Balkans Cycle Tour Vienna to Istanbul 2011

Balkans Cycle Tour, Vienna to Istanbul

April - June 2011


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Stage 3 - Croatia

Samobor, Karlovac and the Croatian Coast, 2-8 May 2011

I spent about a week cycling through Croatia, which was one of the most scenic and varied stages of the ride. There were many beautiful historic villages and a spectacular coastline with a range of steep limestone mountains not far inland. I had mostly good weather whilst cycling through Croatia, with the exception of the wind. This relentless cold headwind was my major adversary on this section of the ride. I learned that this high wind, known as the Bora is quite normal on the Croatian coast, and the island of Pag is swept bare by it. On my first day cycling down the Croatian coast the Bora made conditions almost unridable, but fortunately conditions eased over the ensuing days.

Map, Stage 3

	The town of Samobor in Croatia, my first Croatian city. This city is west of Zagreb. 2 May 2011
	Samobor, Croatia. 2 May 2011.
	Samobor, Croatia. 2 May 2011.
	South of Samobor was some really hilly riding on pleasant little rural roads until the town of Jastrebarsko.
	Lovely vineyards on the little road down to Jastrebarsko. 2 May 2011. After Jastrebarsko there was 20km of uninteresting riding along a busy road into Karlovac. I camped in parkland beside the river in Karlovac.
	On the morning after leaving Karlovac I eventually found a lovely little road leading from Duga Resa to Ogulin. This road had almost no traffic and just wound its way through little farms as far as Bosiljevo. After that it became less interesting riding into the town of Ogulin. 3 May 2011.
	After Ogulin I pressed on westwards towards the coast and this route took me up into the coastal mountains. 3 May 2011.
	After several long hours of climbing into the mountains, cycling through dense forest in steady rain, suddenly this quiet road burst out of the forest and began a huge downhill run towards the coast through a more mediterranean landscape.
	A huge long downhill run towards the coast along this quiet road.
	The road winds its way down towards the coast in huge sweeping bends. More than 15km of continuous downhill riding with no pedalling! A cold wind was blowing. 3 May 2011.
	Down down down, through tiny villages like this one, until finally I reached a campsite on the coast at Novi Vinodolski. 129km today. 3 May 2011.
	Cycling south along the coastal road. A very strong cold headwind hampered my riding today. 4 May 2011.
	Time for lunch at a picnic area at the highest point after a long climb up from Senj. Still a strong wind blowing. 4 May 2011.
	There you can see a car ferry going out to the island of Pag. I followed this road down to the coast and caught this ferry.
	On the ferry to the island of Pag.
	Looking back to the Croatian mainland from the ferry to Pag.
	The island of Pag is swept barren by strong winds.
	This windswept island is almost barren.Luckily the wind had begun to ease. I followed this road to a campsite at Novalja on the western side of the island, which is more sheltered. This was the largest campsite I have ever seen, acres and acres of caravans and little huts. Quite impersonal. But for me it was somewhere to put my tent and have a shower, so good enough. 4 May 2011.
	Cycling south on the island of Pag towards the town of Pag. This photo is taken just south of the town of Novalja. 5 May 2011.
	View down to the town of Pag on the island of Pag. 5 May 2011.

	The historic centre of Pag.
	The historic central plaza of Pag.


	The beautiful little village of Novigrad to the east of Zadar. I rode along these foreshores, there is a lovely campground to the left of this photo. 5 May 2011.
	Views of Novigrad.
	Buy a bottle of pivo (beer) from a little shop in Novigrad and then ride to the campsite.
	The campsite at Novigrad. 5 May 2011, sunset.
	Sunset from Novigrad.


	The historic town of Skradin, north of Sibenik, is surrounded by national park, an important estuarine wetland. 6 May 2011.
	The historic town of Skradin.
	After a very long day of cycling I finally reached a nice little campground near Split airport. The city of Split can be seen across the water. I had been forced to cycle all the way here because a motorway which was closed to cyclists prevented me from reaching Sibenik. I therefore had too detour inland and continue on small roads until I reached this coastal campsite. Another long day, at least 135km.
	This was a lovely quiet campsite, I was the only tenant except for a lovely Austrian couple. At sunset the wind died down and there were lovely views across to the city of Split. 6 May 2011.

	Getting through the urban sprawl surrounding Split was unpleasant but eventually I managed to pass Split and continue down the coast to Omis. This is the beautiful town of Omis, hugging the shoreline beneath a range of steep limestone mountains. 7 May 2011.
	At Omis I was able to turn inland and follow a small road up this gorge through the mountains. 7 May 2011.
	The road led through a small tunnel and then into the valley on the other side.
	From Omis the road followed a river upstream and then climbed and climbed and climbed into the hills, from where this view was seen. 7 May 2011.
	Ahead lie Croatia's highest peaks. I would ride around this massif by following the coastal road to Makarska.
	After a long uphill climb I finally rejoined the coastal road after a long descent on these amazing switchbacks. 7 May 2011
	This part of the coast is spectacular. Not far north of Makarska now. 7 May 2011.
	A long fast downhill run to the coast.
	Looking southwards along the coast towards Makarska.
	A well deserved relaxing evening. I found a little apartment in Makarska with my own room and hot shower, and a shared kitchen. A shop was just around the corner so a bottle of pivo was in order. 7 May 2011
	On the morning of 8 May I tried to head inland into the mountains by following road 512 to Vrgorac. This road promised to be spectacular because from the coast you could see the road winding its way across the mountainside, carved into sheer cliffs. But after climbing for about 10km along this road I found it totally blocked by major road works. I thought I might be able to get through on my bike but as I approached the workmen just shook their heads and beckoned for me to turn around and go back. It was impossible to pass these road barriers. So I returned to the coast and continued southeards, I would have to use a less scenic and more major road to head inland and into Bosnia-Herzegovina. These scenic lakes are just north of the coastal town of Ploče, about 50km down the road from Makarska.
	Myself at the lookout above the Baćinska Jezera. After this photo was taken I rode across the border into Bosnia-Herzegovina at Metković and thus began Stage 4.

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This web page created on 29 Jun 2011, last updated 29 Jun 2011.


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