Country: Croatia
Region: Dalmatian Hinterland
Length: 35 km
Elevation gain: 460 m
Maximum elevation: 580 m
Technical difficulty: 1/5
Download GPS Track: MTB Imotski Cyclotrail
Date of ride: 06.05.2018.
Suitable for E-bike: Yes
Imotski is small town on the northen side of Biokovo Masif and has very mild and pleasant climate with many sunny days. That is one of the reasons why I cycled around Imotski on this day, everywhere else was raining ( on that date I was still working in Ploče).
I parked my car in the center of the city, so I could immediately see Blue Lake, and 1 km later Red Lake. Above Blue Lake there is fortress Topana built in 10th century located on natural cliff. In 1943. was first football match played at the bottom of the dried Blue Lake. Now there is tradition of locals playing football game during summer days while there is no water. The most important rule of football match played at the bottom is that result of the match must be draw.
Blue Lake & Red Lake
Threes around Red Lake got burned in the fire, so surroundings got some kind of post apocalyptic atmosphere. It is pretty scary if someone got caught in the middle of the fire. Just imagine how much animals died in this firestorm.
This route is combination of unpaved and paved road there is no singletrack, so if you are looking for some attractive trails, you won’t find them here, but you will find some nice viewpoints.
After Red Lake, I went back on paved road and then proceeded to canyon Badnjevice. Canyon Badnjevica is situated north-west of the town of Imotski close to the Croatian border with Bosnia and Hercegovina. Through the canyon stream Suvaja flows which takes Ričice dam accumulation water to Prološko Blato (retention). This site is an important habitat for white-clawed crayfish.
Canyon Badnjevica
After little rest in the canyon I went to Prološko Blato (Proložac Lake). This place is protected from 1971 and covers an area of 10,24 square kilometres. It is a vast flooded area in the Imotski field – only a small part is under water throughout the year (Proložac Lake) and the rest gets under only during a period of the year. Its aesthetic and ecological value as a habitat of wading birds is very significant.
Proložac Lake
Don’t go to close to the lake, you can easily get stuck in the mud (I learned it the hard way). Later I went back to Imotski city. At the end of the trip I managed to get caught by heavy rain, so my plans of swimming in Blue Lake were ruined.
Map of route:
Elevation profile:
