Montenegro day 6: Panoramic Road # 2

Friday, 7th October 2022

Today is a rest day because we are tired from the mountain walks.

Montenegro has 4 marked panoramic roads designed to be done by car. The Durmitor NP has a panoramic road of it's own called 'Durmitor Ring', the Panoramic Road # 2, which runs for 76km.

Although a circular road, it is advisable to do it counter-clockwise. We soon find out that this is due to the very narrow mountain roads it traverses and therefore it's easier if you do not have to come across incoming traffic.

There are no petrol stations along the panoramic road so we filled the tank at Žabljak. There was minimal English from the petrol station cashier but enough for me to make it clear that I knew he wasn't giving me the right change. Still, he rounded it down, and I was short a few cents. We have come to understand that this is the way change is done around here.

Full map on: Panoramic road # 2

1) Žabljak

So our counter-clockwise Panoramic Road # 2 started at Žabljak, the 'capital' of Durmitor National Park and the highest Balkan town at 1450m altitude. 

It is believed that this area has been settled since the Illyrians and the Celts but the town itself has been developed in the last 100-150 years. During WWII there were heavy battles in Žabljak and its surroundings, and the town was nearly completely destroyed. Slowly the town was rebuilt and developed into a holiday resort for Summer holidays and Winter sports. This explains why, instead of having an Alpine feel, Žabljak has a very modern feel.

2) Ćurevac

There is a ranger at the Ćurevac car park, ready to check the park tickets. His hut looked really cold and he had some very noticeable hand tremors. It seems vodka helps him keep warm.

The hiking trail up to the top of the Ćurevac (1625m altitude) is 1.1km (one way), it's rocky, through narrow paths along the edge of the gorge but well worth the effort. 

You will be rewarded with 360⁰ views and the best view of the Tara Canyon.

Tara Canyon is 82km long and 1300m deep. 

3) Bosača

The small hamlet of Bosača, with just 10 inhabitants, situated at around 1600m altitude on the slopes of Štuoc, is considered the highest village in the Balkans. The first chairlift in the area was built here and it may have been, once, the centre of Winter sports. Now it is nothing more than a very sleepy hamlet with excellent views and derelict chairlifts.

4) Viewpoint Tara Canyon

Pinpointed in Google Maps but very disappointing. If you want a good viewpoint, then hike up to the top of the Ćurevac.

We took the opportunity to learn that a canyon or gorge 'is a deep cleft between escarpments or cliffs resulting from weathering and the erosive activity of a river over geological time scales' (Wikipedia). 

5) Mala Crna Gora

Literally translated, Mala Crna Gora means 'Small Montenegro'. This village, situated at 1530m altitude, is best known for its lack of connection during Winter months and its inhabitants being cut off from the world for months. Strong winds can cause snow drifts of up to 10m high and 2m of fresh snow is not uncommon. Only 14 people live in the village all year round, living mainly from livestock farming.

There are plenty of rose bushes in and around the village, enough to produce gallons of rosehip cordial.

6) Sušica Canyon Viewpoint (east side)

Sušica Canyon (Kanjon Sušica) is 15km long and 700m deep. 

The viewpoint stands at 1496m high on the cliffs. Although not safe as the cliffs are not secure, if you go a bit down the cliff you'll get the best pictures.

7) Sušica Lake (Sušičko Jezero)

The Sušica Lake, standing at 1180m altitude, is a periodic hydrographic object. This means that sometimes it a lake because it is full of water and sometimes it is not a lake because it is empty. Cool, right?

The lake is largest and full of water in Spring time when the glaciers melt, receiving water from the Sušica river. The lake is 450m long x 200m wide and about 5m deep.

In the Summer time, specially late Summer, the water of the lake disappears and all it can be seen is a green grassy meadow.

As we are visiting in Autumn, we were greeted with the green grassy meadow. The lake is surrounded by high cliffs and old pine forest. We left the car at the entrance of the road that leads onto the lake and sat for lunch at the picnic table very well positioned with views to the lake.

There was a natural water spring and Manuel filled his water bottle. No diarrhoea ensued so we assume the water was pure mountain water.

8) Sušica Canyon Viewpoint (west side)

The viewpoint stands at 1496m altitude, at the same altitude as the viewpoint on the east side.

9) Piva Canyon Viewpoint

We followed the Dormitor Ring road up to Trsa and then decided to do a detour, heading to Plužine via road P14.

Piva Canyon (Kanjon Piva) is 33km long and up to 1200m deep.

10) Piva Lake Viewpoint

Piva Lake (Pivsko Jezero) sits at 675m altitude and it's an artificial lake formed in 1975 by the creation of a dam near Mratinje village to generate hydrologic power. It is 45km long, more than 200m deep and it is the most elevated artificial reservoir in the world.

