People have been driven by the dream of flying since time immemorial. Since April this year, this dream has come close to being achieved on the Western side of the Plitvice Lakes national park in Croatia. The municipal authorities of Vrhovina, together with the community of “Rudopolje Moje”, to which various local companies and individuals belong, have taken it upon themselves to make the area in the county of Lika- Senj more attractive to residents and visitors alike. For this reason, the “White Peak” sport and relaxation centre was founded, nestled in the magnificent landscape of Lika. As well as climbing and cycling, people have been able to dive head first into the abyss since Easter 2017. That was made possible by one of Europe’s longest and fastest zip lines, the Zip Line Pazi Medo (in English: Beware of the Bear – this region has a large population).

The zip line was developed by Mr. Branko Kmezić, together with his son, Saša Kmezić, who manages the project, they maintain the zip line and everything associated with it. It has a length of 1,700 m and can reach speeds up to 120 km/h. The zip line is 80 m above ground and provides a beautiful view of the unspoilt natural landscape of Lika, not to mention an adrenaline rush. Passengers lie head first, while they “nosedive” in a type of horizontal suspended harness, fastened to a running carriage with plastic rollers. This carriage runs along the 15 mm-thick cable manufactured by Drumet. It is a cable construction that is typically used in forestry. In Forestry too, ropeways are used, but in this case they help to transport material in difficult, rough terrain. The cable used is a 6-strand Warrington Seale construction which has a hammered surface. This hammering of the cable ensures a smooth and round surface, and therefore also the smooth running of the carriage on the cable. The hammer compression also ensures a large proportion of metal in the cable and thus the necessary breaking load of 220 kN. The cable is stretched under a load of 6.5 tonnes and is exposed to humid conditions. For this reason, the cable is made from galvanised wires and the strands are lightly greased. With this light lubrication, the cable is still sufficiently protected and, at the same time, the passengers’ clothes won’t be soiled by the grease. The journey ends after around 90 seconds on a platform which affords the passenger a marvellous view of the surrounding area.