Its felt like a very long 3 months since our return from Spain and I was in need of an adventure so I packed the van and headed south through Slovenia and Northern Croatia to the Bosnian border. The drive there was quite surreal and somewhat unnerving as this area was where most of the heavy fighting was done during the Yugoslavian war, and even though it was over 30 years ago, you still got the feeling of danger all around.
Vast open countryside with armoured bunkers along the roadside. Derelict buildings littered with bullet holes and still flying decaying Yugoslavian flags. Police cruising everywhere with roadside stops looking for immigrants and smugglers coming over the Bosnian border. This really was no-mans land and I was heading for the abandoned Željava Air Base, a relic from the cold war and code named Objekta 505.
This was a top-secret bunker concealed under mount Plešecica and at full capacity was large enough to hide up to 60 warplanes. There is a stripped out and vandalised C-47 transporter plane which you can climb aboard and two derelict runways which you can drive down which was quite a cool experience.
The bunker itself is a little creepy when you enter. The MIG fighter opening in the nuclear blast proof doors is very interesting but once inside its pitch black and even with a torch its still unnerving to walk through. This is still the external border with the EU and the area surrounding the airbase is part of the Balkan smuggling route for illegal immigrants, so you must be wary even with all the police presence. But a very interesting place to visit and recommended if you are in the area.
Zadar
I have never been to Zadar but heard many good things about the town and surroundings. I wanted to stay at the all year campsite for the main reason that in off-season you get to use the gym and spa in the neighbouring hotel. The campsite was relatively clean and tidy but it was nearly empty so that should not have been a problem. The hotel gym was basic but it opened at 7am and I used it every day and the spa was very much unloved but the sauna was welcome each evening after training.
The old town of Zadar was really very nice and you can spend a pleasant few hours wandering the streets and ocean front in the spring sunshine. The Organ steps being a lovely place to sit for a while with the sound of the waves gently playing out some soothing notes. I’m not sure what it would sound like if the sea was very rough though!
I had planned a week of cycle tours taking me far and wide but after the third day I was counting my luck that I was still in one piece and decided to put the bike away. The problem was that there were no cycle paths at all, no sidewalks on the seafront, and the limited off-road tours were bogged down after torrential rain the past weeks. But by far the worst issue was the abundance of road and construction works that was happening. New infrastructure installations and new apartments on every single free plot of land, it was quite amazing. But the nock-on effect was that cycling was quite dangerous as all the traffic was frustrated and impatient. So the time in Zadar was enjoyable but its geared toward the general and family tourist and not really outdoors people or cyclists.
Island Pag
Deciding to leave the campsite earlier than planned I headed to the Island of Pag. Also never having been here before I wanted to end my trip in good weather and hike the famous Island trail. I found this trail quite a few years ago when looking for off-road running races but I never got to run it and now my aging body unfortunately wont let me! So I thought that I would just hike it instead.
Arriving on the island at a beautiful sunset it was tough to keep your eyes on the road but after a far more difficult drive than planned I eventually arrived at my park-up as it was getting dark. Not knowing how amazing it was until I woke up just before dawn the next day.
I had parked on the headland near the small town of Metajna and there I stayed completely alone for the next three days. It was such an amazing location and in the off-season totally ignored by everyone. From my base I made two days of hiking all around the area covering every path and distant corner of this quite bizarre headland. The trails are just incredibly difficult to hike being sharp loose rocks and it really takes a lot of effort and a toll on the body but the plus side is that if you do see anyone you know that they really want to be there. And you are guaranteed that you will not run into your average unfit tourist on this trail.
I was so fortunate that in two days and over 40 km of naked hiking I experienced 20 degrees, no wind, and the most remarkable thing was that I did not encounter one single person in all this time. Just unbelievable. I also visited all of the remote beaches the highlight being Malin beach where I spent the majority of my time.
Here I just lay in the warm sun and listen to the complete and utter quiet and without exaggeration there were periods of time where there was not a single sound, not even a bird in the sky. Something I don’t think I have ever experienced before in such a place. The beach also has the advantage of having a natural fresh water Spring with pure drinkable water which is a real bonus being so far from anywhere and if my day there couldn’t have been any better, a dolphin decided just to cruise by as I was getting ready to leave. Thank you!
A really amazing location and if you love nature then a definite place to visit even though it is incredibly remote and very hard going but so worth the effort. I know that this beach is overrun in the summer with taxi boats dropping off the masses and causing havoc but in off- season you wont find anyone who doesn’t belong there. A real corner of natural paradise that is a worth while visit if you are on the island of Pag and a true naturists dream.
Cold, wet, windy, unfriendly and frustrating. Not words that I was hoping to describe this beautiful region of France. But unfortunately the truth of our time there.
After a busy and adventurous two weeks alone hiking and biking through the Italian Alps I finally picked Leela up from Milan airport and we made our way to Provence to look forward to some relaxed time in amazing weather and equally amazing naturist camps.
First we visited le Petit Arlane near the small town of Valensole. The day we arrived the weather was decent and still warm but then things started to immediately unravel. We had a stormy night with heavy rain but nothing that was alarming and in the morning having breakfast whilst in the van, we heard a loud crack and looked out to see that the very expensive Thule awning had collapsed. On closer inspection we saw that the support leg had completely sheared off and the awning had dropped and in doing so bent the upper swing arm and sheared off the roof mounted connection. Quite a feat in itself to cause so much damage and thus rendering it completely useless.
