The Dike Route: Flat but Rough
Smederevo-Stara Palanka, Serbia via the dike
39 miles (62 km)
Total so far: 99 miles (159 km)
There are really 2 route choices cycling Smederevo-Stara Palanka. Cross the river to the north bank and follow the marked route along the dike. This route quickly turns to gravel, dirt and grass. The other choice is to stay on the main highway through Kovin and Gaj.
The yellow route follows the dike which is well signed. Alternatively, stay on the paved highway all the way, or cut back to the highway at Kovin for a smoother ride. Either way, this section has few views of the Danube. What you do see along the dike route is many interesting wetlands.
Bicycling Serbia-Map-Smederevo to Stara Palanka Serbia
Elevation Profile: The steep descent at the beginning is from the Car Hotel to town!
Bicycling Serbia-Profile-Smederevo to Stara Palanka-Serbia
From the Car Hotel in Smederevo, it was about 5 miles including crossing the bridge to the north side. As soon as we crossed the bridge, we could see a dirt track leading to the dike route which was visible from the bridge. The dike was paved in both directions as far as we could see. EV 6 signs posted distances in both directions. We imagined a fabulous day on this flat, section, forgetting that in about a mile, the route would turn to gravel.
For fifteen miles, we rode on gravel, packed dirt, and two single tracks, the middle having been taken over with thick grass. The path was quite good to Kovin, where there is a restaurant. We did not see any sign leading from the dike to the paved highway, so we stayed on the dike. That was a mistake. After Kovin, the farther we went, the worse the surface. Big potholes, deeper gravel, and lots of grass growing up in the middle made it very difficult for Anne and her trike. With 3 wheels, something was always bogging down. Even for a standard bike, the track was extremely rough and bumpy.
We did not see the Danube but for a glimpse or two until near Dubovac. There were some very nice estuaries and wetlands with a variety of birds. There was no shade anywhere, no water and no food between Kovin and Dubovac. We have not seen any other touring cyclists on this route. We have seen about six locals riding their bikes along the dike. There are also people who use the dike to access the wetlands for fishing.
When we got to Dubovac, there was a bar Café restaurant so we stopped for beer and coke. They had rooms to rent. Since Anne was so tired from riding in the grassy dike, we thought we would stop for the night and it was only 2 o’clock. But we looked at the rooms which were absolutely horrible. They were tiny, dirty, and didn’t even have a shower. Another sign announced a camp ground and beds a kilometer down the side road. We went to check that out as well. No one was home. The lodging looked rough. The camping was obviously in the back yard which would serve in a pinch.
We decided to go on to Stara Palanka where the ferry crosses over to Ram. In another kilometer, we got off the dike and the dirt and gravel bumpy road and got on pavement. When we got to the pavement we saw a sign saying only 21 km back to Kovin on this nice paving where we had just come from. Surely, that would have been a better choice.
If you want to stay on the paving, go through Vrachev Gaj. The shortcut is unpaved. At Vrachez Gaj, make the decision whether or not to continue on the Serbian side or go to Socol across the border in Romania.
We stopped in Stara Palanka for the night. On the main street, right at the water’s edge was a busy restaurant. We scarfed down a meal of mixed grill (Serbians are avid meat eaters; it is hard to find pasta or rice or even vegetables) and salad. The hotel, just a few meters up the street, was a funky, but clean and comfortable place for the night. Watch out for the included breakfast however. Serbian sausage, bacon and eggs all swimming in grease!
The next morning, as Anne was preparing to upload pictures of yesterday’s events, we discovered our Nexus 5 phone had gone belly up. All the photos are locked inside, so only one pic for this post. So sorry!
Bicycling Serbia-Stara Palanka to Golubac-our room in Stara Palanka
