Bike ride around Hutovo Blato

Our cycling adventure starts in front of Hotela Storia where all those coming from more distant places can safely park their vehicle, or perhaps come a day earlier to spend the night at the hotel in order to explore city of Čapljina and enjoy the beauty of this small town in the south of Herzegovina.

Right at the start, our adventure becomes biographical where we cross the old Ćiro Bridge, which is still used by local residents to cross from one side of the Neretva River to the other. Then there is a drive through the town of Čapljina, where you can enjoy the local streets and get to know the life of the local people.

Leaving Čapljina, we continue our drive along the local road or the “Ćiro Trail” cycling path towards Struga, passing by Mogorjelo, while at the same time enjoying the scenery and the beautiful course of the Trebižat River, which flows into the Neretva on this section.

Upon arrival at the Tersana Bridge, i.e. the old Ćira Bridge, which is also the longest bridge on the Ćira Path, you will enjoy a beautiful view of the Neretva River. We continue to cycle and soon cross two more local bridges over the Krupa River, which are lined with floorboards so that cyclists and the local population can travel over it more easily.

On our ninth kilometer of cycling in the town of Dračevo, we exit the former main road to Neum, which is still busy today, but the flow of cars is weak and the road is mostly used by local residents or stray tourists, so it is perfect for cycling. On this section, the view of Hutovo Blato and the beautiful Svitava Lake opens up, while at the same time you cycle through the local villages, enjoying the landscapes in front of you.

Arriving in the village of Svitava, on your 20th kilometer of cycling, you get off the asphalt section and begin to get to know the Herzegovinian macadam and karst. At the same time, the ascent begins, which is not overly demanding, as you rise above the Svitava lake, which opens up a beautiful view of the lake and the section you cycled earlier. Soon this path becomes a concrete surface, while in the town of Derani at the 26th kilometer you come to asphalt and we continue cycling towards the Necropolis of Stećak Boljuni. At the 27th kilometer we will come across an intersection that separates us to the right towards Boljini, to which we have about 5 km of cycling left. Keep in mind that you are returning by the same route, so visiting Boljuni adds about 10 km of cycling until we return to the same point, that is, the intersection where we turn towards Čapljina.

On the way back from Boljun, at the 36th kilometer, we branch off towards the villages of Čore and further towards Prebilovci. A difficult macadam section awaits us with constant climbs and a terrain that is more suitable for mountain bikes, more than for the Gravel that we used for today's ride. But the section is just as beautiful, as you get to know three smaller lakes on Hutovo Blat, Lake Deran, Lake Orah and Lake Jelim with beautiful landscapes and stunning views. While cycling, we could often notice metal houses that are used for observing and photographing birds - Birdwatching. It is known that more than 200 species of birds live on Lake Hut.

At the 38th kilometer, joy follows. 🙂 The ascent ends and the descent follows towards the villages of Grlići and Prebilovci. In the town of Prebilovci, you pass by a beautiful monastery that is worth stopping and taking a photo.

Before we end our journey and reach Čapljina, you will pass by another attraction, the bridge in Klepci that bridges the bed of the Bregava River, which flows into the Neretva River half a kilometer away. It was declared a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina in January 2003. It was built in the 16th century by the Herzegovinian sandjak Mustafa-bey, son of Daut-pašin, as part of the old Stamboulska jada, i.e. the Constantinople road, when it had an exceptional strategic and economic significance because it connected Constantinople with Vienna and Venice. It is the only authentic bridge from the period of the Ottoman Empire and one of the most significant works of Ottoman architecture, and today it is often called Mustaj-bey's bridge because of its builder.

Until the end of our cycling adventure, that is Hotela Storia We have about 3 kilometers of cycling left, and after the ride, we recommend having lunch at the Storia restaurant, because after today's ride, you certainly deserve a good meal.

RECOMMENDATION

Although the trail mostly takes us through populated areas and you drive on an asphalt section, the trail also contains macadam sections that are quite demanding. We started our trip with Gravel bikes, so we felt the discomfort of the Herzegovinian karst and the difficulty of this trail, which in some places showed climbs of up to 12%. We believe that with mountain bikes and 29' wheels the ride would be much more pleasant. Of course, we always think that on longer rides it is necessary to bring a mini tool and a tool for patching inner tires, so the rule also applies to this section. We definitely recommend that you inform your family or friends about your cycling plans before going for a ride.
Helmet mandatory!

WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE ROUTE: 

• A challenging cycling route about 56 kilometers long will take you through the beautiful landscapes of Herzegovina.
• Unforgettable moments driving over old bridges and macadam paths, with several ups and downs.
• Getting to know the local culture and tradition through Čapljina and neighboring villages.
• Enchanting views of Hutovo blato, Svitava Lake and the rivers Trebižat, Neretva and Krupa.
• Visit to the necropolis of Stećak Boljuni, a rich cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• Discovering historical and natural attractions, including monasteries and bridges.
• Enjoying photographing birds by Hutovo lake and observing the rich flora and fauna.
• End of the ride with a refreshing lunch at the Storia restaurant, in the Storia Hotel.