The rest of the day was spent trying somehow to retract it back and make it safe to drive and then beginning the insurance claim and source a replacement somewhere along our travel plan. A lot of stress that we could really have done without…
We left that campsite immediately the following day as the people working there were just unhelpful, unpleasant and the camp not much better. We booked online at Naturist Camping Verdon for a few nights as we thought we would have more chance of a replacement if we headed south and after a decent drive and arriving in very windy conditions the receptionist said that they were full. Explaining that we had booked online and had a confirmation did not move her and in a very polite yet completely arrogant manner told us to bugger off. So another unfriendly French campsite owner.
After another re-think we drove back up to les Lauzons naturist campsite after calling and reserving first and arrived whilst everything was shut for a very extended lunch. Waiting patiently we were eventually taken to a terrible pitch whilst perfectly nice ones stood vacant and told that was all they had. Take it or leave it. A pattern was developing here, was it our Austrian number plate? Surely not.
So we parked and then found out that there was absolutely ZERO phone or internet in the whole camp unless you bought their satellite wifi at a cost. Normally this would be perfect for us but as we were waiting for phone calls and E-mails to organise the insurance and replacement awning this was a large problem. I did manage to receive an email on their terrible wifi to say a company could fit a new awning the following day so we just spent a few hours at the camp and left once more first thing in the morning feeling let-down now by three different sites in the area.
Having the awning fitted the next day where the workers took very little care of our beloved home, we were able to take a short hike around the very nice Pénitents mountains. A strange stone outcrop appearing out of nowhere which has quite a tough and exposed circular walk up and over the top of them. And finally after some decent exercise we felt much better and spent the night in the ghost town of Malijai where we had a quiet evening by the river.
The next day we drove south, hopefully for the last time, and found a naturist camp just outside the Provence Capitol of Aix. It was rustic, natural, very unkempt and the owners were already D-mob happy as they were closing the camp in a few days. Thus they were also very unhelpful, although polite at least, with little facilities open and no provisions or food on offer. They even laughed at us when we asked for a Pizza from the flyer on the desk. But we had 3 nights there in vicious cold and wind and completely unable to enjoy the camp or surrounding countryside.
We tried our best to ride to Aix and take a tour nearby but the constant 70 kph winds were just battering us and the van relentlessly. We even tried to go in the pool but that was pointless and going to the shower was like taking a walk in the Artic so we mainly just hid from the terrible weather unable to enjoy any of the delights of the area.
We were dreaming of two weeks of beautiful Provence sunshine, lavender, naturism, bike rides and laying by the pool. But instead we got one week of stress, problems, atrocious weather and very unhelpful and arrogant campsite owners. Thanks Provence, that was not what we were expecting. Maybe we will have better luck next time.
Reluctantly leaving the Passo Giau I was aiming for a relatively quieter area of the Dolomites for the next days but arriving at my planned park up I found that it had been taken over by construction workers. So after a re-think I decided to call the campsite that I had pre-booked for the weekend to see if I could arrive a day early.
Palafavera
Camping Palafavera is a very old and basic camp but clean and very cheap for these parts. I needed a camper service anyway so it served its purpose for a few days and its also in a pretty good location I found out later.
Arriving in the afternoon I just sorted the van out and the next morning I was on the trail early with a beautiful hike to Rifugio Coldai and then on to Lago di Coldai which is a wonderful place for a stop before returning the same way to the camp.
After an hour break I took the bike and made my way down the pass to Pecol and then the mountain bike trail to Rifugio Pian del Crep, stopping at the picturesque and very cold waterfalls of Gavon picol and Gavon Grand on the way. Both waterfalls had deep enough pools to get into and the fresh mountain water certainly wakes you up! Returning to Pecol on some great forest MTB tracks I then made my way back up the pass and back to the van as the evening storms were coming in only getting a little wet on the way.
The next day and with bad weather forecast for the next week I was on the bike very early. First to Rifugio Col dei Baldi on some severely steep tracks before descending through the picturesque Coldai Alm and back to the camp. A short and sharp bike but perfect to get back before the bad weather.
Driving to Rifugio Marmolade Castiglioni I found a nice spot for the van and hiked the quite steep trail to Rifugio Luigi Gorza the highest I have been on this trip at 2600m. This vantage point gave incredible views of the Marmolade Glacier opposite and after a long lunch I made my way back down before the afternoon rains came.
Getting back there was so much commotion with a family of travellers arrived nearby who had at least 8 uncontrollable huge dogs that were howling constantly at every passer by. This together with more dogs and a now full and partying car park, I decided that I would not be able to enjoy the rest of my day there and moved on to my next destination.
Driving over the extremely challenging and completely chaotic Porodai, Sella and Gardena passes, I eventually and completely exhausted arrived at Santa Christina camper stop.
After a surprisingly good nights sleep considering there was a waterfall behind my head and the van was on a 10% slope even with the ramps, I was up and out the door at 6:00am for what would be the toughest hike so far on this trip.
Seceda
Seceda is one of the most famous mountains in the Dolomites for its unique jagged and angled profile. 90% of people take the cable cars there but there are the 10% who toil up this arduous track. And as I was currently parked 9km away from the summit as well as being 1300m below it, I should get my skates on.
