CATEGORY OF PROTECTION: Significant Landscape

YEAR OF PROTECTION: 1967

SURFACE AREA: 1 139,90 ha

POSITION: Municipality of Drniš

The geological structure of this area is dominated by limestone of Mesozoic and Paleogenic age, with a dolomite belt. In some areas, the thick series of Mesozoic limestone are covered by young layers of marl, sandstone and conglomerates, such as Upper Cretaceous flysch. The karst plateau was created at the end of the Pliocene and beginning of the Pleistocene. Since the end of the Pleistocene, the Čikola canyon has been cut into the plateau, and represents an exceptional geomorphological phenomenon of karst. The area was further shaped by subsequent erosion processes. During the dry summer period, the eddy wells, sand spits, roundstones and travertine are visible in the canyon, while wrinkles, layers and funnels are visible at the edges of the canyon.

The significant landscape includes 13 km of canyon up to 130 m high, from the end of Petrovo Field near Drniš to the border of Krka National Park, 300 m downstream of the bridge over the Čikola River on the road Pakovo Selo – Ključ. The canyon separates the Miljevac villages situated in the northwest and the villages of Pakovo Selo and Žitnić in the southeast.

There are a number of subterranean habitats in the Čikola River Canyon (caves and sinkholes), the best known of which are the caves at Brini and Topla peć cave. The first traces of human habitation in Šibenik-Knin County, dating from the Late Palaeolithic (about 18,000 BC), were found at the caves at Brini situated in the western section of the Čikola Canyon, 4 kilometres from Drniš. The remains of animal bones from the Upper Pleistocene were unearthed (cave bear, hyena, alpine marmot, wild horse, ibex, bison and the like) and artefacts from Palaeolithic man of the Mousterian culture (including scrapers, cutters and borers).

The Čikola River canyon belongs to the deciduous or Submediterranean zone of the Mediterranean vegetation region. The flora is comprised of 298 plant species

THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS ARE PARTICULARY PROHIBITED IN THIS PROTECTED AREA:

• damage and / or destroy the sign and / or information board and / or didactic equipment,
• driving motor vehicles without permission on roads where traffic is prohibited or restricted,
• light a fire outside settlements and / or places that are specially marked and designated for that     purpose / lighting a fire,
• camp, ie camp outside the designated and marked places,
• dispose of waste outside the designated and marked place and to pollute nature,
• perform illegal underwater activities
• engage in illegal fishing
• hunt, capture, disperse or disturb wild animals or other animal species,
• picking and damaging indigenous plants and damaging trees,rock damage,
• recording for commercial purposes without approval,
• lead dogs without a leash

GENERAL CLIMBING ETHICS

• Protect the flora and fauna and leave no trace of your stay.
• Respect designated parking areas and access paths.
• Observe fire bans. In Dalmatia, this strictly applies from June 1st to October 1st of the current year.
• Respect the rules of forest parks, national parks, hunting grounds, and other protected areas with special regulations. Inform yourself about the specifics of each location through climbing guidebooks and by talking to locals.
• Respect the rock as a limited natural resource. Adhere to this when bolting new routes  and during daily climbing
• Avoiding climbing on wet tufas (and holds in general) as they break more easily.
• Not using aggressive methods to dry wet rock
• Avoiding leaving quickdraws in routes for long periods in extremely windy locations; wind action causes nuts and hangers to loosen and damages the rock within the radius of the draw.
• Brush off chalk after climbing a route, as it destroys the rock’s texture over time when combined with moisture. Brushing away your “tick marks” after climbing is a matter of basic etiquette.
• Do not modify crags without permission and coordination with the original route setters or locals. This includes writing route/boulder names on the rock, aggressive cleaning of established routes using wire brushes and/or hammers, altering access paths, etc.
• Respect the privacy of others, especially when the crag is crowded. Do not be too loud, do not play music, and do not turn the crag into a playground for children or pets.
• Be aware of the dangers and educate less experienced climbers
• Never stand directly below a climber on the wall
• Bring a first aid kit for emergencies. (112 )
• Do not “privatize” routes;  This specifically refers to leaving ropes in anchors after a climb to “save your spot” for another go, or not allowing other climbers to climb the route. Furthermore, respect climbers preparing for a serious “send” attempt and offer your support.
• Communicate with route setters and those maintaining the crag through constructive criticism so that everyone can improve the maintenance of current and the bolting of future sectors. (SPK Teton; Javna ustanova Priroda Šibensko-kninske županije )
• When bolting routes, look for logical natural lines and do not create artificial holds (chipping). Every artificial hold destroys the rock’s aesthetics and potentially ruins a future hard project by tailoring the rock to your current needs.
• Participate in crag maintenance. This primarily refers to keeping access paths and the base of the routes clear, as well as maintaining fixed gear—tightening loose hangers (17mm wrench), replacing worn-out gear (maillons, fixed draws, slings, carabiners, etc.), and cleaning vegetation from routes.
• Fix or report hazards. Repair issues yourself if possible, or notify the climbing community about any dangers you notice. Making the crag as safe as possible is a collective duty of all visitors. (cikolaclimbing@gmail.com) 

For a pleasant and safe stay in the protected area and for the preservation of nature, it is necessary to adhere to certain rules of conduct and obey to certain advices.

The Ranger Service performs direct protection in the protected area and has the authority to impose a penalty at the place of violation in cases of non-compliance with the rules established by the Rules of Internal Order and the Nature Protection Act.