Day 16 - Zuljana
Saturday 8th July 2017
Our road this morning takes us around the peak of Mount Lovcen (1700m) before dropping down to sea level to Kotor in a hectic plunge of 35 hairpins in around 8 kilometers. This is the Kotor Serpentine.
We are up early and on the bikes by 6 am. There are a number of dormitory villages on the heights so the plan is to get down the mountain ahead of the commuter traffic. The road is narrow and tricky and we want to avoid other road users if we can.
Yesterday when we rode up to Cetinje from the Montenegrin capital Podgorica the road was a very new and broad dual carriageway and it is soon apparent that the new road doesn't end at the old capital. We are soon driving through big road works with stretches of newly laid tarmac in between stretches of unrolled hardcore.
As we ride round the mountain with the sun rising behind us the view down to the Adriatic is stunning. Rippled layers of exposed rock strata march down to a distant inlet of deep blue water. We can see a cruise ship anchored in the sheltered sound, tiny at this distance.
The new road workings end at the summit but it is obvious that the new road will continue on down to the town. New tunnels and cuttings are being blasted through the rock. The new route is to the west and south of the old road but it looks likely that the famous Serpentine will not be around too much longer. I reckon we got here just in time. In a couple of years there will be a brand new and much easier descent and no doubt the old road will be left to wither out of existence. So if you fancy your chances riding the Kotor Serpentine then best start planning a trip now.
It is cool and fresh at the top of the mountain and the views are quite stunning. Below we can see the town of Kotor and the Bay of Kotor where a peninsula thrusts out into the Adriatic.
We have seen no traffic since we set off. The new road peters out and we are into the descent on a narrow paved road that dips and weaves around multiple hairpins.
The sun has risen now and each eastward turn takes us into blinding sunshine before we plunge back into deep shade. Tricky place for video.
The bikes are singing along in the cool mountain air and although the road surface is patched here and there it is quite rideable. The hairpins are true, certainly not as sharp and awkward as Stelvio for example.
So not one of the 10 scariest roads in the world. Not even one of the top 10 that I have ridden.
But a beautiful run for all that with the deep blue of the Adriatic for a backdrop.
On the far side we stop at a dockside cafe for coffee, parking up by a huge mural of a typical Harley rider. It seems to be advertising a restaurant.
The owner turns out to be a local philatelist, a very well travelled man who stops by for a chat and to show us a book all about him and his travels around the world.
At the bottom we avoid the town and ride up the seaward peninsula to the small Lapetane to Kamenari ferry.
This helps to avoid a long detour around the bay and is surprisingly busy, with four ferries running an almost continuous service for the morning commuters.
We are joined on board by a mass of lycra-clad bicyclists and their police motorcycle escorts.
This is one of the problems when touring by motorcycle. We have a hard rule that we don't shed protective clothing whatever the temperature and this makes driving and walking around busy tourist spots a real problem.
This time we decide it just isn't worth it as the temperature rises over 40C and the road starts to shimmer in the heat haze. Maybe next time.
For now we are not thinking about much other than a cold beer and a warm sea to swim in.
Our planned destination is the small seaside vilage of Zuljana on the Ston peninsula. This spit of land juts out into the Adriatic alongside the Croatian mainland coast. There is a ferry route from the northern end back across to the mainland and it has the advantage of bypassing the Neum border crossing, a narrow strip of coast that belongs to Bosnia and is that country's only access to the sea. My green card for Bosnia has expired and while I suspect it is possible to navigate this border crossing without papers it seems a good idea to avoid finding out if this is possible.
Camp Sunce is small family run camping ground laid out on terraces above the beach. There is a set of steps leading down to the village and shore. After the heat of the coast road it is heaven in the shade of the trees.
There are no facilities other than loos and showers but the village is two minutes away and there is a general store there and a number of bars and restaurants around the small pleasure boat harbour.