The trek up is remarkably steep in parts and mostly boring until you reach the Alm. And in the early morning light it really looked spectacular, which was more than could be said for the actual mountain in front of me which looked quite uninspiring! This was playing with me as I had put this mountain as number one on my list of hikes and I was feeling a little let down. But the true majesty is only visible when you reach the summit and view it from the side.
It really is an incredible sight and thanks to the hard shift I put in I made it there just as the buzzer for the lifts went off meaning I had 10 minutes of truly magnificent peace and quiet in this location completely alone.
This peace was immediately undone by the 100’s of selfie-takers touching up their make-up, lipstick and straightening their hot-pants before swarming over every spare inch of sacred ground. Which signalled my time to leave and I very carefully make my way back to base camp for a well deserved cold beer…
Seiser Alm
The next day was a bike trip to the Seiser Alm. Lots had been said about this place so I was excited to see it for myself. Heading down the Valley to Oresei you take the very small mountain road directly to the Alm. Unfortunately there was a road closed sign at the bottom but as I had already ridden this far I decided to just try and if I didn’t work out I would just return the same way. As it happens there was no chance to ride a good 2 km section but as I was so early and the workmen had not arrived yet I just pushed and carried the bike through the construction site, jumped a fence, and continued on my way. No-one would ever know…
Getting to the Alm after a very tough climb, I rode around for a while taking in the scenery before heading on a MTB trail through the woods and eventually back to base. I read a lot and saw a lot of photos on Instagram about this place but to be honest I felt a little let down. Don’t get me wrong it’s extremely beautiful but after the previous day I maybe would have liked a little more reward for the extreme effort to get there. Perhaps if you drive there or used a motor-E-bike, it would be worth it. But on a real bike it’s really not worth that type of effort. But at least there was another 1200 meters of climbing in the legs.
Leaving St. Christina after a couple of days I was on my way to the final destination of the mountains. To ride the number one on the list of European road climbs that I have not yet done in my life. And I don’t have many left to climb. The famous Stelvio pass.
Stelvio Pass
Knowing that the climb would be long and also that rain was forecast around 2pm I was on the road by 6:45am as I wanted it done in the dry. The cars and motorbikes are crazy and unpredictable with dry roads and just life threatening to cyclists in the wet. So from previous extensive experience it was important to keep myself as safe as is possible on these mountain passes.
Setting off from the climbs starting point of Spondinig you have only a slight gradient until you pass through Prato allo and then it begins to ramp up through Ponte di Stelvio and Maso di Fuori. By the time I reached corner 45 I was already in my lowest gear and thinking that this was maybe going to be too much for me after only 10 days of hard exercise in the last 8 months. But the views of the 3900m Ortler glacier were distracting me from the next 44 corners!
Continuing to constantly increase in elevation and steepness you reach the Franzenshöhe hotel and corner 22 which is where the real climbing starts! Now beginning to find a nice rhythm I was thinking that I could actually make it. And apart from a slight blip at corner 8 where I had to stop and stretch my knee, I comfortably made it to the summit. But my joy was short lived as you are met by complete and utter chaos!
Honestly it was terrible. Hundreds of motorcycles, cars, people, sausage stands, tat stands, loud music, and general disrespect for the mountain. I had a very quick turnaround, a photo at the summit post, and then immediately dropped back down a few hundred meters away from it all. It is so sad to see how people behave in such incredible environments. It’s bad enough that they treat these mountain passes like their own personal race track and how there are not more fatal accidents truly amazes me. In the 5 hours I was on the road I saw only 2 ambulances but at least 50 near misses.
Positively it was nice to see many roadies making their way up as well as a few idiots on real mountain bikes so it was not only me. But I think that I may have been the only one carrying a full chicken curry in his rucksack for lunch! And after thoroughly enjoying this feast I made my way back down but now wearing what looked like winter hiking gear except for the shorts. I am so glad I took everything with me as it was an absolutely freezing 28 km descent.
Getting back to the van and after 56km, 5:30 of riding, and an elevation gain of 1810 meters, I was good for nothing. But an incredible final day in the Italian Alps. Now I will make my way to Milan Airport to pick up my beautiful girl on her return from America so that we can head to France and finally be together again.
Finally the time had come to be back on the road and the departure time had finally arrived for both of us. Unfortunately we were heading off in completely different directions, and continents…
To begin our trip Leela was heading stateside for two weeks and whilst she was there I would make my way slowly to our rendezvous point of Milan Airport through the Dolomites in Northern Italy.
So I finalised the apartment in a state to be left alone for the best part of 5 months and got the van ready. It was loaded to the max and after a visit to a weigh bridge I found out quite literally to the Max. But it was gleaming in the sun and patiently waiting for me to get my fat arse into the drivers seat again.
Cortina d’Ampezzo
After a long drive I made it to a ski lift car park about 10 km outside Cortina d’Ampezzo which would be my first base for a couple of days. The following morning I was up and raring to go.
First was a bike trip down the Passo Tre Croci to Cortina and after a look around the town which more resembled a building site as preparations were already well underway to host the 2026 Winter Olympics, I made my way out and up the very steep climb to Rifugio Mietres and on through some beautiful woodland and back to the van. The views in every single direction no matter where you are in the Dolomites are utterly indescribable so I won’t bore you on every tour. You can see yourselves from the photos.
