Montenegro, locally named Crna Gora and Црна Гора is a Parliamentary republic, found between Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania and the Adriatic Sea. It covers 13.812 square kilometres, and is the home of 678.931citizens. 74% are Christians and 19% Muslims. The local currency is Euro, worth 7,46 Danish Krone. The GDP is US$4.250 billion. Due to the mountains, the climate varieties a lot throughout the country. The coast is Mediterranean while the peaks are Alpine. Due to this, the biodiversity is high. The vascular flora of Montenegro has 3.250 species while the here are 18 amphibian, 38 reptiles and around 333 species of birds. Among the more interesting larger mammals are the Brown bear (Ursus arctos), Eurasian wolf (Canis lupus lupus), Balkan Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica), Eurasian Beaver, Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx) (Castor fiber) and Boar (Sus scrofa). Among the more interesting plants are Draba bertiscea, Edraianthus wettsteinii, Edraianthus pulevicii, Viola nicolai, Campanula austroadriatica and Androsace komovensis.
DIARY
Here are so many flowers, even some I haven't seen before.
Some
It take me a long time to drive the 35 kilometres through
the canyon, and it continues to be pretty, when I reach the high plains.
Here are a flowerbed that not only is impressing, the scent is so intense.
Small houses have cows inside, it seems, and here are hardly any farming
beside from hay.
I stop so many times, to capture the landscapes and wild
flowers, and I even find an orchid. Then I pass Niksic, a small and
not interesting town at all. But they have an ATM, and I stock
some
Euros.
The mountains change into more barren, with lots of
exposed, bright white limestone. Higher up, it turns more fertile again, and small
herds of sheep grasses on tiny meadows.
Some
have an astonishing amount of pink flowers, while others are covered in
white clover and some yellow
flowers. Some thunder clouds are pulling up, and I get some real heavy rain
from time to time.
Then I reach Tara River and Bridge. It was build
in 1942 by local rocks, spanning 365 metres over the 150 deep gorge.
Here are a A chamois is crossing the road in front of me, and I get a blurry picture. Due to the thunder and shadow in the gorge, it is hard to get good photos, but I sure enjoy this great drive. I pass Biogradska Gora National Park, but it is getting too late by now, but I might return in the morning. The camp I have found turns out to be a tiny house with a lawn. Bath and toilet are in the house. But the surroundings are great, and they only charge €5. I'm still not really running on all cylinders, after the flue this morning, and try to finish early. Well, before midnight - or not long after.... Piva Canyon, Highlands, Durmitor NP, Tara River & Bridge
1/6.
I
reach Biogradska Gora
National Park, and don't expect that much, as the fee is only €3. But am
I in for a surprise! It is a huge park, and here are bears and wolves, but
the centre piece is the lake. The lake is crystal clear, but the surface is
covered in a thin layer of pollen.
I park at it, and head for the shore. Here, I see at least eight Aesculapian Snake; Zamenis longissimus or Balkan Whip Snake; Hierophis gemonensis. Later, I discover there are two species. It seems like they sleep in some rocks during the night, and then spread out, when they are warmed up. I get them as they warm up. Later, I see more, but I hope I got pictures enough. It seems like they catch fish, as the lizards; Podarcis muralis are frisky, quite close to them.
Besides from the snakes, I see a lot of real huge
Horse-leech; Haemopis sanguisugain, in and above the water.
A
trail is leading the entire way around the large lake, and I figure I start
on it, and return when I get bored. The surface of the lake is around 1110
metres height, and it is still kind of late spring here. That means quite
some flowers, despite it is in the forest. The park have 26 different habitats and
a total number of plant species of 2000. And the trees are huge! Some are
more than
300 or even 400 years old, and here are many species. Old ones Before long, I see a Common Toad; Bufo bufo on a rock in the water. Then a large millipedes, some Armadillidium sp. It is around eight centimetres and red-brownish. I make a lot of photos of the lake - all looking pretty much alike.
Then I stumble over another millipedes; Polydesmus
collaris. It is in the shadows, and I like to let the animals be - which
means I only get blurry photos. I really like when I can get a As the track continues into the forest, along the lake, several creeks meet the lake. A long path is boardwalk, crossing soft terrain and crystal clear creeks. I try to make photos of the giant trees, some reaching 40 metres, but as always; trees in a forest is the hardest to capture ever!
Before I even consider to turn around, I meet the halfway
sign. Here are some giant slugs, Then I pass a small group of Frenchmen. I great the first two with "Good morning", but despite the trail is only 50 centimetres vide, and I step aside, they don't even look at me. I try "Bonjour" with the rest, but now, they only look at me. Not a single nod or greeting at all! When I get to role the world, less Frenchmen will be needed!
The parking lot is now filled with cars and busses, and I
decide; it is time to leave.
Here are hardly any farmland, only hay and small vegetable gardens. Then the central mountains starts, and most houses disappears. I pass what might be a skiing town, and then it is pure nature. Well, here must be some farms, as there are a few cows on the road.
In the highest part, the road turn real narrow, but the
sealing is not bad at all. I just have to watch
It start to rain, and the light disappears, but despite I
can't make photos, it is still a great drive. The fare mountains have sun
AND snow. I am not sure how height I get, but to judge from
the
flora, it must be at least 1500 metres.
Eventually I get back to Niksic, and set the GPS for
Kolasin town, then Ostrog Monastery. It is I have to do several stops on the way up, as the views are great. Flowering bushes, figs with fruits, the villages deep down the valley and to my big delight; a Scheltopusik or Glass Lizard; Pseudopus apodus. It is kind of a giant lizard without legs. I had some, many years ago: real lovely animals. Unfortunately, I get to scare it, before I get a good photo.
The monastery is
Several small rooms, and a big one: With the shop. The Catholics sure know how to make money! The old cave can be visited, but not photographed. It seems like a corps is kept in the back. Another cave is for the candles, and it is hot and black. I have seen enough, and start the decent.
Then I drive through Niksic once again, and into the
lowlands. On the way, I pass an area with snow! OK, it might be hails, but
it look odd.
Besides from that, it is a great drive, and I end up at
the seaside. Well, it is way deep in a fjord, but the temperature
feels so much better. I find some fresh letish, then the camp,
But that is not meant as a complaint at all! So far, Montenegro have been such a positive experience. So much nature, so clean and friendly and easy to access. Biogradska Gora National Park, The Central Mountains and Ostrog Monastery It is now time to head into the Diary 2 with the south-eastern Montenegro. |