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Riding along Dugi Otok

Croatia: cycling heaven, and also cycling hell

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John Clayton is a UK citizen who has been living in the coastal city of Rijeka for 15 years. Following on from his previous post about The Sound of Rijeka, John talks here about his experiences of cycling in Croatia – and what’s great for cyclists in the country, what’s not so good and what’s awful!

Cycling in Croatia can be truly incredible – discover picture-perfect beaches, ride the dramatic mountain with endless forest on one side with stunning views over the islands on the other. In so many ways it’s idyllic, but, and it’s a big BUT, the driving is highly bicycle unfriendly and cycling infrastructure is totally missing.

I find it hard to write about cycling in Croatia. There is so much great to say, yet the negatives are very real. Having said that I cycle most weekends, I feel highly privileged to have such incredible places to cycle on my doorstep and I am still here to tell the tale.

A perfect rest stop - cycling in Croatia
A perfect rest stop

Cycling in Croatia: the good

So here we go, let’s start with the good. Of course, the biggest draw is the unbelievably beautiful landscape. With a bicycle, it’s possible to escape the crowded beaches – even in the height of summer – and put up a hammock at an idyllic hidden beach with crystal clear water. Perhaps even better but less well-known is the riding in the mountains. Croatia has wild mountains, particularly Velebit (just north of Zadar). These are truly wild in a way that is increasingly difficult to find in Europe outside of the Nordic countries.

Cycling in Croatia - Velebit
High up in the Velebit mountains

The mountains provide so many excellent cycling options for any style of riding, and almost always you’ll be the only cyclist. This autumn we did a two-day mountain bike trip through Gorski Kotar (the mountains between Rijeka and the Slovenian border) and until we accidentally joined a mountain bike race near Platak we didn’t see a single other cyclist. In fact, in that one hour, we saw more cyclists than we had ever seen in Croatia over the last 15 years. To this day I’ve literally seen more bears than mountain bikers in Croatia (5 vs 3 if you’re interested). By the way, while there is a need to be bear aware in Croatia, drivers are a much, much bigger risk.

Winter riding in Gorski Kotar
Winter riding in Gorski Kotar

Another advantage of cycling in Croatia is that outside of July and August very good value accommodation can be found. One of our favourite weekend rides from Rijeka is to cycle across the island of Krk to then spend a night in the ever-so-cute town of Cres. We usually pay between €35-45 for an apartment. Eating out in winter is also cheaper, and we can prepare our own coffee and breakfast in the morning. In Croatia, we can afford to travel light and to be credit card tourers. In fact it’s often cheaper than camping – more about that in a minute.

Finding unexpected wildlife on the Brijuni Islands
Finding unexpected wildlife on the Brijuni Islands

Cycling in Croatia: the bad…and the ugly

So that was the good, how about the bad and the ugly?

Unfortunately, there is quite a lot. Firstly, the driving. Croatians are not known for their considerate driving, pedestrian crossings here are merely seen as a suggestion, and in no way an obligation. Accordingly, the vast majority of Croatian drivers will overtake cyclists immediately regardless of whether it is appropriate or not. Expect drivers to pass just inches from your left hand, usually holding a mobile phone in one hand and a cigarette in the other. There is not much that can be done about the driving, but we avoid bigger roads where possible and always wear helmets and yellow T-shirts.

The other major issue is the lack of infrastructure. Basically, there isn’t any. Rijeka, my home town, doesn’t have a single official bicycle rack. And forget about bicycle lanes. While a few sections do exist in random places, they are short and not linked together. Istria may be the best area of Croatia for cycle infrastructure but do not expect anything like Italy or Slovenia.

Riding along Dugi Otok
Riding along Dugi Otok

On top of this, very few trains carry bicycles to the coast (inland Slavonia is much better). There is just one a day between Zagreb and Rijeka, and none between Zagreb and Split apart from the overnight train that runs for a few weeks in the summer. In theory, buses carry bicycles, for a fee of around €10. However, it depends on space being available and the mood of the driver. These conditions make it impossible to book in advance so it cannot be relied on to return from a one-way trip along the coast for example. The bus companies even warn that getting a bicycle on a bus in summer is highly unlikely, I could add that Friday and Sunday afternoons/evenings all year round are also best avoided. Designing a circular route is the best option, or use the ferries between Italy and Zadar, Split and Dubrovnik for one-way routes.

The main ferry company in Croatia, Jadrolinija, only allows bicycles on their car ferries, for the same fee as a passenger. But please be aware that the passenger catamarans (listed as “brzi brod”) do not carry bicycles. Every year I see many cyclists in Rijeka being refused boarding as it is far from clear on the official information that bicycles are banned.