Taking a break and putting the bike away I was feeling very good so I thought I would chance my arm for a first short hike in nearly 8 months. Donning my new fangled knee support I headed out up Monte Faloria keeping to the forest road to be as safe as possible if I needed to turn back. Hiking along I was feeling very little to no pain so I continued through the rain and ended up at Rifugio Faloria which was an amazing feat, although I still had to get back down which usually caused all the problems!
Sitting a while on this majestic view point high above Cortina you had the most amazing views of the mountains. I could also see from a distance a storm coming my way so it was time to head back down. With my earphones on, which were not drowning out the thunder all around, I made it back to the van in one piece and only a little wet.
Waking early the next day I was out on the bike making my way back down to Cortina and then up the road climb to the ski station at Pie Tofana and on to Lago Po’Druscie. Heading back down to Cortina a little later I was still left with the daunting climb back up Passo Tre Croci and after a tough first km I was beginning to find my bike legs again. Slowly… Heading up I passed 2 E-bikers and managed to hold off a group of 5 Ironmen until the last km when I was running out of gas.
Now completely exhausted from my day on the bike I was good for nothing except a shower and a sit down with a cold beer. But I couldn’t relax for long as I was back on the road and very excited to be heading to Passo Giau.
Passo Giau
The last time I was there was in 2012 to watch the Giro d’ Italia and I woke on the morning of the race with 4″ of snow covering the van, so I was hoping for better weather this time! I found a lovely flat and relatively quiet park up and took a short walk to the col. It was late afternoon and the amount of people there was really quite amazing. So I took a few photos and milled around for a while before returning for an early night.
The following morning I was on the trail at dawn and heading back up the col and deep into these incredible mountains toward my planned destination of Forcela Ambrizzola. It was a very difficult climb to Forcella di Giau but I think that the sublime early morning beauty took my mind off it as I seemed to be at the top in no time at all!
Walking down this majestic alpine scene after already covering over 6km and with my destination still quite far away I decided not to push my luck as going back down was going to be tough on the knee. So after hearing the Marmot’s screaming their alarm bells off in a distant meadow I decided to try my luck with some wildlife photography!
Not ever having seen one of these furry creatures in the wild didn’t put me off. So I wondered slowly way off piste until I saw some things scurrying in the distant scrub. And there they were, 5 or 6 just playing in the morning sun.
After locating the entrance to their Den I set the phone on a tripod as close to the entry as possible and then retreated as far as my bluetooth remote trigger would allow and waited. And waited. And waited. Then finally not one but two heads appeared to take a look around but they were way to cautious and retreated back to safety very quickly.
Calling it a day I turned around to see a much more inquisitive one watching my every move from behind me the whole time, so I set up station outside his home and waited. And after no time at all he was up and out and I managed to have my first wild experience with these amazing creatures.
I took one more detour to a remote location away from the gathering hoards and just lay in the sun for a while before returning to the path and the long hike back to the van. A truly exceptional day on the mountains and time to think about moving on. Where to next?
Leaving Paris we had a nightmare with the Sat-Nav. In all fairness it was the first time in a month it completely let us down and we spent a frustrating hour or so just getting to the outskirts of the City. But once we had changed a few settings that had mysteriously reset themselves we were back on track and driving through beautiful French countryside.
We stayed for a few days just outside Orleans where I managed to fix a few things in the van, repair the break in attempt, make a new shelf, and repair the bathroom door! We also found some new sport/hiking shoes for Leela as I had managed to leave them behind. We took some walks as well as a wonderful day out on the bikes to Château de Chambord along the Loire.
Driving on wonderful roads towards Limoges we pulled off to visit the WW2 War memorial at Oradour-sur-Glane where the camper aire was closed for repair so we continued to the next village to spend the night.
Returning the next morning we were the first people into the memorial which was in itself quit a sombre experience. It really is a horrific story and tragic to think that this could have taken place and also how such events are still happening today. Nevertheless a worthy tribute to those who perished unnecessarily.
Having some beautiful Croissants and a coffee cheered us up somewhat and we were back in the van and heading south for the Caves of Lascaux. We wanted to visit here for Leela to see the caves and the beginning of Art in our world but after getting there and speaking to reception we were put off spending a lot of money. There was only one English tour a day, too much tacky props, and in the end it was to see what was only a replica of the original anyway!
So after some thought Leela decided that she would learn enough from art books and we took the bikes out instead for a great tour around the local historic countryside and after a shower made our way west toward Bordeaux and the ocean.
The following morning we drove around Bordeaux and on to Cap Ferret staying in a really beautiful free municipal aire only a few hundred meters from the incredible beach of Grand Crohot. We were so excited to be at the ocean again and in the first warm weather of our trip so we left the van, packed a baguette, and headed straight out for the day.
The photos of this area did not disappoint and after getting on the beach we headed north for a few km walking the expansive beach with amazing soft sand and surrounded by dunes as far as you could see in both directions. Finding a nice spot out of the wind on the naturist beach Plage de la Jenny we settled down and just enjoyed this incredible environment for the rest of the day. Eating our packed lunch, Leela done some yoga, and I went for a dip in the still very cold Atlantic ocean.
Walking back late in the day we showered at the van and wanted to head back to the beach for sunset but as we were both quite tired from the fresh ocean air and from walking over 10km on soft sand we just had some wine and called it a night!
The next day we were fresh and up early for a long run along the coast before breakfast and spent the day the same as the last on the beach. But as later in the afternoon the weather was turning a little we walked even further down the coastline before returning to the van.
