Bicycle Routes “Bakar bike”
The best way to research the area surrounding the town of Bakar is certainly by bike. There are even 9 marked trails with over 160 kilometres passing through the hundred year old forests, grassy meadows and hillsides full of short vegetation which will each tell you their own story. True, due to the height difference, these stories are rather demanding, but that just makes them more exciting and unforgettable.
KARST PHENOMENON TRAIL
(Škrljevo – Melnik – Repište – Krasica – Škrljevo)
The trail starts in Škrljevo, a place mentioned for the first time in 17th century which lies on both sides of the Karolina road built in 1726 during Charles VI's rule. Climbing up slowly toward the north, on your left you will see the picturesque hamlets of Plosna and Ponikve and the unique karst phenomenon known as "now you see it , now you don’t - a lake" which is not just a rare phenomenon in Croatia but throughout the world as well. In fact, during extremely rainy periods, the watershed and the underground waters in the karst valley create a lake and Ponikve, in just a few hours, becomes a place by the lake. This phenomenon does not last long. With the first bura (north-easterly wind), the water from the lake is blown away to the underground Bakar streams. Riding on the tarmac road you will pass by a bunker that dates back to the Second World War and then you will continue to climb up to reach the Rijeka-Zagreb highroad where, if you pass through the underpass, you can reach Kamenjak and continue your trip towards Platak. If, by the underpass you turn right and go down towards Repište you will climb up again to reach the Oštrovica-Meja road. When you reach it, you turn right and go 2 km along the asphalt road after which you turn a sharp right and go down the road to reach Krasica, a small, charming place known for its local people who are real virtuosos when it comes to masking. In the centre of Krasica you turn right and will soon reach your starting point in Škrljevo.
Length – 17 km
Total ascent – 580 m
Lowest point – 190 m
Highest point – 550 m
Asphalt – 5.5 km
Tarmac – 10.5 km
Forest trail – 1 km
Difficulty – 4/5
PANORAMIC PATH
(Škrljevo – Ponikve – Repište – Kvaternik Courts– Meja – Praputnjak – Škrljevo)
From the centre of Škrljevo you head north, that is, towards the villages of Plosna and Ponikve. After you have seen those villages on your left, you will move to the tarmac road on your right and along the railway and the remains of a Second World War bunker you will continue to the next crossing where you will turn right. Climb up through the serpentine enjoying the view over the Bakar hinterland and part of the Kvarner Bay. The trail continues through meadows and the forest arriving on the Oštrovica-Meja road. When you reach the asphalt road, you turn left and after 450 metres you turn right onto the tarmac road again. The trail goes down through Koritnjak towards the Hreljin Field. Although the tarmac road turns harshly left, on the right side you will see the rests of the Kvaternik Courts and will continue your way along them through the forest trail around 2 km before you reach the Meja railway station where the asphalt road begins again. You will then go down to reach the Oštrovica-Meja road and turn left. After 500 m turn right again to the tarmac road and across the Glavčina hill where you will reach Praputnjak, a village whose diligent inhabitants have turned the rocky slopes of the Bakar Bay into a terrain suitable for the cultivation of grape vines. The widely renowned “Bakar dry stone walls" where the grape harvesting takes place were formed in this way. The famous sparkling wine "Bakarska vodica" was made from those grapes. From Praputnjak you continue on the asphalt road through Krasica to reach Škrljevo.
Length – 20 km
Total ascent – 500 m
Lowest point – 170 m
Highest point – 580 m
Asphalt – 7.5 km
Tarmac – 9.5 km
Forest trail – 3 km
Difficulty – 3/5
BLUE AND GREEN TRAIL
(Bakar – Hreljin – Satničko – Tuhobić tunnel – Kv. Courts – Meja – Bakar)
Your ride will start on the waterfront in one of the oldest towns on the north Adriatic – town of Bakar. Riding east and climbing towards the Adriatic Highway you will leave the town of Bakar’s old centre behind you with its dominant Kaštel (Castle), St. Andrew’s church, the Turkish and Roman house and numerous stone houses which have resisted the bura wind for centuries. When you cross the highway, continue towards Meja and just before the new highway on your right the "Bakar dry stone walls" will appear – which are Bakar’s terraces that sharply descend into the sea where the reconstructed vineyards can be found and where the widely renowned sparkling wine known as ”old Bakarska vodica” is produced. When you reach Meja, turn right towards Hreljin, one of the old Vinodol towns that is proud of its Castle. In the centre, by the church, turn left and climb towards Satničko – an excursion point below Tuhobić to which a steep asphalt road leads. Close to the amphitheatre on Satničko you will see three trails. Choose the one at the far left which will take you to the southern portal of the Tuhobić tunnel. From the Tuhobić tunnel, the road continues on the left side – first tarmac and then the asphalt road. Soon you will reach the gas line. Continue crossing it whilst enjoying the remains of Kvaternik Courts along the forest trail and you will reach Meja railway station. Then continue on the asphalt road to reach the Oštrovica-Meja road. Turn left and easily go down towards Meja where you first turn right and then left going down towards the sea enjoying a beautiful view over Bakar Bay and the ancient town of Bakar.
