A big thank you and a donation from tourists who lost their way when hiking up Mount Srdj in Dubrovnik.
Much like Croatian firefighters, the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service is a selfless and thankworthy job done by those who have a deep desire to help others in times of crisis. Recently, a couple named John and Jennifer became disorientated and lost when attempting a hike up Mount Srdj in Dubrovnik without having properly checked the route to the top.
The couple found themselves lost after they left the serpentine path which snakes up to the top of the mountain, and admitted it was careless of them to attempt to scale the imposing mountain without following a designated route.
Following their rescue two hours later by the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service and their admittance to hospital to be checked over, the couple wrote a thank you letter to their saviours in which they asked for an account number in order to donate money to help with the efforts of the public service. Writing in Croatian, the pair also added that it would be a good idea to provide sign posts in English language to attempt to avoid similar inidents in the future.
The Croatian Mountain Rescue Service later published the correspondence from John and Jennifer on their Facebook page, thanking them and saying that the gratitude shown from those they come to the rescue of is their biggest reward.
At 412 meters in height, the rocky, wild Mount Srdj is not enormous as far as other mountains in Croatia and the region go, but it certainly isn’t a place anyone would fancy getting stuck or lost, especially on a baking hot summers day.
Towering over the City of Dubrovnik, Srdj offers unique views over the wider area, the islands, and over the interior of neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina. Other than dense pine forests, it is topped only by the nearby village of Bosanka, the Panorama restaurant and Fort Imperijal, a Napoleonic fortress built in the 1800’s, which now serves as a museum dedicated to the Homeland War.
Please do not attempt to scale Srdj without following the clearly marked serpentine path which leads you to the top, particularly during the intense heat of the summer months.