After another quiet night we decided as the weather was getting colder again to move on to Bordeaux. We stayed a couple of nights at the Village camping just outside the city and rode the bikes into the centre for a look around. It was quite a charming place and if the weather were a little better would have been nice to hang around but with heavy rain forecast we made our way back along the Dordogne and back to the camp.
We had planned at least another week in the area before we had to return home but as the weather forecast was absolutely terrible and our plans only included lying on the beach we decided to make our way back across the country and home a little earlier for springtime in Austria. After all it was only a few months before we would be heading out again!
If you talk about Naturism in Croatia then for sure Valalta camping will be mentioned. It was founded in 1968 and is the largest nudist camp in the whole of Croatia, occupying over 5 km of pristine Coastline. And it’s just HUGE!
We normally do not like such places and try to avoid any campsite that can accommodate more than a 1000 people but after treating couple for massage at our local FKK campsite and hearing about their recent trip there we decided to give it a try over the following long weekend.
The first thing that hits you when you arrive, after the huge sign outside the campsite for a swingers club, is that there are no reservations for the place. You just arrive, check in, and drive around until you find a free pitch that suits you. It’s uncomplicated and incredibly easy for the camp and the sheer mass of numbers allows them to operate this way. But unfortunately its a real pain in the arse for the visitor, especially if you have never been there before.
The camp is just HUGE and with a rabbit warren of tiny streets its almost impossible to decide on a pitch whilst also concentrating on your driving and avoiding the half asleep and hungover guests standing in the middle of the road first thing in the morning. But after 30 minutes searching we finally settled on a pitch that also had a sea view which we were hoping for.
The next hour was spent setting up and finally having some breakfast before returning to the check in to give our pitch number and taking a walk around the site together with a visit to the very impressive and well stocked supermarket which pretty much had everything from camping chairs to their own self made wine and beer.
Continuing on our 5 km walk we checked out the impressive sport complex with tennis, soccer and basketball courts. The two mini golf areas, swimming pool complex, car wash, shops and finally the hilltop viewing towers overlooking the Lim Canal. Then returning along the coastline, past the marina, bars, seaside pools and beaches, before returning to the van. Did I mention that this place was HUGE?!
The rest of the day was first spent going for a run through the nearby forest, lounging at the van and lying by the pool before the main event of cooking steak and chips for dinner which we had been looking forward to.
The next day we had a long bike tour planned so after breakfast and preparing a packed lunch we headed off. First through thick forest along the side of the canal then cutting inland through some real charming mountain bike paths before reaching the coast again around 10 km below Rovinj. Here we connected with the lovely coastal path that ran through a terribly overrun and loud camping before stopping for our lunch at nice FKK beach and grass park under the trees.
Back on the bikes following this sublime path to Rovinj where we had planned another stop to look around the town as we enjoyed it so much last year when we visited for the day. But there must have just been a cruise ship arrival as it was completely full so we just rode on through the masses without stopping this time.
Joining the coastal path again after the town it was a short ride through some lovely forest before rejoining the road at the swingers club and then back to the van with the last of the afternoon spent lying at the pool. A really nice and recommended tour if you are staying at the camp.
The weather on Saturday was not so great so we relaxed around the van and took a long walk around the full extremities of the camp. After lunch it began to open up again so we made a fun few rounds of golf before taking to the tennis courts to try out our new rackets!
Sunday we had to leave and of course the sun shone all day without a cloud in the sky! So we just lay by the ocean in the morning and took a couple of swims and after lunch we left the pitch and made the most of the pool area before reluctantly peeling ourselves away for the journey home.
We very rarely get overly excited about a camp site but we were both really taken by Valalta. We loved the fact that it was based on a first come basis. We were really impressed that there were no dogs allowed on the site which makes it both cleaner and quieter. It was spectacularly clean and well maintained for such a huge site. All the facilities functioned correctly. The sport complex was perfect for us and the location suited our sporting lifestyle with plenty of bike and running tours possible in relative safety. The supermarket was well stocked and the pool area a real bonus.
If we had to pick up on something negative then we would have to say that it is really expensive to stay there and the cost of 15€ for one hour of tennis also put us off playing more than once which we would have liked to have done. But you really do get what you pay for and as they are for sure not short of customers they can get away with charging what they want. That said, we have paid the same before for absolutely terrible sites so it is all relative.
It was a fantastic few days and we will for sure return sooner than later. We have been so fortunate this month to have stayed in two new campsites to us which have been spectacular but for completely different reasons. Firstly Mali Raj in Slovenia (diary entry) for its tiny intimacy and idyllic location and now Valalta in Istria which manages to keep quality in all of its hugeness!
For Christmas and New Year we both had time for a longer holiday so we decided on a tour of Tuscany in Italy. Although Leela had spent a lot of time there in the past for me it was a region that I had somehow missed. I don’t quite know why as it was absolutely incredible.
The van was now ready for winter and colder travel with the last of the piping and electrical modifications completed a few days before. So after going to the Auto wash for an hour and removing the 2 inches of ice from the roof and solar panels which had built up we were ready to load up and leave the snow and freezing conditions of Austria.
As we headed out late in the afternoon of December 23rd we first had to negotiate the snowy motorway toward the Italian border. And as the temperature gauge slowly climbed above freezing we left the high mountains in the rear view and began our journey south. First past Venice in the setting sun, then Bologna, before the crazy holiday traffic built up as we approached Florence. Which was fine as this was where we were making our first stop at Lago di Bilancino. And after a quite chaotic stop in the local store we were at our destination lake side around 9pm.
