1000 meters above sea level, we can rest and have a snack, or even sleep (the cottage is supplied only with beverages!).
Here the normal path continues left, and we will notice an information board to the right of the cottage and next to it the beginning of the ferrata. Here we put on the self-belay set and helmet and proceed.
The first minute of the ferrata is a steep ascent on a grassy slope, and then we reach the first steel cables. The path ahead runs along the ridge, and we soon reach the first difficult part, where a stemple assists us.
Then the path becomes technically easier and descends slightly, but on this part it is quite exposed.
After the end of a shorter descent follows a very demanding vertical section, and above the vertical part the path flattens again and slightly descends for a while.
The descent ends before the most difficult part of the ferrata. In front of us is a slightly overhanging wall, which we will ascend with the help of stemples. (My opinion is that the steel cable is a bit too far from the stemples, and smaller mountaineers will have difficulties).
When the stemples end, a shorter section without steel cables follows (as it was at the time of the description in September 2024). Further on, a steel cable assists us again, and a little ahead follows another difficult part on a very narrow ridge, after which the fixed safety gear on the ferrata ends. Next follows a shorter descent, and we join the normal path.
We continue on the normal path, which we reach before its most difficult part, where a rope assists us.
Even after the fixed safety gear ends, we continue ascending for some time on a steep, exposed slope, but then the path finally flattens.
The path ahead leads us past a helicopter landing area, and we continue straight east along a narrow ridge, which is secured with steel cables in some parts. A little further, we arrive just below the summit, where, in a moderately challenging ascent, we climb to the top of Klek.
We descend on normal path.