Mošćenice - Balin (along the marked trail and past Perun)

Access to starting point:
Via the border crossing Jelšane or Pasjak, we drive onto the motorway towards Rijeka. We leave the motorway at the Opatija junction and continue on the expressway towards Pula, which we exit at the first Opatija exit. Follow the signs for Lovran. We drive along the coastal road to Mošćenička Draga, where at the intersection we turn slightly right towards Mošćenice. We can park at the parking lot in Mošćenice or lower down along the road.

Route description:
From the starting point we continue along the road past the Perun inn and soon a sign directs us right onto the path. After a short ascent among the houses it leads us to a junction, where we continue left along the marked path. The right path goes past Sveti Križ to Kalvarija. The path ascends gently and is rocky in places. The path crosses a road, where we spot a small chapel on the right. Further on we walk along a wider path offering nice views of the sea and Cres island. Soon we step onto an asphalt road that makes a serpentine. We walk through the hamlet Rovini and when it ends, wooden signs direct us right onto the path. At first we walk along a dry-stone wall, then up steps and under a power line to reach a meadow. After about 15 minutes ascent on the grassy path we arrive at the Krista Kralja chapel in the hamlet Marići. From the right the previously mentioned path past Kalvarija joins us. Then we step onto the asphalt road leading us through a small hamlet. After a longer ascent we briefly leave the road and take the marked shortcut back to the road and into the hamlet Mihani. Signs direct us right onto the path. We bypass the last house on the left and enter the forest. The path ascends gently to the road, where there is a marked junction. Left along the road one reaches Kremenjak, we continue straight ahead along the path. After 15 minutes on a gentle path we arrive at the Zavjetna kapelica Srca Jezusovego, next to which there is a bench. We continue along the path which ascends unevenly. Higher up the path leads along the left side above a small gully, then turns left onto a scenic meadow. After about half an hour ascent from the chapel we step onto the road which we follow right. Straight ahead is the marked path to Perun or towards the Učka ridge. From here the path is no longer marked. Soon a path branches off to the right to a small viewpoint from which the Kvarner Gulf and Cres island are visible. After 20 minutes walking on the eastern slope of Perun we reach a turning point, where we turn left onto the logging track. After a few minutes it leads us to a junction, where there is a small pond nearby. Here we rejoin the marked path. Straight along the logging track one reaches Perun in another 15 minutes, we continue right. The path begins to descend across the slope and in 10 minutes walking we reach the road. After a few steps we reach a junction where the previously mentioned marked path bypassing Perun joins us from opposite, and we turn right. The path leads past a hunting observatory and then descends slightly behind it. The path then turns right and enters dense forest. Continuing we walk across a short grassy section and soon we are at the saddle or main ridge of Učka. Straight ahead the path leads to Vojak via Mala Učka and to Podmaj, we continue left. Along a gentle scenic path which becomes somewhat steeper towards the end, in 20 minutes we reach the scenic summit of Balin.
The description and images refer to the condition in January 2026.

Along the route: Rovini (300m), Kapelica Krista Kralja (415m), Marići (420m), Mihani (490m), Zavjetna kapelica Srca Jezusovega (570m)

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