Balkans Cycle Tour, Vienna to Istanbul

April - June 2011

 

All content copyright © Ashley Burke 2011. Not to be copied, duplicated or used for any purpose without permission.

 

Stage 4 - Bosnia-Herzegovina

Mostar and the mountains of southern Bosnia, 8-11 May 2011

Bosnia-Herzegovina was very interesting riding, particularly Mostar and the high country to the east of Mostar. The areas bordering Montenegro were sparsely populated semi-alpine areas with small rural hamlets, streams and snow-capped peaks. I spent a total of 3 nights in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Map, Stage 4

On the afternoon of 8 May 2011 I crossed the border from Croatia into Bosnia-Herzegovina at the border crossing of Metković. I needed a place to stay for the night. A sign led me to a motel in a national park about 5km off the main road. This national park is called Hutovo Blato and it protects an important wetland and bird habitat.

This marshy reedy wetland is a sanctuary for a rich variety of wildlife, including many bird species. I rode past this wetland seeking some form of accommodation, which was eventually to be found at a motel situated at the entrance to this national park.

8 May 2011

From the motel there are short walks around the wetland.

8 May 2011.

Peaceful ponds in the wetland "Hutovo Blato".

8 May 2011.
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9 May 2011.

This was one of the worst days of riding of the entire trip. It was only about 40km from Hutovo Blato to Mostar but I was continually blasted by a fierce cold headwind all the way into Mostar. Combined with heavy traffic and whipped up dust and grime, this was dreadful riding. I reached Mostar by lunch time and stayed there.

On the way to Mostar I passed the historic site of Žitomislići.

Mostar

The city of Mostar in southern Bosnia-Herzegovina has a beautiful historic centre that is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Its most famous landmark is the Stari Most, a bridge of great beauty and historical significance.

One of the most enduring images of the Balkans war of the early 1990s was the tragic bombing and ultimate destruction of this beautiful bridge in November 1993. There is a YouTube video that shows footage of the Stari Most being destroyed in 1993.

The bridge has been meticulously rebuilt and the old centre of Mostar is preserved. Much of the remainder of Mostar still bears the scars of war.

I was very interested to see the rebuilt Stari Most and to visit this old city during my 2011 Balkans cycle trip. This interest was kindled by my horror back in 1993 when I saw this footage of the bridge being destroyed on the televised news.

I cycled into Mostar on a cold windy day on 9 May 2011, arriving in the old town at around lunch time. I spent the remainder of the day in the old town, and stayed the night at Pansion Oscar.

Views of the old town of Mostar. This photo was taken from the Stari Most itself, looking upstream.

View from the Stari Most, Mostar.

9 May 2011.
A man climbs the Stari Most, Mostar.
The old town, Mostar.

The Stari Most, Mostar.

9 May 2011.

The Old Town, Mostar.

9 May 2011.

 

The Stari Most, Mostar.
The old town, Mostar.
The old town, Mostar.
The old town of Mostar at night.
The Stari Most at night.

The old town of Mostar at night.

9 May 2011.

On 10 May 2011 I cycled east from Mostar on the road to Gacko. This road climbed steadily into the frigid mountains of southern Bosnia. This photo is lookin back towards Mostar and in the foreground right you can see the road that I have been climbing. Mostar is around the corner in the valley to the right.

After a considerably long climb, I crossed the pass of Grebak (1093m) and descended to the town of Nevesinje.

10 May 2011.

After Nevesinje the road was quiet with little traffic. It continued climbing up a long valley towards Gacko. The hilly countryside was dotted with tiny hamlets and small farms.

10 May 2011.
 

Very pleasant alpine hamlets and farms en route to Gacko.

10 May 2011.

Gacko was not a tourist town! My introduction to this town was the sight of a huge old ugly and rundown power station and surrounding mine. The town itself was purely housing for the mining and power station workers. There was nowhere to stay here, and I didn't like the look of it anyway. I climbed higher into the mountains to the north of this ugly town and camped beside a river that ran downstream from the Klinje Jezero.

On the morning after my wild camp north of Gacko I tried taking this minor road into Montenegro, It would lead directly down to the Montenegran city of Nikšić. But when I reached the border I was handed a note by the Bosnian border official that I eventually recognised as being an attempt to say in English that this border crossing is only for locals, and that foreigners are not allowed to use this border crossing.

So I was left to retrace my tracks along this road back almost as far as Gacko and cycle around to the border crossing at Bileća, about 50km to the south.

11 May 2011.

At least the road was quite scenic and very quiet, considering I had to ride it twice!

Later that day I did in fact cross the border into Montenegro at Bileća, and thus the story continues on Stage 5 - Montenegro.

 

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

All content copyright © Ashley Burke 2011. Not to be copied, duplicated or used for any purpose without permission.