Not wanting to fill the boiler water system before leaving for fear of freezing I bled the hot and cold on arrival to find a small leak in my new valve system. A panic filled 30 minutes later and all was fixed and it just turned out to be that I had not tightened the valve clips up enough.
Arriving late and leaving early did not give us a chance to explore the area but the views looked great and I am sure a nice place to visit again. But this time we had a whole lot more interesting things on our list.
San Gimignano
First was a drive to San Gimignano, a truly wonderful hill-top town famous for its four towers. After finally finding a parking place that could fit the van in such tight surroundings we spent a lovely morning exploring, drinking coffee, and enjoying delicious croissants in this idyllic town.
Then later in the afternoon we drove to our destination for Christmas which was a lovely park-up at the foot of Monteriggioni. And after a quick walk round the village which doesn’t take long as its only a couple of hundred meters wide we went for a run in the local woods before watching the sunset from our perfect vantage point.
Siena
Waking early on Christmas morning to a beautiful blue sky and crisp day we exchanged a few wonderful gifts, had a large breakfast, and then took our bikes on the 20 km ride through the back roads to Siena.
Parking the bikes directly in Piazza del Campo we had a lovely few hours exploring the town, eating the most amazing pistachio croissant, and laying in the square soaking in the Italian Christmas atmosphere in the warm sun. Hard to believe that they hold a crazy horse race here. Getting back to the van at sunset we got cleaned up and had some perfectly cooked hamburgers for our Christmas dinner.
Gladiator
Boxing day we left and drove the chianti road stopping in Radda for a walk around then in a hillside lay-by for the perfect pasta lunch with amazing views.
Back on the road south with a stop at the delightful hilltop town of Montalcino, then a stop at Russel Crowes house in Gladiator, and finally the most idyllic park-up we have ever had, smack bang in the middle of the most photographed landscape in perhaps all of Italy.
We enjoyed a perfect sunset, a quiet night, and an even more perfect sunrise. The morning light filtering through the mist that was holding to the incredible landscape with Cyprus and Pine trees lining the horizon in every direction. A landscape photographer’s dream location.
Bagni San Fillipo
After breakfast was a short drive to the first of two natural hot-springs we would visit in succession. Bagni San Fillipo is a series of hillside pools surrounded by forest. Its mostly visited by locals for its so called healing properties and flies a little under the radar. At this time of year it was very quiet and we were able to enjoy one pool just to ourselves. It was quite wet and dirty getting to the pools but once in, the water was nearly 40°C and very difficult to get out of again! After a couple of lovely hours there we reluctantly dragged ourselves away and made the drive through the countryside to our next overnight stop at Saturnia.
Saturnia
Saturnia is a spa town which has been inhabited, as most towns in this region have, since ancient times. Its most famous for its sulphurous hot-spring pools which cascade at the side of an abandoned mill. These pools hold water at around 37°C and are formed by the deposition of calcareous rock from the evaporation of the water under the gushing waterfall. Its really a spectacular sight and a joy to just lie in for much longer than is probably recommended!
The van park was quite dilapidated with very uneven access, a sanitary area that really needs an upgrade and a camper service that needed to be condemned. But it served a purpose even at a high price and as it was the only park-up within reasonable walking distance.
Arriving late in the afternoon we went immediately to the pools and were a little surprised to find it completely full. It’s an incredible natural phenomenon and still free to access so it has continuous traffic through the day. And although we enjoyed it, there were far too many people for us so we went back to the van and enjoyed a sunset meal and an early night.
The next morning we were already back at the pools before sunrise which seemed to be the perfect time for us as there were only 2 other people there for the next 60 minutes. We enjoyed a wonderful time jumping between the pools and being pounded by the waterfalls. We were already making our way back for breakfast and smelling of sulphur before the masses had even opened their eyes.
Later that morning we took the bikes out to explore the countryside on a track found on my usual app for such things. Normally these tracks are pretty accurate but this time after a lovely start on hard packed farm tracks the route we wanted to take had been locked shut. So after checking the map there seemed to be a very short work around which involved crossing a field and a river before returning to path on the other side. Easy…
This however turned out to be the most challenging couple of hours for both of us. The river crossing was fine. Indeed quite exciting as it was a run-off from the pools and thus still hot. But then we found ourselves in the most horrific wet mud that was impossible to ride over or indeed even push the bikes. Include the sound of gunfire going off all around us by the local boar hunters and this provided a torturous hour before we reached the original intended path which was less than one km away.
After getting there and the bikes now completely inoperable, we found a small stream and spent the next hour trying to clean them to a point where they would be ridable again. This felt like it took forever and by the time we reached the asphalt once more we were both pretty exhausted and very hungry. So we just made our way back on the road to the park-up, cleaned the bikes and us both the best we could with a hose pipe, and just had some lunch. The longest 13 km bike ride of my life! At sunset we went back to the pools, but once again it was too full for us so we decided just to call it a night.
The following day we went again at dawn and found ourselves completely alone there and once again were able to enjoy all the pools and waterfalls naked. We stayed for a long time before breakfast and clearing the sulphur from our bodies at the park-up showers and then were once again on the road to our destination for New Year.
