Highlight of today was the Neolithic site at Vinca which followed a lunch overlooking the Danube.
First I had to retrace my steps for 3.5 kilometres from the Hotel Sucevic Garni to the base of the mountain of Avala. Then I enjoyed sunny weather walking through woodland followed by a village of modern red roofed houses. After walking down to the base of the valley I met my first challenge. There was a new road layout and workmen were busy doing more work in the area which made it difficult to follow my intended route. So I diverted along a new section of road for a kilometre or so to where it crossed the motorway.
How was I to return to my planned route? Fortunately the Navitracks Balkan map I had on my GPS indicated there was a track I could take. It had the wrong starting point but otherwise it led me through meadows of michaelmas daisies to the road I needed, the path only slightly spoiled by sofas and TVs being dumped beside it. After some walking along roads my planned route took me beside a drainage channel. As I discovered, this was not a scenic option, passing various industrial sites and new building, but eventually I reached more pleasant orchards before turning off for Vinča.
A sign directed me to the archaeological site by the River Danube. This was also the location of a few restaurants. I chose one on a boat for lunch which I ate while watching barges going up and down the Danube and cormorants(?) diving for fish. The archaeological site consisted of a few display panels and a small museum which I liked as you can concentrate on all artifacts unlike in a big museum when the number of items on display can overwhelm you. It contained finds from the Neolithic period which were dug up at the riverside site. These included figurines which emphasised female sexual attributes and very small pots used for what I wondered?
Then I retraced my steps and turned up a busy road without pavements to reach the Radmilovac Hotel (my second challenge of the day was to avoid being a traffic accident). The hotel seems upmarket and the restaurant is certainly very good (as is the local red wine). There was even an English speaking Turkish guest to entertain me over coffee.
I walked 26.4 kilometres today, including the walk to the hotel. A GPS track of my route can be found on wikiloc.com, and an alternate route to the hotel from Vinča avoiding the busy road can be found here. My route is also on ViewRanger.com as johnpon0024 and on Wandermap.net.
First I had to retrace my steps for 3.5 kilometres from the Hotel Sucevic Garni to the base of the mountain of Avala. Then I enjoyed sunny weather walking through woodland followed by a village of modern red roofed houses. After walking down to the base of the valley I met my first challenge. There was a new road layout and workmen were busy doing more work in the area which made it difficult to follow my intended route. So I diverted along a new section of road for a kilometre or so to where it crossed the motorway.
How was I to return to my planned route? Fortunately the Navitracks Balkan map I had on my GPS indicated there was a track I could take. It had the wrong starting point but otherwise it led me through meadows of michaelmas daisies to the road I needed, the path only slightly spoiled by sofas and TVs being dumped beside it. After some walking along roads my planned route took me beside a drainage channel. As I discovered, this was not a scenic option, passing various industrial sites and new building, but eventually I reached more pleasant orchards before turning off for Vinča.
A sign directed me to the archaeological site by the River Danube. This was also the location of a few restaurants. I chose one on a boat for lunch which I ate while watching barges going up and down the Danube and cormorants(?) diving for fish. The archaeological site consisted of a few display panels and a small museum which I liked as you can concentrate on all artifacts unlike in a big museum when the number of items on display can overwhelm you. It contained finds from the Neolithic period which were dug up at the riverside site. These included figurines which emphasised female sexual attributes and very small pots used for what I wondered?
Then I retraced my steps and turned up a busy road without pavements to reach the Radmilovac Hotel (my second challenge of the day was to avoid being a traffic accident). The hotel seems upmarket and the restaurant is certainly very good (as is the local red wine). There was even an English speaking Turkish guest to entertain me over coffee.
I walked 26.4 kilometres today, including the walk to the hotel. A GPS track of my route can be found on wikiloc.com, and an alternate route to the hotel from Vinča avoiding the busy road can be found here. My route is also on ViewRanger.com as johnpon0024 and on Wandermap.net.
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| View of Danube from restaurant at Vinča |
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