The road down to the lake is windy and has a succession of tunnels. These tunnels seem to have been carved through the rock and have no finishing apart from tarmac on the road. Expect rough edges. Do not expect illumination. It must be dangerous navigating them at night. At one point there is a junction inside a tunnel!

11) Plužine

The P14 road merges onto the E762 and across the bridge over the Piva Lake sits Plužine. Fairly big town but quiet.

We would recommend stopping at Caffe Bar Sidro for drinks as the café is on the edge of the lake and sports really nice views.

12) Piva Monastery

Continuing southbound on the E762 road, one reaches Piva Monastery.

It is considered to be one of the most important Orthodox monasteries in Montenegro. Long time ago it was situated at the spring of the Piva river but it had to be relocated due to the construction of the dam. The relocation of the church took 12 years and it was transferred stone by stone.

The monastery church was built between 1573-1586 and its greatest value is in its wall paintings, which date from 1604-1605. 

The 1260m2 of paintings were removed and put back. That is an achievement in itself. However, the paintings are in dire need of restoration. They are a far cry from the wall paintings at Ostrog Monastery. It was underwhelming and it allowed Manuel to make fun of me for the rest of the trip saying of every attraction I wanted to see: 'This is one of the most important monasteries in Montenegro'. And he made me laugh every single time!!

Monks residences adjacent to the church, just as at Ostrog Monastery.

This church has the bell in its own standalone bell tower, which is different from what we have seen so far.

The prayer candles in this country are very ecological. They stand on water, stuck on a bed of sand. The melted wax is collected as it floats on the water and re-used to make new candles. Very bright!

13) Off-road?

We turned back onto E762 road northbound and crossed the bridge over the Piva Lake but, at the tunnel with 3 exits, we took the exit eastwards towards Boričje. Google Maps showed a small road along the east-side of Piva Lake and it would eventually meet P14 road at Ždrijelo, south of Pišče, and we would be back onto the Dormitor Ring road.

What we were not expecting was for this road to go from tarmac to no tarmac, to half covered in rocks and, at points, the car having little traction. We hired a car, not a 4x4.

There were some moments of tension, some skidding, pushing the car up the road, a lot of scratching the bottom of the car and a bit of nervous sweat. Manuel did great on the wheel, Jorge directed on the most rough patches and I grabbed the seat and swore like a sailor internally. Miraculously, we made it to road P14 without loosing any car parts and without damaging any visible parts of the car. Overall, a very positive outcome!

At the end of the road, a viewing platform onto Pirni Do Valley.

14) Pirni Do Valley Viewpoint

Pirni Do Valley sits at 1369m altitude. This is the best view of the valley.

15) Todorov Valley and Prutaš Peak

Todorov Do Valley sits at 1800m high and Prutaš Peak rises at the far end of the valley up to 2393m high.

The rock formations in this area were formed by the collision of two earth plates which folded onto themselves at the bottom of the Jurassic Sea. The folding of the layers can be seen very well at Prutaš Peak.

16) Prutaš Peak frame

We were yet to realise at this time that we were supposed to be in the frame.

17) Vodeni Do Valley and Sedlena Greda

Vodeni Do Valley leading to Sedlena Greda (2227m high), its ridge called 'Saddle of the Gods'.

18) Sedlena Greda frame

In the frame!

19) Pošćenska Dolina Valley with Lake Valovito (Valovito Jezero)

An almost empty lake.

20) Ski resort Savin Kuk

The Ski resort sits at the bottom of Savin Kuk peak (2313m high), at an altitude of 1515m and its ski lifts reach an altitude of 2213m.

It's a very small ski resort with 2 chairlifts, 3 button lifts and 1 baby ski lift. Definitely catering for beginners and families, not intermediate or expert skiers. Surprisingly, there is a huge amount of accommodation nearby.

There was a bit of rain but overall the weather held on. This was not a quick road trip, it was a day affair, 9h to be precise. The mountain roads are dangerous: narrow, with plenty of potholes and loose rock and blind bends galore. It's safer to drive slowly (we drove at 20-30km/h) and you enjoy the scenery more. The Autumn colours made it much more scenic. We would highly recommend to do this panoramic road.

Dinner was at Konoba Luna. The food was great, except for the dessert, which we are still to know what it was. We tried the restaurant's two menus: National Menu and Classic Menu. Total was €50.

Plate of cheese, ham and polenta

Vegetable soup

Durmitor steak

Cooked veal

Roast vegetables salad (the salads in this country are delicious!)

Roasted lamb

Dessert (what is this?)