THE PATHS OF IMMORTALS - Mt. Velebit, BEAVER CLIFFS - Croatia

Hikers really have privillege to walk the paths of immortals and go to the places majority of people avoid. In the third part of this Hub you will see some very special photos, which are taken while we were hiking through the not-so-easy path which is connecting long palisade of beautiful white cliffs (Baver´s cliff). Photos are exclusive, because hikers usually do not use camera while walking such paths (taking photos breaks concentration which is needed for hiking), they use it when they rich the top, plus this path is created several years ago, so not many people walked there.

VELEBIT is the most gorgeous mountain in Croatia. It is wild, rocky, big, enchanting, mystical. ( 145 km long, 15-30km width ) . It stretches above the Adriatic sea, so hiking is special experience, because every now and on you have extraordinary views on the beautiful sparkling sea and many charming islands (which used to be part of this mountain - we have more then 1300 islands).

Here is very quiet and peaceful, Velebit kept its wilderness and innocence. Altough very special and strong people used to live here, for many decades there is not many of them left, because life here is very challenging and still not "civilized": this fact actually preserved Velebit.

Now here is paradise for hikers: you can walk through the mountain for many hours completely alone, sorounded just with healing sounds of the nature while discovering most beautiful landscapes, which are constantly changing on every step you walk.

Here is the world from fairy tales, from the most beautiful dreams of our human soul.

I mentioned in some of my previous Hubs that Velebit was (is) holy mountain of Croats, because of its extraordinary beauty, untamed power and wilderness.

First part of my vacations, my boyfriend and me for first time went to the middle part of mountain Velebit (up till now we were on its southern part which is the rockiest and - for this time of year - the hottest), our base was the place called Baske Ostarije, where is charming hotel "Velebno" and also nice shelter for hikers "Prpa". We tried the both types of accommodation: hotel is certainly much more comfortable, but in shelter we got all needed informations from more experienced hikers, what is of the highest value when one decides to walk the paths in the completely new hiking area. For the people who just like to wander around through the peaceful, green valeys of this area, and they are many of them around, hotel is the best solution.

First day we went to the group of cliffs named Kiza, which is "rocky ridge composed of many vertical and leaning cliffs of bizarre shapes" (citation from- www.summitpost.org ) and part of the huge palisade of over 20 groups of white cliffs called BEAVER´S CLIFFS, Dabarski kukovi, which streches many miles in the heart of the mountain and looks really magnificent - like sharp wall of white rocky scultpures (what you can partially see on my first photo).

I took the photos of the places where we were hiking or wandering around....

After reading my Hub, please visit my online photo gallery "FOREVER WILD" on http://tatianamichaela.redbubble.com

These are few beautiful photos taken second day while we were hiking on the hill of Badanj. That afternoon  sunshine and clouds were playing their games on deep blue  sky.  

Last day of hiking we decided to go on the path which connects the peaks of the cliffs (from Wide cliffs to the mountain Butinovaca) .This was very challenging, because the path goes for hours of hiking up and down, on some places is very narrow and tiny and so often you have abyss behind your back, and also requires readiness to climb on some rocks (without any tools - just with hands). Well, we are recreative hikers, and recreative hikers usually do not climb. Only if they have to. Or want to. So we did it.

There were two dangerous situations as well. First one happened when I was on very tiny path with the huge rock in the front of me (which I needed to pass by) and deep abyss behind my back - in one moment I sudennly got frozen and could not move any more (I used to have fear from hights, which came back to me in this situation). My friend returned and gave me hand ( luckily he walked first this part of path - usually I go first), so saved me from abyss.

When we reached the highest peak of Wide cliffs, we took short rest. After 10 minutes I realized that in the bush, which was several inches away from my friend and me- was also resting poisonous snake (nose-horned viper) whom we disturbed from her sleep, so she was in alert position. I warned my friend to move away slowly, and as soon as he did that, snake moved from us as well. Her poison could not kill any of us, but would live us in very uncomfortable situation, because on this part of mountain - mobile phones do not work, and one person would not be able to walk down alone without help of the another one. Thanks to our peaceful reaction, snake realized that she was not in danger, and very politely removed herself from us.

To be completely honest, after these two happenings our hiking adventure started to look more special, then it would be without them. The stories which we were telling to the others afterwards, sounded more interesting with chapters about abyss and snake... That is the reason we do not complain because we had to taste a little bit of danger... It was worth it and we passed the tests which we created.

In Croatian culture, the mythical Velebit mountain range is famous for its fairies, beautiful, mighty supernatural creatures who have power over winds and storms. They have healing and prophetic powers, and their voices are as beautiful that one who hears them loses all thoughts of food, drink or sleep, sometimes for days. Despite their feminine charms they are fierce warriors. The earth is said to shake when they do battle.

Despite the catholicism, Croats kept beliefs in migthy spirits of nature and were celebrating them in many tales and songs. Even today is very popular song created in the beginning of 19th century called "The Fairy of Velebit" (Vila Velebita) in which we celebrate the spirit of nature, beauties of mountain Velebit and patriotic love for our beautiful country and people.