There is a reason for this misleading information – while both local and national tourist boards appear to encourage cycling, they clearly assume that every cyclist also has a car. It certainly isn’t necessary to have one (I don’t) but it does mean that information is presented based on this assumption. I also guess that no one working for these organisations has ever ridden a bicycle. Other catamaran companies operating in Dalmatia do carry bicycles – someone at Jadrolinija really doesn’t like cyclists!

Cycling in Croatia

Cycling in Croatia and camping

Similarly, campsites in Croatia are not at all geared up for cyclists, or, ironically, any kind of camping. Motorhomes now dominate the market and campsites have been designed accordingly. Campsites are usually floodlit at night, have rock-hard ground, and are shockingly expensive. They also charge a registration fee of about €2 per person for the first night – effectively a tax on cyclists and hikers, in contrast to Slovenian campsites that give discounts to cyclists.

Cycling into Nin, near Zadar
Cycling into Nin, near Zadar

There is a much better option to official campsites. A free, quiet, dark at night, option. Of course, I mean wild camping on one of the many, many isolated beaches in Croatia. The only problem is that wild camping is illegal in Croatia. The choice is yours. However, it might be worth bearing in mind that almost everything is illegal in Croatia and you will probably be breaking the law approximately every 5 minutes.

I just recently discovered that when there is no bicycle lane at a pedestrian crossing, cyclists are obliged to dismount and push their bikes across. As there is never, ever a bicycle lane I have already broken this law literally thousands of times. Just to make things worse, when cycling I do stop at crossings for pedestrians yet the cars behind me keep going, and somehow I am the one breaking the law.

Wearing yellow when cycling in Croatia
Wearing yellow

To cycle or not to cycle…

I think I forgot to mention that Croatia is hilly, always! This is not a complaint, just an observation. Croatia would not be anywhere near as beautiful if it were flat. Make sure you have low climbing gears. My other advice, wear a helmet and bright clothing, avoid busier roads if at all possible, and don’t plan on using public transport on the coast.

So yes, Croatia may be way behind almost every other European country when it comes to cycling but, there is amazing cycling to be discovered here. I am still exploring, always finding new and amazing places. It can be really, really beautiful. It is by far my most common weekend activity so take my concerns as forewarning and come cycling in Croatia.

Thank you so much for your very interesting piece, John. Some truly excellent advice for anyone interested in cycling in Croatia.

Outdoor Easter in Rijeka

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The following is a lovely write-up from John Clayton, a UK citizen who has been living in the coastal city of Rijeka for 15 years. John talks about some of the wonderful outdoor activities that can be enjoyed during Easter in Rijeka.

The clocks are on summertime and the winter is over. Easter marks the time when we can start to plan bigger and better outdoor adventures in Rijeka. Jenny and I make the most of the winter, but this largely means grabbing opportunities on the days without “Bura”, the gale-force cold wind from the north, or the “Jugo”, the more destructive warm and wet wind from the south.

I’ll share here a few of our outdoor favourites at this time of year. As Croatia is rightly famous for its beaches this is the obvious place to start. We’re lucky to live just five minutes’ walk from the most beautiful beach in Rijeka, Sablićevo (don’t even try to pronounce it). It is also within walking distance from the town centre, or take the number 1 bus. The beach is surrounded by high cliffs creating a perfect sun trap. Even in the middle of winter, on a sunny day it’s possible to be down there in a just a T-shirt. By spring sunbathing is certainly an option and without the summer crowds.  With a wetsuit, there is also the option of swimming the 1.5km from Grčevo beach, past Sablićevo, to the dog beach right by the port. This is an amazing swim in crystal clear, often glass-smooth, water. At this time of year, there is even the small possibility that you’ll be swimming with dolphins.

Outdoor Easter in Rijeka - Sablicevo Beach in Rijeka
Sablicevo Beach in Rijeka

This morning, before writing this, we did the ten-mile mountain bike loop which is the most accessible mountain biking area from Rijeka. It starts with a slightly boring climb up through Kostrena, the fanciest suburb of Rijeka. The reward comes quickly in the form of single-track riding through the forest, opening out to views across the mountains of Gorski Kotar on the right and the islands of Cres and Krk on the left – all this before breakfast.

Rijeka keeps its last secret well hidden yet almost in plain sight. Rijeka is the third largest city in Croatia and, unlike many coastal towns in Croatia, is still industrial, with a busy port, shipbuilding, and a refinery. However, almost in the centre of the city is a steep-sided, wild, overgrown canyon, full of deep pools and cliffs. It is certainly not obvious from the town that it is there and even most locals seem unaware of its existence as it’s rare to see anyone else in there. Our favourite trail run starts at the castle of Trsat, scrambles down steeply into the canyon, past the abandoned water mills, and across the river. From here it climbs back steeply up the peak above Trsat before joining the road down to Rijeka.