Assisi
Assisi is the birthplace of St. Francis the shared patron saint of Italy. The town is of high religious significance not only for Italians but to all followers around the globe. And even for two complete Atheists like ourselves it holds a lot of interest.
The hillside town really is quite the spectacle and after arriving through the valley we made our way to the quite delightful hillside campsite situated only a couple of km’s walk away. This campsite was pretty much empty when we arrived and we had the pick of the plots so we chose a perfect position with views through the trees over the valley and walked into town to explore.
Assisi really has a lot going on. From its labyrinth of tiny streets, wonderful artisan shops selling everything from exquisite jewellery, fresh foods, handmade art supplies, all the way through to every conceivable piece of tat that your average religious nut job could dream of. And after a lot of exploring, visiting the castle, and doing some photography, we eventually arrived at the church.
Now normally you wouldn’t get me within a mile of a church door but Leela being an artist and student of the Italian greats got me inside to look at the world renowned frescos. And I must say I was incredibly impressed how these masterpieces had stood the test of a 1000 years.
Putting the slavery, pain, hardship and general horrific abuse that the church/rich inflicted on the normal person to create these wonders, it was quite a marvel. The ability to create such buildings, carvings and paintings in that time and with the tools on offer is quite mind blowing. And it was a joy to see Leela appreciating these frescos from the ability and perspective of their creators.
Returning to the camp in the early evening we were greeted by a now constant flow of Italian campervans making their way in. The campsite had a limit of 50 according to their information but by late evening they were well past that number and waking up on New Year’s Eve there were vans crammed in every conceivable space which made us very nervous and claustrophobic.
So by mid morning we were out on the bikes and high on the mountainside forest roads in peace and quiet and far away from the noise and mass crowds. Knowing we would have to experience it again soon, we reluctantly made our way back, got cleaned up, and walked into town just as the sun was setting giving us a much better show than any fireworks could.
We enjoyed a glass of wine in the square as they prepared for the nights entertainment and then made our way back to the van as everyone else was making their way out. We spent New Year’s Eve in our own little world, had a few drinks and watched the fireworks from our high vantage point over the valley.
Rimini
The following morning we were up and on the road early. We had to get out of the campsite before the now packed site began to surface. There must have been over a 100 vans in there and the chaos to get out would have taken hours. So leaving the hillside morning sunshine we drove down into the valley fog not knowing that we wouldn’t see the blue sky again for the rest of our trip.
We headed east towards the coast with a first stop at Portonovo which is situated in the del Conero national park. It turned out to be a bit of a strange place. Untidy, littered, and it was made much worse by the thick fog. But we had a walk on the beach and it was nice to be at the ocean again.
The next day we drove to Rimini, but once again the thick fog spoiled the drive and the beach. So we walked around the old town which was nice and the beach front which was terrible and after an evening and following morning beach run, we continued north wishing we had gone south!
Delta del Po
Next stop was at the Delta del Po nature reserve. We stayed here last November and had a lovely time and thoroughly enjoyed the peace and nature (diary entry). We chose a different park-up this time at the end of an island and the peace in the late afternoon listening to the birds was magical, if only we could have seen them through the fog.
We were having a restful night there until around 4:30 am when a couple of cars arrived and 6 or 7 men were out in the pitch dark looking for something in the long grass all around us. This freaked us out somewhat and kept our attention until daybreak when we felt a little more at ease. That was until they started unloading their guns on whatever poor defenceless animal they were hunting. So it was time to leave this wonderful environment when we still had a full list of working parts.
Caorle
Last stop on our trip was Caorle but once more we had wished we had just stayed in Tuscany. A built up holiday town filled to the brim with people that we had spent the last 2 weeks trying our best to avoid. It was nice to see such places but they hold no interest to us. And we would never visit there in the summer months. But it was nice to take a walk on the beach at sunset and enjoy an early morning run before leaving for home.
A truly amazing Christmas and New Year trip. Tuscany is a region we would gladly re-visit and recommend to everyone. An astonishing landscape to be enjoyed by nature and photography lovers.
A happy new year to everyone and best wishes from us both for the coming years travel and adventure.
Holidays in high season… chaos, noise, kids! This is normally every single thing that we try to avoid but this summer it worked out that we were both off for a full two weeks with a summer break so we decided to give it a try!
Wanting to go somewhere different and as everything was already booked up we chose to go back to Istria but this time to a huge campsite which again we never normally do.
We decided on Koversada FKK resort near Vsar. It had decent reviews and the location seemed perfect for our plans. Active options for cycling, running and SUP together with a lot of bathing opportunities and blue flag beaches. Many good reviews on the Facebook group but worryingly many bad also. Some minor theft which we fortunately did not experience but the main concern being men hanging around taking video and photographs and groups of young men staying there but not naturist. unfortunately all of these we did experience.
Making our way down south from Austria late on a Wednesday evening we encountered no traffic and we decided to stay overnight once more at Roberto’s. A wonderful spot which you can read more about on our last post – FKK Kanegra. Leaving early enough for a quick passage through the border we made our way toward Vsar when we saw a Mcdonalds and quickly decided that a Croatian sausage and egg McMuffin with a coffee would go down very nicely and after polishing off double helpings we were on the road to Koversada.
