Day 18 - Primosten
Monday 10th July 2017
Monday morning and another week on the road begins. We are well rested after our two days in Zuljana but now it is time to begin the long trek following the Croatian Adriatic coast north back to the Alps.
We are on the the west coast of the Ston peninsula, a long strip of land that runs 80 kilometres northeast into the Adriatic. About 30 kilometres north from here on the eastern side of the peninsula lies the small port of Trpanj where the map shows a small ferry route that will take us back to the mainland coast, about half way between Dubrovnik and Split.
We are eager to be away and so we wave goodbye to Camp Sunce and are climbing into the central montain range by 6:30 am. The mountain air is cool and the road is empty of traffic.
We are soon in Trpanj and find our way to the ticket office for the ferry. The next crossing is not until 9am so we have time for a croissant and coffee breakfast while we watch the action on the quayside.
The fare for bike and rider is 78 kuna (£9.30p) for the 50 minute crossing to the port of Ploce. The ferry is big and modern with an air-conditioned lounge and a snack bar that sells freshly squeezed orange juice.
Ploce is a busy commercial port and quite ugly as a result. It only takes a few minutes to ride out onto the coast road which winds north to Split. There is a series of small holiday and fishing villages along this coast with no bypasses so it is a slow and increasingly hot journey with little to recommend it.
We ride past Split and head north back towards the coast. There is an inland motorway that would have saved on time but we are not in a hurry and prefer to stay on the back roads close to the coast.
I have a camp site location stored in the satnav near Primosten, north of Split. but when we get there it is a big disappointment. It is another of the big eurocamp places and designed for camper vans rather than tents. Reception staff point us towards a supposed tenting area but try as we might we cannot find a single piece of flat ground that doesn't already have a tent on it.
Eventually we decide to abandon our search and head back to reception to retrieve our passports. I'm beginning to realise that in Croatia at least it is the small, family run sites that offer the best locations and value along this coast. They are often not advertised on the net but if you keep riding they are everywhere and so one soon turns up.
This is the case with Camp Barinica. A small sign points down a very steep driveway leading to the sea. The camp site has no facilities other than loos and showers. But it is in a fantastic setting, right on the rocky shore on narrow terraces under shady pine trees. It may have been a vineyard or olive grove once upon a time but now it is crowded with small tents and campers.
The owners show us to a small area on one of the terraces. We are surrounded by other tents but our neighbours, mostly Croatian, are friendly and welcoming.
It is very hot and I am desperate to get into the sea as soon as we have the tents up, but first I need to head out for provisions. We have passed a few signs for the local Lidl store as we rode up to Camp Barinica. Supermarkets are advertised for miles around in this part of the world and I have to ride 15 kilometres to the busy town of Sibonik before I find what I am looking for.
Stocked up on essentials I hightail it back to Camp Barinca for that much awaited swim.
Monday morning and another week on the road begins. We are well rested after our two days in Zuljana but now it is time to begin the long trek following the Croatian Adriatic coast north back to the Alps.
We are on the the west coast of the Ston peninsula, a long strip of land that runs 80 kilometres northeast into the Adriatic. About 30 kilometres north from here on the eastern side of the peninsula lies the small port of Trpanj where the map shows a small ferry route that will take us back to the mainland coast, about half way between Dubrovnik and Split.
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| On the coast road heading for the Trpanj ferry |
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| Boarding the ferry for Ploce |
 |
| First onto the car deck |
The fare for bike and rider is 78 kuna (£9.30p) for the 50 minute crossing to the port of Ploce. The ferry is big and modern with an air-conditioned lounge and a snack bar that sells freshly squeezed orange juice.
Ploce is a busy commercial port and quite ugly as a result. It only takes a few minutes to ride out onto the coast road which winds north to Split. There is a series of small holiday and fishing villages along this coast with no bypasses so it is a slow and increasingly hot journey with little to recommend it.
We ride past Split and head north back towards the coast. There is an inland motorway that would have saved on time but we are not in a hurry and prefer to stay on the back roads close to the coast.
I have a camp site location stored in the satnav near Primosten, north of Split. but when we get there it is a big disappointment. It is another of the big eurocamp places and designed for camper vans rather than tents. Reception staff point us towards a supposed tenting area but try as we might we cannot find a single piece of flat ground that doesn't already have a tent on it.
Eventually we decide to abandon our search and head back to reception to retrieve our passports. I'm beginning to realise that in Croatia at least it is the small, family run sites that offer the best locations and value along this coast. They are often not advertised on the net but if you keep riding they are everywhere and so one soon turns up.
 |
| Squeezed in at Camp Barinica |
This is the case with Camp Barinica. A small sign points down a very steep driveway leading to the sea. The camp site has no facilities other than loos and showers. But it is in a fantastic setting, right on the rocky shore on narrow terraces under shady pine trees. It may have been a vineyard or olive grove once upon a time but now it is crowded with small tents and campers.
The owners show us to a small area on one of the terraces. We are surrounded by other tents but our neighbours, mostly Croatian, are friendly and welcoming.
 |
| Barinica shore line |
It is very hot and I am desperate to get into the sea as soon as we have the tents up, but first I need to head out for provisions. We have passed a few signs for the local Lidl store as we rode up to Camp Barinica. Supermarkets are advertised for miles around in this part of the world and I have to ride 15 kilometres to the busy town of Sibonik before I find what I am looking for.
Stocked up on essentials I hightail it back to Camp Barinca for that much awaited swim.
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| Sunset at Camp Barinica |
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