After all this exercise you probably deserve a beer. As a Rijekan, I’d love to suggest one of the local craft beers, of which there are plenty to try (Tarsa, Morčić, etc.) but I have to be honest and admit that in my opinion, the best beer in Croatia, and possibly the world, is Fifth Element IPA. It’s from Daruvar and best enjoyed on draft in Pivnica Cont, on Tito Square, right on the old border between the first Yugoslavia and Italy. Just drinking a beer there is a history lesson in itself.

Thank you so much to John for suggesting some excellent outdoor adventures for Easter in Rijeka! Much appreciated. John has also previously filmed a great Easter in Rijeka video, which really gives a feel for the kinds of things that can be enjoyed at this time of year. Take a look:

To see more of what John enjoys in this part of Croatia, take a look at his Swimming in Rijeka video.

Partisan Hospital Feat

Running Back in Time – The Forgotten Partisan Hospital

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A few months ago, we featured a blogpost written by David Lavery of VeloCroatia about road cycling in Croatia – in the Petrova Gora region (south of Zagreb, near the border with Bosnia and Hercegovina) in particular. David got in touch again to share another fascinating account of his experiences of cycling in that area. This time round, he searches for the abandoned (and long forgotten) Partisan hospital that is hidden in the woods…

This really is a fascinating read, and especially of interest to anyone who likes their sights ‘off the beaten track’ and who is interested in the history of Croatia.

Running Back in Time – The Forgotten Partisan Hospital

Vojnic is a sleepy little place in Croatia where not much happens. Although all is quiet today this small farming village has seen more than its fair share of history. We were over visiting family on the farm near Vojnic for Christmas and I wanted to explore the woods on the slopes of Petrova Gora to find what remained of the Partisan hospital that operated, hidden, during World War Two.

In an effort to stave off the excess food of Christmas I took my running stuff and an unhealthy obsession for finally finding the hospital hidden somewhere in the woods.

I first found out about the rumours of the hospital when I was researching my cycle to the top of Petrova Gora to see the abandoned spomenik monument. The recent history of Croatia is nothing if not complicated and during World War Two, with Croatia aligned with the Axis a resistance movement formed. These partisans fought in the forests around Petrova Gora against the fascism sweeping the country.

In order to hide and treat the wounded, a hospital facility was built in the woods in a steep ravine called Pišin gaj in the spring of 1942 by partisan doctor Savo Zlatic and Jakov Kanjcevic Brada. As the war waged the facility grew to over thirty facilities and treated five thousand wounded and sick soldiers and civilians from the surrounding Kordun region.

Despite all of this it was never found by Axis forces. Given this I was not confident of finding it myself.

The bodies of over one thousand partisan fighters are interned in graves in the forest of Petrova Gora having succumb to their injuries during the fighting.

After the war, the facility was abandoned and largely forgotten as Yugoslavia emerged from the ashes of the war.

In 1961 the complex was refurbished and converted into a museum, eventually being awarded the “Order of National Hero” by Tito, the strongman of Yugoslavia. By all accounts this was a popular museum to visit and there was even a youth hostel built nearby at the edge of the ravine.

It was an altogether different war that finally put an end to the hospital complex. As Croatia fought a bloody independence war, the complex was extensively damaged during Operation Storm in 1995 and then fell into disrepair. The new state of neglect reflected a wider trend in the newly formed Croatia to collectively forget about anything to do with the partisans. Welcome to the world of politicking and the complexities of national identity.

It was my turn to find the hospital.

Attempt Number One – Lost in the woods. The wrong woods.

Just as during the war, my first attempt to find the hospital ended in abject failure. I parked the car at Lovački dom Muljava and started running along the gravel path into the woods more in hope than expectation. After a few weeks off running due to an injury, my legs were screaming immediately and not happy to be pointing up hill. On they went and were only stopped when the path abruptly ended at the river after around 3km. With nowhere to go I decided, mostly on a whim, to follow what looked like a path into the woods. Every path I took lead to nowhere and I was soon forced to admit defeat. These were just paths forged by the logging trucks and not paths to any hospital in the woods. I might be thirty-four years old but it turns out that I still get excited about the prospect of exploring in the woods so it wasn’t a complete waste of time.

David Lavery, VeloCroatia
My first attempt ended by simply getting lost in the woods. It was a vital reminder that Google Maps is not always available.

