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Dragonja and the Slovenian part of Istria

alyas1. 06. 2015 17:25:47

When it's Sunday, unstable weather on the mainland, and you have a whole day for pedaling, you can make good use of it in the hinterland of our coast too... and if you haven't been to these places yet, you'll be surprised by the abundance of wonderful views, beautiful nature, blooming olives, budding vines, coastal scents and other attractions, and especially steep climbs.
Although most roads in the hills are asphalted, in the Dragonja River valley and Rokava it's mostly gravel, so it's recommended to set off on such a tour with a mountain bike or a trekking bike (with favorable gear ratios!). Even some descent from the hill to the valley (e.g. from Koštabona to Dragonja) is quite gravelly, but I still don't recommend to everyone (with regular MTB) the one from Labor to Dragonja, even though some local tourist cycling guides have it marked on the map. Even this year, locals discouraged me, saying the path is not maintained at all in the lower part.
Directions and road junctions are marked, sometimes (at smaller intersections) and in the valleys of both rivers even with small yellow signs (direction and distance written), but local "sellers" of cycling routes could try a bit harder with marking for visitors from elsewhere.

More info and presentation - on the attached sketches and photos.

The mentioned route can of course be cycled in several stages, with different starting points and endings, but if you tackle the suggested excursion below in one go (for the whole day), you need a good bike and quite a bit of mental-physical fitness, and also a larger supply of water, because it's not plentiful in nature and the rare buffets along the way.

Dragonja and the Slovenian part of Istria Dragonja - Sv. Peter - Nova vas - Krkavče .... map of the first part of the path

Dragonja and the Slovenian part of Istria ... and the second part of the path

Dragonja and the Slovenian part of Istria road intersections - traffic signs and other settlement markers

Dragonja and the Slovenian part of Istria View of Krkavče, ... most of these villages have a beautiful church and around it an old village core

Dragonja and the Slovenian part of Istria In the valley of the Dragonja river and Rokava the road is macadam

Dragonja and the Slovenian part of Istria Snapshot from the path: natural stone table under an olive tree on the ascent to Puče

Dragonja and the Slovenian part of Istria Village and other sights - info boards are placed along the path

Dragonja and the Slovenian part of Istria path junction at the fork to Dragonja valley, Rokava and Brič to Croatia

Dragonja and the Slovenian part of Istria At smaller intersections - direction and distance signs on yellow square boards

Dragonja and the Slovenian part of Istria Our faithful carbon filly - at the sights in Glem

Dragonja and the Slovenian part of Istria Past an impressive but sadly dilapidating house in Boršt

Dragonja and the Slovenian part of Istria New and old house architecture in Labor

Dragonja and the Slovenian part of Istria In between - occasional views from ridges or hills to our coastal towns

Dragonja and the Slovenian part of Istria Pomjan, highest part of the path at approx. 400 m between Pomjan and Šmarje

Dragonja and the Slovenian part of Istria You can also avoid the main road from Dragonja to Sečovlje via a smaller local road if you start e.g. at the airport

turbo4. 05. 2021 19:01:18

Saturday, 1.5.20210

Dragonja River Valley, Pomjan, Koštabona and Sveti Peter (cycling trip)

Started at the airport, before the border turned towards Dragonja and after it continued into the valley of the same name. Break by Rokava, across which I didn't continue to the Dragonja River due to relatively high water level. At the end of the valley turned left steeply up and through Babiče and Rojce arrived in Pomjan. There second break and view of the sea and mainland. Then onwards and just before Šmarje village left on gravel to Koštabona. There walk through the village and some viewing, then again uphill and in Puče left towards Nova vas and Sveti Peter. The first I saw in passing, flew through the village; it was a pleasure, in Sveti Peter the last break and fresh water for the way back. After viewing Tonina hiša at the end of the village followed a daring descent to Dragonja and from there already a bit tired along the road towards border post Sečovlje. Just before it turned onto Parenzana and along Stara Dragonja back to the airport. Great trip nasmeh

http://tubojan.blogspot.com/2021/05/dolina-reke-dragonje-kolesarjenje.html

(+2)

alyas4. 05. 2022 13:19:05

After 7 years I repeated the tour on steep climbs and remote Istrian villages above Dragonja, ... and from then until today not much has changed: roads are still rather poor, climbs still steep, few signs and direction markers, places and villages somewhat decaying – but otherwise a bit more tidy, here and there some nice new building that somehow doesn't fit into this environment of stone, olives and vines.
From the difficult parts I highlight: the path from Krog down to Dragonja has seen better days (currently has quite deep ruts), equally bad is the one from Puč to the valley (for descent better choose the left variant via Planjave hamlet), the road from Dragonja up to Koštabona is ok and the path from Labrja down to Dragonja is currently better than it used to be.
For Sunday excursionists, cycling from Sečovlje along Dragonja valley, and e.g. to the rapids or confluence of Rokava and Dragonja, can be quite strenuous, as the gravel is currently quite coarse and I don't recommend it for bikes with narrow smooth tires, but nevertheless - even here e-mtb cyclists mostly prevail.