Ključ - Čikola Canyon (ferrata Čikola Canyon)

Access to starting point:
We leave the Zagreb-Split highway at the exit for Šibenik and Drniš. We drive towards Drniš. When we come to the settlement Pakovo Selo, from the crossroads we turn in the direction of Miljevci. After a kilometer of additional driving, we arrive at the canyon of the river Čikola, where in a few hairpin turns we reach the bridge. After the bridge, we again in a few turns ascend to the other side of the canyon. When the ascent ends and the road becomes level, after a hundred meters on the left we notice tourist signs for ZipLine Čikola. Ten meters further, we notice the parking lot, where we park.

Path description:
The path starts by the road Pakovo Selo-Miljevci, exactly at the spot where the road exits the Čikola canyon and continues towards the village Ključ.
From the parking lot, we go along a nicely beaten and for now still unmarked path to the first viewpoint, from which a nice view opens up on the Čikola canyon.
From the viewpoint, we go further and come to the spot where the ZipLine over the Čikola canyon begins. Here downwards there is also the path for canyoning, but we continue further along the edge of the canyon, which is secured with fences in places. Here the markings and the start of the ferrata also begin.
Right at the start of the fixed protections we will be rewarded with a view into the exceptional Čikola river canyon, but there is little time for the view because the ferrata is quite difficult right at the beginning. We cross rocky slabs above a very exposed ridge. After the first section, the path goes very steeply downwards along a gravel path. A somewhat easier section follows, and we approach the spot where the canyon becomes narrower.
A little further we arrive at a very interesting section where we go through a smaller natural tunnel that is very narrow; after the tunnel an exceptional view opens into the narrow part of the canyon. After the tunnel, the path descends gently to moderately, and the path is also slippery in several places.
The path further takes us to the lowest point of the ferrata, where there is probably also the most beautiful part of the canyon. The first vertical ascent follows, where pegs assist us. There is no time to rest because we are quickly on a short traverse of smooth rocky slabs, after which another vertical ascent on pegs follows. Some walking without protections follows, and at the next vertical ascent they reappear.
Higher up the path becomes less demanding, but it is still secured due to wet rocks. When we reach the natural depression, we are about halfway through the ferrata; the hardest part is behind us.
The path continues for some time without protections and is not particularly demanding. The path further takes us to the last shorter ascent on pegs, then after an easier traverse of slippery rocks we reach an ascent without pegs where we use only the rock. At the very end of the ferrata we have some more traversing of smooth rocky slabs, which is interesting mainly because of the drop and the Čikola river below us.
The protections end, and the path turns to the other side and ascends out of the canyon.
When we exit the canyon, the ferrata author recommends going along the canyon edge back to the start of the ZipLine and ferrata, but I was unable to find this path at all (if it even exists). I recommend following the markings, which take us to the village Bašići. From there we go left into the village and once again left in the village. The asphalt will end temporarily, and we arrive at the Drinovci-Drniš road. Along the road we go left in the southwest direction, walking along it to the roundabout where we go left towards Drniš. After 5 minutes we are at the destination where we parked.