Fuzine

Fuzine sits at about 720 metres in Gorski Kotar, the forested highland between Zagreb and the coast, with three lakes around it - Bajer, Lepenica and Potkos - all of them reservoirs created for hydroelectric use in the twentieth century rather than natural, which is worth knowing since they look otherwise. A path runs round Bajer. The Vrelo cave, a short horizontal system with formations, is on the edge of the village and is walked in about twenty minutes. Being high, wet and cool, Fuzine is used as a summer escape from the coast heat and as one of the more reliable snow spots within reach of Rijeka and Zagreb.

History

Fužine grew up in the 17th century, when the Zrinski family opened an iron mine in this part of Gorski Kotar, and the name is linked with its many smiths, who also repaired carriages. The Karolina road from Bakar to Karlovac, built in 1727, ran through it, and societies for the road's goods traffic were at work in Vrbovsko, Fužine and Karlovac by 1780. The Zagreb-Rijeka railway reached it in 1873, and the volunteer fire brigade was founded in 1876. The three lakes around the village - Bajer, Potkoš and Lepenica - are artificial reservoirs (Wikipedia, Fužine, Croatia).

What's there

• Three lakes around the village - all reservoirs, not natural.
• A path round Bajer - the walk most visitors do.
• Vrelo cave - a short system on the village edge.
• High, wet and cool - a summer escape and a winter snow spot.

When to go

June to September for walking; winter for snow. Half a day.

Things to know

Gorski Kotar is the wettest part of Croatia and rain is frequent even in summer. The lakes are for looking at rather than swimming. Facilities are village scale. The motorway is close and audible in places.

Nearby

Golubinjak forest park is east; Rijeka is down on the coast.