After Plitvice we headed west. Still avoiding toll roads, so ended up on the wiggliest 25km I think I’ve ever driven, through some lovely countryside – rolling woods, meadows and sleepy villages (apart from the huge psychedelic music festival we accidentally found). Then on slightly straighter roads through more mountainous, forested terrain and a couple of pleasant towns, briefly back towards Rijeka and then back into Slovenia. We spent the night at a strong contender for best campsite yet – a huge grassy riverside field surrounded by tall shady trees (it did lack a washing machine and wifi but if we’ve discovered one thing this trip it’s that you can’t have everything).

Having previously decided not to risk a cave tour with Jess, we reconsidered, took a bet that she’d be fine and went to visit the impressive sounding Skocjan cave. She was fine, and unlike Plitvice, the cave exceeded the hype and was really spectacular. The highlight was a huge (120m high) underground river canyon on a totally different scale to anything else we’ve ever seen underground. Pictures not allowed, so no direct evidence of the awesomeness. Also, it was a welcome novelty to experience 12 degree temperatures again!

Back on the surface, we climbed out of a large sinkhole and headed for the Slovenian coast, arriving early enough to cycle up a hill to a headland viewpoint before dinner.

The next day we decided to repeat our Zadar experience and cycle into the town of Piran for an explore. Unfortunately, the roads aren’t as straightforward so after a great cycle track on a disused railway (including tunnel) we zoomed down a hill to find that we had to cycle up it again slightly further along the headland. To avoid a main road we then plunged down to sea level and again climbed the hill. Eventually, we were close enough to Piran to zoom downhill straight into the town.

The town is mostly pedestrianised, so we pushed the bikes around small picturesque lanes and the seafront, ate a seafood lunch and had an ice-cream before heading home.

We took a more direct route home, which turned out to include only 2 ascents of the headland, both cobbled, the first very steep, and the second steeper still. The whiz (tempered by the trailer) down the hairpin bends back to the camp made up for the pain.

Picturesque bridge at Ostarije with a nice looking mountain behind

Viewpoint near Delnice (not sure what of, but it was worth a stop and a photo)

A van and a view

One-handed walking during lunch in a park at Delnice

Another picture of a smiley Jess, just because

In a hole (an impressively large sinkhole that swallows a large river)

Limestone canyon

One side of the hole (the cave exit is at the bottom)

Cliff at Strunjan, which claims to be the highest on the Adriatic

Entrance to Piran harbour, with the lighthouse at the point beyond

Yachts at Piran, with St George’s church and belfry on the skyline

Narrow old town streets

Wheeled our bikes up several steep cobbled streets before admitting defeat at some steps and parking them under a strange owl mosaic

Piran at rooftops from the church on the hill

Jess sampling some ‘Black Hawaii’ ice cream (dark chocolate and coconut). We think they must have put black food colouring in it!

Our exit route. All the steep cobbles

We cycled up them once out of the pedestrianised zone