Goriš – Torak trail

Karst spring in the confluence

The confluence of the Krka and Čikola Rivers is an unusual and mystical sight. Here nature has formed an island to divide the two rivers and the lake that is not a lake. With the raising of the travertine barriers at Skradinski buk waterfall, 13 km of the course of the Krka River were transformed into a lake-like expansion, and 3 km of the Čikola River were submerged, creating the most unusual confluence landscape in Croatia. The islet Kalički Busen, about 700 m in length and just 10 m wide, stands here, and is actually a travertine barrier that separates the Krka River from the mouth of the Čikola River.

In this tranquil landscape, all appears to be calm, with its tall reeds and sedges, with only the birds flying overhead reminding us of the passing time. In the centre of the landscape, like the pupil of an eye, is Torak, a lake-like spring. Though this is a spring, due to its round shape it looks more like a lake, and so we call it the lake spring. It is 150 m in diameter, about 30 m deep, and the spring itself is at the bottom of the lake. This karst spring gives pure, clean, drinking water, which was once used to irrigate most of the villages in the southeastern part of Šibenik-Knin County. Today it feeds the soul, leaving us to think deeply about the harmony of nature.

The trail itself forks here, one part leading to the viewpoint, and other descending down towards Torak, with a view over the two intertwining rivers as though from the bird’s perspective. In walking along the trail that was once used by the local population to reach their fields and gardens, today you can spend an active morning or afternoon, enjoying the peaceful and personal experience of the national park, observing the confluence on one side, and seeking out a view of the Ključica fortress on the other, which leads towards the Čikola Canyon. Long ago, there was a fortress at Goriš that was erected by the people of Šibenik in 1342 as a defensive structure to protect against the Turkish conquests. It was ultimately destroyed by the Ottoman forces. However, it is good to know that even small places have their spot in history, their paths and hidden gems of nature. Or in this case – sapphires.