Summer 2015 - Third Post (Croatia)

17th May 2015

Jesolo di Lido

Lazy day at the beach full of Italians enjoying their Sunday.

18th May 2015

Jesolo di Lido to Njivice (Krk Island, Croatia)
Section 145 miles
Total 2606 miles (31.9 mpg)

Kept on the back roads through totally flat countryside with loads of rice fields and I think maize. Every where, including the towns and villages, so clean, hardly a piece of litter in sight. Hills and mountains start again as Trieste is approached which was by-passed by a toll-free dual carriageway. Entered Slovenia, filled up with fuel much cheaper than Italy, and enjoyed a slow drive down the western side of the Istrian peninsula through endless wooded hills to the Croatian border and then onto Krk Island, accessed by two large bridges (46kn toll, Croatia has been in the EU since 2013, does not use the euro, exchange rate £1 = 10.6 croatian kruni)

Stopped at a campsite at Njivice.
Fuel consumption has improved - no mountain passes - from Briancon to Slovenia I got 33.3mpg - most of the distance was cruising along the Autostrada, at about 60mph, or flat main roads.

Njivce -  The town from near the campsite

Njivce - View across to Cres Island at sunset

 

19th May 2015
Njivice

Hot lazy day just basking on the beach - but about a quarter of the campsite is being re-built - resulting in endless construction noise from two JCB's, often with hydraulic peckers and a massive mobile concrete mixer - far too disturbing and reminiscent of  'site work'! So decided to move on south the next day.

20th May 2015

Njivice to Nin (mainland)
Section 154 miles
Total 2760 miles

Another hot day - unfortunately, the weather forecast at the campsite reception showed rain for the rest of the week. A long days drive south down the coast road with the Adriatic and islands to the east while the mainland mountains rise steeply to the east. This cost line is hardly developed at all - amazing, as it is just a days drive from Germany and Austria - the Croatians seem to like well-heeled tourists. In fact, there is nothing much around apart from hills, mountains, sea, trees and limestone - the occasional coastal village - no farming or grazing animals in sight! The mainland becomes drier and the woods sparser going south. While generally the low-lying off-shore islands (Rab and Pag are the closest to the coast road) and the southern end of Krk appear as barren, arid wastes of bare limestone. After shopping at a huge Spar Superstore on the outskirts of Zadar, found a fairly cheap, but basic campsite, just outside Nin. Mosquitoes attacked at sun down! Six dead and one wounded.

 

Njivce to Nin - Developed coast near Novi Vindolski
This is about the most development in around 100km of coastline

Njivce to Nin - Southern end of Krk and northern part of Rab islands

Njivce to Nin - Typical view of coast road and the mainland mountains dropping to the sea
It just goes on for kilometre and kilometre like this

Njivce to Nin - More of the same
The eastern sides of the low off-shore islands look very barren and dry

Njivce to Nin - Barren limestone ridges on Rab or possibly Pag

 

 

21st to 23rd May 2015

Nin

Weather forecast was correct - grey skies and rain most of the time - the mountains on the mainland were barely discernable through the gloom. At least it's relatively warm rain - about 16C most of the day. Although, breaks in the weather in the early evenings allowed, a more or less rain free, walks into Nin. One of many small, picture book, walled coastal towns on small peninsulas linked to the mainland by a bridge that seem to abound along this coastline. Seems to have an endless history - Roman, Capital of Croat Kingdom, Venetian, Turkish, Austrian and French occupations. And of course the /Italian German Occupation in WW2. Old cathedral, roman temple and roman house in the town. Small apartments for rent everywhere - but still 95% empty in May. At least the rain kept the mosquitoes at bay. Bike trip to the next island on the Saturday resulted to returning to the van totally drowned! At least the campsite was cheap about £10 a night. Very few camping sites in Croatia and the only alternative are 'autotops' between the main coast road and the sea - they are typically about 10euro a night. Just a couple of free places in the whole country.

Nin - View across the lagoon from the campsite
You can just make out the mainland mountain chain running north-south in the distance

Nin - From near the campsite
Salt lagoons are behind the bridge

Nin - Bridge, outer town gate and cathedral tower

Nin - 9th century church and possibly roman houses

Nin - Main Street

Nin - Walking back to the campsite
A huge cloud bank masks he top of the main coastal mountain chain

 

24th May 2015
Nin to Novalja (Pag Island)
Section 57 miles
Total 2817 miles (32.19mpg)

The parking spot at Nin was soft, saturated mud and  I was concerned that the van would 'bog-down' due to all the rain when I tried to pull off onto the stone track. Luckily, it stayed dry over night and I managed to move with the help of a spoon and some mats!

Slow drive to Pag island, accessed by a toll-free bridge. So many speed restrictions here 50kph, 60kph and 70kph makes to going very slow. Ended up near the northern end of Pag at Camping Strasko, another ASCI listed site. I only saw about another four sites while driving up here all morning. Its a massive camp site! There must be about 1000 places (including static caravans and bungalows)! Restaurants, bars, shops everywhere! Reasonably priced and very clean, have booked for a week. The only draw-back is that it is Deutschland-sur- Mer!

Weather forecast for next week is variable - it's been sunny off and on to day and only a splatter of rain. Relatively warm, 20C at 19:30.



Novalja - Sun beginning to drop behind some of the outer islands

Novalja - Beach at Camping Strasko with German dog-walkers