Sveti Ilija

Ascent from Bast

The route starts at the parking area in the village of Bast. First, follow a gently rising dead-end lane. At the end, weave between a few old houses and join an old footpath leading to the old quarry. You briefly descend to an asphalt road, then almost immediately turn right onto a dirt track into the quarry, leave it at once, and begin a steep climb up a scree slope.

After roughly 300 vertical meters, the route turns right and continues through rocky sections into a gully. Low trees begin to appear here, and eventually you reach a sparse woodland at a junction around 1,000 m above sea level. There are beautiful sea views from here and it is an ideal place for a break.

Climb to the ridge

From the junction, the climb is no longer quite so steep. The trail traverses diagonally across a slope dotted with rock outcrops, sharp grass, and shrubs, with the occasional pine tree. In this section, however, the route is often hard to follow—the path fades, the waymarks are faded too, and at times you need to rely on your sense of direction or GPS.

The trail continues diagonally across the slope covered with rock outcrops, sharp grass, and shrubs, with occasional pines. In this section, though, the route is often hard to read—the markings are faded and at times you need to rely on your sense of direction or GPS.

Ledenica

At about 1,500 m above sea level, just below the saddle between Ledenica and Šćirovac, you join the main Biokovo ridge trail. From here, the path is much clearer. From the saddle, climb up to the summit of Ledenica and take in the breathtaking view.

In front of you rises the majestic Sveti Ilija, with its chapel on the summit and the narrow limestone ridge that separates you from it. To the right stretches the striking Motyka massif, whose walls plunge steeply toward the sea. Below lie Makarska and, farther on, the towns of Promajna and Baška Voda.

Out at sea sit the islands of Brač, Hvar, and Korčula. In exceptionally clear conditions, you may even glimpse the coastal mountains of Italy.

Sveti Ilija

The ridge connecting Ledenica and Sveti Ilija is a magnificent panoramic ridge walk. There are no truly technical sections, though now and then you may need to use your hands. At the end, a short steep push leads up to the chapel on the summit of Sveti Ilija (1,640 m above sea level).

On top of the already outstanding views, you also get an unobstructed panorama of the highest part of Biokovo, including the dominant Sveti Jure (1,762 m above sea level).
The summit chapel can serve as a shelter in bad weather and, in an emergency, even as a place to spend the night.

Descent

From Sveti Ilija, continue along the ridge to the southeast, descending gently to a saddle. According to maps, the route splits here into two options: one drops a little to the left and then traverses below the ridge, while the other stays directly on the ridge over two smaller tops.

• The ridge option is more enjoyable, offers better views, and is not marked on the ground, but there are not many places where you could really go wrong. The descent from the last top back to the marked trail is somewhat steep and rocky, but manageable.
• The traversing option is marked, easier, and safer.

In reality, only one route is marked—the one that descends slightly and then traverses below the tops.

Both options meet at a saddle, from where a well-marked trail descends through sparse pine woods to the Osičine hut. It is locked, but the area around it offers pleasant shade and a nice view—an ideal place to rest.

The route then descends more steeply through forest and then rocky terrain below the cliffs, until at about 900 m above sea level it turns right into a scree slope. After about 250 vertical meters, you reach the forest, where you will find the Korito spring—a great place to cool off after the demanding descent.

You still have about 250 vertical meters to lose, and then you arrive among old houses above the village of Bast. Many of them are abandoned and crumbling, standing in sharp contrast to the modern apartment houses nearby.

At first, the route winds along old footpaths between the houses before joining an asphalt road, which after a few bends brings you to the church and then back to the parking area where the hike began. There is a water tap at the parking area—a welcome bonus after a tough hike.

Useful info