Length – 25 km
Total ascent – 760 m
Lowest point – 2 m
Highest point – 720 m
Asphalt – 20 km
Tarmac – 3 km
Forest trail – 2 km
Difficulty – 4/5
CASTLE TRAIL
(Castle – Hreljin – Satničko – Plase – Zlobin – oil pipe line – Ružić Selo – Castle)
The starting point is the car park above Hreljin Castle – ruins of the medieval town of Hreljin built on the most western point of Vinodol, above Bakarac, old port of Hreljin, on the pyramid-like hill with steep slopes that are 321 metres above the sea. You ride along the asphalt road through the village of Ružić and you will reach the Karolina road. Then you continue straight on and along the tarmac road until you reach the asphalt road which will take you to the Satničko excursion point. Close to the amphitheatre turn right and continue along the tarmac road and through the tunnel in the direction of Plase. When you reach the asphalt road the remains of limekilns – stone structures that were used traditionally for making lime from the limestone will appear. Turn left and along the Karolina road ride to reach Zlobin. Immediately after you have crossed the railway, turn right and after 500 m you will reach the oil pipe line. Then turn right through the tunnel and go down by the oil pipe line to reach the asphalt road which will take you to the "Vinodol Eyes" view point. Then turn right again and immediately after passing the bridge across the railway, turn left onto the tarmac trail. After 300 metres turn left onto the forest trail along which you will go down to reach another tunnel. In some parts this area demands a little more attention and you may also have to push your bike. When you exit the tunnel turn right and continue along the pine tree forest trail to reach Karolina road where you will turn left and go down to the crossroads and the bus turnaround where you turn left and continue to the starting point.
Length – 19 km
Total ascent – 530 m
Lowest point – 340 m
Highest point – 750 m
Asphalt – 11 km
Tarmac – 6 km
Forest trail – 2 km
Difficulty – 3/5
STREAMS AND LAKES TRAIL
(Zlobin – Benkovac F. – Lepenice – G. Jelenje – Benkovac F. – Zlobin)
Ride from the centre of Zlobin along Karolina road, the oldest road that linked Bakar to Karlovac way back in 1732, in the direction of Fužine. After climbing Zlobin hill, cycle downhill towards Benkovac Fužinski where, by the chapel, you turn left. Then continue to go down along the tarmac road to reach the Rijeka—Zagreb highroad and the Lepenica Lake. You will pass below the underpass and after 200 metres turn left and continue on the tarmac road. The trail will lead you through the dense fir-tree forest and the Lepenica stream to the Lepenica Scouts' Centre. Then the trail climbs up towards Gornje Jelenje. At the top of the ascent, by the Lujzijana road, turn left and continue along the tarmac road through the hills of Tuhobić. After approximately 5 km, the tarmac road widens and the forest trail continues and in some parts demands a little more attention and you may have to push your bike. At the end of the forest trail you will reach Benkovac Fužinski again and the asphalt road where you will turn right and ride back to Zlobin.
Length – 20 km
Total ascent – 500 m
Lowest point – 740 m
Highest point – 950 m
Asphalt – 5.5 km
Tarmac – 12 km
Forest trail – 2.5 km
Difficulty – 3/5
ZONE TRAIL
(Škrljevo – Kukuljanovo – Ind. Zone – Veternice – Sv. Kuzam – Škrljevo)
Ride from the centre of Škrljevo in the direction of the railway station and after 300 m turn left uphill. Climb towards the pine tree forest and ride above the northern part of Škrljevo. After 1 km you will enter Kukuljanovo – a village in which one of the largest industrial zones in Croatia is located. Besides that, close to the trail, you can test the stillness of your arm and the precision of your eye in the recently reconstructed “Vojsko” shooting range. Continue along the asphalt road passing through Kukuljanovo and then turn left to the main Škrljevo—Čavle road. Pass through the industrial zone and reach the crossroads with the Bakar—Čavle road where you turn left. After 200 metres turn onto the tarmac road and continue your ride around the southern part of the industrial zone to reach the Sušačka Draga ridge from which a beautiful view extends over the Rijeka Bay, the eastern part of Rijeka and the Martinščica Bay. The trail then slowly descends towards Sv. Kuzam where, when you reach the asphalt road, you turn left. You cross the Bakar – Čavle road and continue your ride to the centre of Škrljevo.