We soon have the tents up and enjoy the first of many swims from the quiet beach. Then it's time for beer and pizza. After the exertions of the Montenegran mountains and the Kotor Serpentine this little oasis of peace is a welcome respite and we quickly decide to stay two nights and chill out.
Our road this morning takes us around the peak of Mount Lovcen (1700m) before dropping down to sea level to Kotor in a hectic plunge of 35 hairpins in around 8 kilometers. This is the Kotor Serpentine.
We are up early and on the bikes by 6 am. There are a number of dormitory villages on the heights so the plan is to get down the mountain ahead of the commuter traffic. The road is narrow and tricky and we want to avoid other road users if we can.
 |
| New road under construction |
As we ride round the mountain with the sun rising behind us the view down to the Adriatic is stunning. Rippled layers of exposed rock strata march down to a distant inlet of deep blue water. We can see a cruise ship anchored in the sheltered sound, tiny at this distance.
 |
| Occasional stretches of new tarmac |
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| The start of the descent |
We have seen no traffic since we set off. The new road peters out and we are into the descent on a narrow paved road that dips and weaves around multiple hairpins.
The sun has risen now and each eastward turn takes us into blinding sunshine before we plunge back into deep shade. Tricky place for video.
 |
| Stratas of rock down to the sound |
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| Cruise ship in the sheltered sound
And then we are down. Not half as scary as its billing really although the early morning start was a good idea. We met a few cars on the way down and the road is so narrow that passing them is tricky. As usual oncoming traffic pays little heed to the normal rules of the road and we often find ourselves riding within inches of some pretty huge drops. Stone walls around the outside of most of the hairpins offer some small protection.
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The bikes are singing along in the cool mountain air and although the road surface is patched here and there it is quite rideable. The hairpins are true, certainly not as sharp and awkward as Stelvio for example.
So not one of the 10 scariest roads in the world. Not even one of the top 10 that I have ridden.
But a beautiful run for all that with the deep blue of the Adriatic for a backdrop.
 |
| Cafe on the far side |
On the far side we stop at a dockside cafe for coffee, parking up by a huge mural of a typical Harley rider. It seems to be advertising a restaurant.
 |
| Mick on the Lapetane ferry |
The owner turns out to be a local philatelist, a very well travelled man who stops by for a chat and to show us a book all about him and his travels around the world.
At the bottom we avoid the town and ride up the seaward peninsula to the small Lapetane to Kamenari ferry.
This helps to avoid a long detour around the bay and is surprisingly busy, with four ferries running an almost continuous service for the morning commuters.
We are joined on board by a mass of lycra-clad bicyclists and their police motorcycle escorts.
 |
| The Lepetane-Kamenari ferry |
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| Ferry dance |
It is short run from here up to the Croatia border. We have no hassle crossing back into the European Union. The day is getting very hot though and the traffic is heavy along the coast road.
We stop at an overlook above Dubrovnik. The ancient city is a world heritage site and a major tourist attraction. We can see two cruise ships down in the harbour. Later we learned that there were two more not in view and that the old port with its narrow alleyways was so crowded today that it was difficult to move around.
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| Dubrovnik |
This time we decide it just isn't worth it as the temperature rises over 40C and the road starts to shimmer in the heat haze. Maybe next time.
 |
| cold beer at a Zuljana harbour-side cafe |
For now we are not thinking about much other than a cold beer and a warm sea to swim in.
Our planned destination is the small seaside vilage of Zuljana on the Ston peninsula. This spit of land juts out into the Adriatic alongside the Croatian mainland coast. There is a ferry route from the northern end back across to the mainland and it has the advantage of bypassing the Neum border crossing, a narrow strip of coast that belongs to Bosnia and is that country's only access to the sea. My green card for Bosnia has expired and while I suspect it is possible to navigate this border crossing without papers it seems a good idea to avoid finding out if this is possible.
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| Our camping pitch at Camp Sunce, Zuljana. |
There are no facilities other than loos and showers but the village is two minutes away and there is a general store there and a number of bars and restaurants around the small pleasure boat harbour.
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| Stony beach at Zuljana |
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