Over the wooden bridges on the Odra River to the Posavina region and Turopolje forests
Zagreb County

This route is a part of Zagreb County Cycling Network project run by Tourist Board of Zagreb County. We are recommending that together with this description you are using published/paper map (scale 1:60 000) which can be obtain from office of Tourist Board of Zagreb County, Preradovićeva 42, Zagreb, Croatia, www.tzzz.hr. Please contact office for map delivery.

Route description

The route begins in Vukovina  1  . In the centre of town is the impressive Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Take caution when crossing the busy state road Velika Gorica – Sisak. The route continues along the road north of the church in the direction of the Kuče. Pass alongside the football filed on the right hand side of the road. After 2 km, enter into the Kuče. At point  2  , the Chapel of St. Fabian and Sebastian, continue left along the road through the village past the sawmill on the left hand side of the road towards Poljana Čička. At the intersection of two roads, turn left towards the bridge on the Odra River. You will pass through a lovely oak forest which leads you directly to the wooden bridge on the Odra River in Donja Poljana Čička  3  . Here numerous flocks of geese and ducks enjoying themselves in the water are a common sight, as the Posavina region is criss-crossed with many streams and rivers. The water is instantly soothing, and gives the entire area a calming and idyllic feel. Cross the bridge and turn left next to the houses on the northern bank of the Odra River, first along the paved road, then gravel alongside the weekend houses and through the village Gmižići. The banks of the Odra River are white with flocks of geese satisfied with their life on the river. Riding along the gravel road which slowly moves away from the river, you will head further to the right and turn towards the intersection with the road at point  4 . At the 10 km mark, at point  5  at the intersection of the road Novo Čiče – Jagodno, turn right towards Bukevje. This is also the crossing point of the blue and light red bicycle routes. Enter into the Orle municipality.

At point  6 , about 600 m from the intersection, turn left at the sign for the Pilana Petko (sawmill) in the direction of Bukevje. From here to the Sava embankment, the blue and light red routes lead you along the same stretch towards Bukevje, for this is also the best way to reach the Sava River. The route continues along the wide, straight road with good visibility. On the left and right sides of the road, you will see newly built family homes scattered throughout the Posavina plains. In Bukevje at point  7  turn right near the Sava Café along the Sava embankment in the direction of Drnek and Orle. Here the light red route continues to the left in the direction of Ščitarjevo along the Save enbankment. The blue route turns right and takes you further along the Sava embankment. At first, you do not have a view of the river, but after 2 km a lovely view opens of the Sava River, which peacefully flows through this area and gives it a special charm, as the Kupa River does in the Pokupsko and Pisarovina areas. In Drnek at the intersection at the 17.4 km mark of the route is the lovely neo-Gothic chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes. The route continues straight along the road next to the embankment. At the 18.5 km mark, turn right at the intersection in the direction of the settlement Orle. In Orle is the Chapel of the Epiphany with its well known feast day of St. Bartholomew at the 24th August. The chapel is clearly visible from the road, to the right in the field. At the 19.6 km mark of the route, in Vrbovo Posavsko, note the left hand turn for the raft crossing on the Sava River. Even today, this raft transports passengers from Vrbovo Posavsko to Oborovo, thereby connecting the municipalities of Orle and Rugvica (the Velika Gorica and Dugo Selo regions).

About 1 km from the raft, next to the bus station on the left hand side of the road is the Chapel of the Holy Family. At the 22.8 km mark of the route, you will reach the intersection with the crucifix at point  8  where you can continue the route to the right on the gravel road in the direction of Selce, though we highly recommend you take turnoff  A  . The village of Veleševec is so picturesque and soothing with Savišće Lake, its ducks, geese, grey herons, wooden rowboats, fishermen and the grand and lovely Church of St. Peter the Apostle, that it would truly be a shame to be so close and not visit. This is one of the most idyllic spots on the route, if not the most romantic. Local legend has it that once long ago, the Sava River so overflowed its banks that the entire area was under water for a long time, and when the water finally subsided, this is the only place the water remained, forming the somewhat irregular but lovely lake that the locals called Savišće. In the nearby Veleševec shops or taverns, you can renew your reserves and head further along the blue route to the left on the road at point  8  on the gravel road. The straight, gravel road takes you 3 km, and when you pass by the remainder of the embankment of the Sava-Odra Channel, you will already be able to see the hunting lodge next to the river and the wooden, oak bridge, popularly called the Selečki bridge on the Odra River. Stop on the bridge, get off your bike and walk along the bank of the Odra River, paying attention to the wooden construction of this lovely bridge. This is the entry into the forest of Turopoljski lug, a vast oak forest. After the bridge, ride straight along the gravel road. This part of the road is particularly lovely in the late afternoon, for the play of sun rays passing through the crowns of the oak trees is an unforgettable experience.

In about 800 m, you will arrive at the intersection 9 with the wooden crucifix on the left hand side. Here turn right at the next straight gravel road and continue to ride 4 km through the dense oak forest in the direction of the village Kuče and the paved road. Now that you are already here, it would be a shame not to make a brief visit to the most significant monument of the Turopolje forest and its beauty. This is the wooden arch known as the Vrata od krča (Door to the clearing). To get here, turn left at this intersection and head in the opposite direction of the route, through the forest another 4 km towards the southeast. We propose this turnoff only for fit bicyclists, as this lengthens the route by 8 to 10 kilometres. For those continuing right at the intersection at point  9  here begins a pleasant, relaxing ride through the dense oak forests where you can hear the calls of numerous bird species. On the paved road, you will pass by KPD Turopolje, a juvenile delinquent facility. Continue riding straight through the forest on the paved road. At the 31.7 km mark of the route, there is a gravel road heading into the forest to Lugarnica (Forestry Lodge) Čardak, where the native species of Turopolje pig is bred and the popular Žirovina (Acorn) Festival is held. If you continue along the road, after 2 km you will reach the intersection with point 10 at the channel embankment. Here turn right across the wooden bridge across the Sava-Odra Channel and enter straight into the Kuče village. Head along the road to the left to return back to Vukovina, where you began this lovely, circular route. We hope that you have enjoyed the beauties of the Posavina area, the Sava and Odra Rivers and the great Turopoljski Lug forest, and we invite you to take another route through this interesting region.

Technical description of the route

Cultural-historical, ethnology and natural points of interest:

Service information

Authors: Lidija Mišćin and Robert Rigo
Published: October 2005.

If you notice any changes on route, which are not introduce in route description, please inform us about changes on email: rigo@pedala.hr