I got some exercise and fresh air and a renewed ambition to find the hospital. I would not be defeated.

Back at the farm I did more research and was quietly confident of finding the hospital on my next attempt.

Attempt Number Two – Finally found. Another reason I am better than the Nazis.

I parked the car at the side of the road and took a different approach into the woods. After three kilometers of running I found what used to be a youth hostel in the glory days of Yugoslavia. It is now completely lifeless but at least I knew that I was in the right area for the hospital.

Opposite to the hostel was a faint path leading up to the ridge in the forest and for lack of a better alternative I headed up in that direction, the forest silent but deafening in my isolation.

Petrova Gora Youth Hostel
The abandoned youth hostel. When you see this, look in the opposite direction for the path into the woods that leads eventually to the Partisan hospital.

I could glimpse the faint outline of buildings up ahead almost completely camouflaged in the dense forest. As I got closer its full form emerged and I had finally, after many fruitless attempts, found what remained of the partisan hospital.

Steps to the Partisan Hospital complex
The path leading into the woods that will take you to the hospital complex.

When I reached the grounds of the hospital I was suddenly struck by how alone I was. In the distance I could hear the rattle and hum of loggers but around me was nothing but silence broken only by the flutter of birds and twigs snapping under my feet.

The Partisan Hospital complex
The remains of the Partisan hospital complex. Hard to believe that 5000 soldiers and civilians were treated here during the war.

Further into the forest the unmarked crosses stood proud among the trees. The graves of one thousand brave partisans apparently all but forgotten and now part of the forest.

Petrova Gora unmarked graves by the Partisan Hospital complex
The unmarked graves to the 1000 bodies buried on the slopes of Petrova Gora.

Despite the isolation, when I closed my eyes I could see the life that once stood and fought here. This small corner of Croatia, unremarkable in so many ways, has been at the crossroads of many turbulent events; first during world war two and then during the Croatian war of independence in the 1990’s.

After exploring what remains of the hospital, I made my way back down the hill and ran back to the car back the way I came. Back in the summer I tried to find the hospital on my bike, my road bike struggling on what used to be a road but was now more of a stream. I realised today that if I had just cycled another two hundred yards around the next corner I would have found it.

Despite the many failed attempts to find the hospital and getting lost in the process, the effort in the end was absolutely worth it. Without hyperbole, it is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen in my life. The fact that it is now abandoned, forgotten and has no appetite to be seen means that if you do visit you will be alone with only your thoughts.

Grave of Jakov Kanjcevic Brada
A grave marking to Jakov Kanjcevic Brada, the founder of the original hospital.

There cannot be many sights in the world, sights of such historical significance, that give the feeling that you alone have stumbled upon them.

David Lavery, VeloCroatia
Proud to have finally found the hospital. This is the kind of run experience that you can never get from the gym!

Getting There

From Vojnic, drive east on Ul. Andrije Hebranga 32 which then turns into Gornji Vojnic where you can follow signs for Lovački dom Muljava (a good place for a coffee and a crepe if it is open when you visit).

As you continue you will see a sign pointing to a road on the right for the hospital (it is quite faint and in Croatian obviously so it is easy to miss). The road has seen better days and since I wanted to run, I left my car near this junction just off the main road. If you have a 4×4 type car then I would imagine the road is passable but certainly when I went it was rutted and had half turned into a river.

The run from here to the stairs to the youth hostel which marks the entrance to the hospital is only 2.2km up a gentle slope.

When you reach the youth hostel on your left, look to the right for the faint trail/ stairs that lead into the woods and to the hospital.

The exact coordinates for the hospital complex are; 45°17’44.1″N 15°45’18.2″E

Vojnic – An Unsuspecting Crossroads in Croatia

It only takes a minute to drive through the village of Vojnic and most people will pass through without realising that it stands at the crossroads of some pivotal events in recent history.

Apart from the partisan hospital, the area also saw heavy action during the Croatian war of independence. Rockets were fired from here by the Serbian aggressors towards Zagreb, a war crime that killed seven civilians.

As the war encroached into Bosnia, refugees spilled into the area. Just at the bottom of the farm is a field that once held thousands of refugees in squalid conditions. Even today when it rains heavily, nappies used in this very field get washed onto the farm.

And even now Vojnic, because of its proximity to the Bosnian border, is a popular passing place form immigrants fleeing war in the middle east and trying to get to Europe. I have seen a few young men stopped by the side of the road by the police, destined to be thrown back across the border to try again in the future.

The common thread running through all of this is war; then and even now.

Thank you, David, for sharing your experiences of searching for this amazing place. You can read the original post on David’s website here: Running Back in Time – The Forgotten Partisan Hospital.