Day 20: Thu 16 Jun - Bela Crkva to a few kms past Golubac

 Ride: 63km

Woke to another fine sunny day. Except for one rainy day early in the trip we have been blessed with great weather.  

Breakfast was white bread with jam and the strongest coffee I've ever drank. Kept me awake for a week.  

10km into the ride saw us on a ferry across to the other side of the River and entered the area called The Danube Gorge. A cheeky 10% hill greeted us after leaving the ferry; however the rest of the day was idyllic riding through farming communities or along the riverside. Morning tea was taken at a holiday centre where it would appear the rich and famous rub shoulders. We had our coffees and quickly left. 

The Gorge is a beautiful part of the Danube where the river narrows from up to 8 km to about 150m. The river in the gorge is up to 82m deep, a world record for river depths. The cliffs in this area are up to 600m high.    

The area is also known as the Iron Gates, after a dam hydro plant built across the Danube between 1962 and 1974. Two huge locks each 310m long x 30m wide now raise and lower ships up to 5,000 tons displacement. 

Start of the Danube Gorge

Mum and dad off to town

The team at our B&B near Golubac, at the start of the Danube Gorge