The reception was quite small considering the camp size and as we had already booked in on-line the process was quick and easy. They had given us a pre-booked pitch but as there were many pitches available we decided to take a look around and after a very sweaty and long walk we decided just to take the one they gave us. Partly because it was quite close to the ocean and the neighbours seemed nice, but mostly because we couldn’t be arsed to look anymore! Number 2004.
We are not new to this and I honestly thought that we could cope with the pitch having no shade. But after a couple of hours there and realising that our 2 quiet female German neighbours had now increased to 8 very loud and very drunk adults, 2 dogs, and a screaming kid. We decided to move on. So off on the bikes to look for a quiet pitch.
We found 2 shady and quiet pitches. Numbers 802 preferred and 717 second choice. So back to reception to ask and she said that 802 would be free for our whole stay. Pack up everything in 40 degrees, drive to new pitch, unpack everything and set-up awning and all the paraphernalia for a 2 week stay. And one incredibly sweaty hour later and as I was hammering in the final peg. Leela says… whats the number of this pitch Ry? Everything sank. I didn’t even bother to look as I knew I had fucked up. I had only driven to pitch 717 by accident.
Pack up everything in 40 degrees, drive to new pitch, unpack everything and set-up awning and all the paraphernalia. And one incredibly sweaty hour later and as I was hammering in the final peg. Leela hands me an ice cold beer!
We had planned to be there early and set-up by 10:00 am so we could have enjoyed the full day. Instead it was now nearly 5pm and I was exhausted. We had set-up and taken down our pitch 3 times in very hot temperatures but finally we had a cold beer and could laugh at my complete arse-up of a day.
The next day we could start our holiday for real. Checking out the vastness of the campsite, finding the best bakery for morning Bureks, swimming in the clear ocean and general relaxing at the van.
As a note, I had broken a bone in my foot a week before the trip and my movement was quite limited so our active holiday was much more sedate than we would have liked but we tried to make the most of it. Running was not possible for me but Leela ran every morning when I got breakfast together. Returning each day with info about the local area, the best fish markets and the general comings and goings of the campsite.
Of our activities I did manage a couple of bike rides. The first was exploring the forests to the head of the Lim Canal. The dock area turned out to be very nice although a little run-down after seeing better years but a lovely beer in the sun nonetheless. The ride home was superb through the forest in the evening setting sun only stopping to do a little route finding.
The second bike trip was up the coast to Porec. We had hoped that there would be a series of bike paths running along the coastline to enjoy but it turned into an episode of wacky races. Just jumping from path to road trying not to be run over in the process. Porec turned out to be very busy. Too many people and not enough space to host them all. Of course we were not helping by being there either.
So after a stressful ride around the town we found a bakery and sat on a park bench in the shade watching a completely different world to ours go about their business. The ride back was a little calmer as we found some off-road paths that were away from the traffic but we were glad to be once more sitting at the van.
The only other bike tour, apart from riding around the campsite, was a short ride to Vsar which was a lovely little dock village. It was of course overrun but I think quite charming out of season.
We both love stand-up paddling but this proved to be a little more problematic for my foot due to the roughness of the water from the constant boat traffic. But we did manage one long trip quite far up the Canal which is recommended and also a shorter trip around the camp island which was also very nice apart from the roughness of the water.
All together it was a very nice couple of weeks there but something we would not do again in high season. It’s really just not for us. There are options for cycling, running and SUP and of course the ocean is there. But we did not swim mainly because of the amount of jelly fish there were in the water. Something we had not experienced before whilst travelling through Croatia. And unfortunately there were many more bad sides to this campsite in high season.
The utter disrespect that some people have for others never ceases to amaze us. The cleaners on the site are working 10 hours a day in 40 degree heat and for pittance, just so that people can leave the showers and toilets in such a disgusting and filthy way.
This site being so large had quite a cross section of humanity on it. We are naturists, we visit many naturist campsites, beaches and lakes, we are middle-aged and not naive. We are both in a body condition that is not the normal for such places so we tend to attract attention wherever we go. We don’t like it, it’s just the way it is. But we tend to ignore everything that goes on around us.
But many of the people on this campsite were not naturist. They were people who just want to expose themselves to others in a legal environment. I can only talk of the men who are the worst but Leela says that the women were no better, just more discrete.
The looks and staring whilst touching themselves, although horrible, can just be ignored but when repulsive men comment on Leela’s body whilst standing right in front of her and with me there also, just shows how disgusting some men are with their treatment of women as objects.
I really wish that this was an isolated incident but on at least 3 occasions with me there and once when she was alone and on that occasion she told him exactly what she thought of him but this just fuelled his fire and gave him even more repulsive energy whilst taking ours from us.
And I wish it was just us it was happening to but even on the Koversada facebook page there were mentions of men hanging around taking photos and video.
I will dedicate a post to this subject and discuss the differences between the internet perception of naturism laid to you by Instagram and people like Naked Wanderings, British Naturism, etc. who are ignoring the problem and really not talking about the real state of Naturism that would take away from their personal gain. But it exists and it’s not going away.
Anyway with all this negativity about humans we did have a pretty nice time there. We cannot comment about any restaurants as we did not want to eat out and socialise after everything that was happening during the day. But we had a lovely take out pizza from the site. We had an amazing freshly caught Sea Brine from the local fish market that we cooked ourselves and we enjoyed many wonderful sunsets as well as an incredible moon one evening. We will avoid these giant camps from now on in high season and stick to our preferred type of Naturist locations.
Happy Naturist travels everyone, and be careful out there.