Length – 10,5 km
Total ascent – 190 m
Lowest point – 215 m
Highest point – 350 m
Asphalt – 6 km
Tarmac – 4.5 km
Forest trail – 0 km
Difficulty – 2/5
TUHOBIĆ TRAIL
(Satničko – Tuhobić - Satničko)
The ascent to Tuhobić is one of the most demanding trails in Bakar’s hinterland. The starting point is in Satničko, a much-loved excursion point from which you start your uphill ride along the tarmac road towards the north. After riding 2.5 km through the broadleaf forest you will reach the draw-well on your left where you can refresh yourself. Further ahead the hunter’s house will appear. Following directions for Tuhobić you will reach the edge of the forest from which you will see the top of Tuhobić. Continue on the grassy surface along the forest trail in direction of the top located on 1108 metres above sea level. After enjoying the wonderful view over the Kvarner Bay and Gorski kotar mountain area go down along the right edge of the forest towards south-west and find the forest trail that will soon turn into tarmac road. By going down along the same trail, below the Hreljin viaduct and after 500 metres, you will reach a crossroads. Turn left uphill and after 1 km you will reach the southern portal of Tuhobić tunnel. Turn right and go down through the tarmac road to reach Satničko.
Length – 12 km
Total ascent – 690 m
Lowest point – 590 m
Highest point – 1108 m
Asphalt – 0 km
Tarmac – 8 km
Forest trail – 4 km
Difficulty – 5/5
KAROLINA ROAD
(Krasica – Hreljin – Križišće – Ružić Selo – Hreljin - Krasica)
Ride from the centre of Krasica, a small, charming coastal village in the green and aromatic valley of the Bakar hinterland, towards a part of the new modern road that connects Rijeka to Križišće. Along the tarmac road passing alongside the same road ride towards Praputnjak where, by the playground, pass to the forest trail which will lead you to Hreljin and to the Bakar dry stone walls. When you reach Hreljin, continue along the old asphalt road towards Križišće where, in the centre, turn left and climb up towards Melnice taking the old branch road off Karolina road which will take you to Kraljevica and which dates back to 1856. On the same road you will encounter a large serpentine which enchants with its width and 17 metre-high supporting wall. From the curve a beautiful view extends over the Vinodol Valley. After passing through Melnice you will reach the highest point of the trail – the crossroads with Karolina road where you turn left and go down to Hreljin. Continue on the Karolina road, through Praputnjak, and towards Krasica where this trail ends.
Length – 22 km
Total ascent – 510 m
Lowest point – 150 m
Highest point – 545 m
Asphalt – 13.5 km
Tarmac – 8 km
Forest trail – 0.5 km
Difficulty – 3/5
BELOW RISNJAK
(Gornje Jelenje – Vilje – Medvjeđa Vrata – Mrzla Vodica – Gornje Jelenje)
A ride through the Risnjak National Park that starts in Gornje Jelenje on a tarmac road and continues on an asphalt road towards Vilje. After approximately 5 km of uphill climbing, you will reach the crossroads with the tarmac road where you should turn right towards Suha Rečina. Those who would like to reach the top of Risnjak Mountain can continue straight on to the parking place that can be reached by car or they can continue to the asphalt road towards Platak. The forest trail then leads towards Medvjeđa vrata, a pass where the hiking trail continues towards the Risnjak top whilst the other trail leads to Leska and the National Park's administration in Crni Lug.
After you have turned onto the tarmac road which passes through the area of Suha Rečina, you will reach Mrzla Vodica. When you come to Lujzijana road turn right and slowly climb up to the Osoj – serpentines from which the beautiful view over the Risnjak top extends. After few moments you will reach the Ravno podolje pass - the highest point of the old Lujzijana road. You continue through Lujzijana to reach Gornje Jelenje where your circle ends.
Length – 18 km
Total ascent – 490 m
Lowest point – 780 m
Highest point – 1120 m
Asphalt – 13 km
Tarmac – 5 km
Difficulty – 4/5
