Walking in Croatia by Rudolf Abraham

Author:Rudolf Abraham
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: p978-1-84965-312-1
Publisher: Cicerone Press
Published: 2010-04-01T04:00:00+00:00

PART 5

VELEBIT

Premužićeva staza, Northern Velebit

INTRODUCTION

Velebit is Croatia’s most extensive massif, containing some of its highest peaks and its most spectacular scenery, and no hiking trip to Croatia is complete without at least a few days here. In fact, it is possible to spend quite some time on Velebit: a full north–south traverse requires at least 10–12 days, if it includes only some of the various possible excursions.

Boasting domed peaks and jagged crags, brilliantly engineered tracks through some magnificent limestone scenery, brown bears and botanical gardens, sinkholes plummeting some 1392m (that’s almost down to sea level) and sheer-sided gorges where until only recently griffon vultures nested above alpine climbing routes, Velebit should have enough to keep most mountain enthusiasts more than busy.

Like its more southerly siblings Mosor and Biokovo, Velebit rises steeply and dramatically from the coast. Perhaps rather appropriately, considering the alarming depth of its sinkholes, the ferocity of its winds (the infamous bura), and the peculiarity of its light – the glowing pinks and reds of its limestone buttresses before sunset – the 16th-century Croatian writer Petar Zoranić made Paklenica the entrance to Hell in his book Planine (‘The Mountains’, 1569). Zoranić describes the bura as a harsh wind blowing from Vražja vrata (‘Hell’s gate’ – hell in modern Croatian being pakao, whence Paklenica), and gives a mythical account of its origin – the sighing of a beautiful woman (named Bura) who was confined to the underworld for her excessive vanity.

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