Member Since: 29 May 2018
Location: England
Posts: 8
Road trip to Croatia
Evening All,
Great forum, here goes for my first post.
Just got back from a trip to Croatia, the D3's first proper run out of the Westcountry, I wanted to take the 30 yr old 110 CSW but wasn't allowed (probably a good shout).
Set off with an IID tool, my toolbag, the original 2003 satnav disc, a road atlas and some trepidation after reading about peoples experiences with blown engines, crankshafts etc but luckily none were needed.
We drove from the tunnel across France, Belgium (took a wrong fork on the Brussels ringroad and went through the centre at 0830, not good) and Holland into Germany, stopping over in the tent (Khyam Explorer) on a campsite near Wurzburg. Great site and lovely people (luckily I'd spent a couple of weeks trying to learn basic German to not look too ignorant, as the lady at reception didn't speak a word of English). Best thing were no British number plates in sight.
Aiming to leave at 0800 we finally got off at 1030 and soon hit the roadworks and jams around Munich airport which added a couple of hours.
Finally hit the Karawanken Tunnel about 1900 and on driving into Slovenia, Sally Satnav thought we'd driven off the end of the world, although she was useless most of the time anyway.
Did a bit of sightseeing whilst in Croatia (and got spotted in Pula) with no issues.
Set off last Thursday morning and sat for nearly 2 hours to get over the Slovenian border, which put us behind to get to Lake Maggiore, meaning we couldn't stop for lunch at Lake Garda. Hit a massive thunderstorm around Milan, with trees coming down, one just as I pulled in a petrol station for diesel. Another nice site at the lake but pitches were a bit close together.
Set off the following morning (late again, kids) for Chamonix via the Simplonpass.
Fantastic trip until the last mountain at Martigny. On the first set of hairpins on the way down, I experienced my first ever brake fade . I soon learnt all about cadence braking and upset all the cars and lorries behind me (and gave SWMBO whiplash ). V8 brakes for me I reckon...
Set off late again the following day heading to Luxembourg City, after going up Mont Blanc with 2 of the kids, SWMBO and the others were scared of the cable car up to the Aiguille du Midi. Went a longer route to save the brakes, going up the east coast of Lake Geneva. Got to the site late so had a beer and slept.
Sunday morning managed to leave about 1000 and was gutted I arrived in Belgium before I realized I hadn't fuelled up with cheap Luxembourg diesel . Did well until we hit Charleroi where it was down to one lane for about 2 hours (no work being done obviously).
Finally got to Ypres at 1530 as I wanted to show the kids the Menin Gate to try and explain to them it's significance. Very humbling.
Back on UK soil at 2000 and asked SWMBO the most important question I'd being waiting 2 weeks to ask = Would you do it again ? The reply...YES
I'll put the campsites I stayed on and a bit of info on them on a different post.
Cheers
CroftyD3 -Java Black
110 CSW -Marine Blue
15th Aug 2018 9:21 pm
galwaygreen
Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: plymouth
Posts: 6525
welcome and thanks for sharing
15th Aug 2018 9:29 pm
Woolmeister
Member Since: 26 Mar 2007
Location: Chandler's Ford
Posts: 3457
Looks like an amazing trip, Crofty.
That certainly looks like the D3 I saw in Pula but I think you had removed the bike rack off the back when I saw you? Apologies for getting the colour of your car wrong; it looked like Buck Blue from where I was but it could have been the "Adriatic Effect" on your black paintwork.
The D3 I saw had a rear ladder and roof rack of some sort.
You should definitely have filled-up with diesel in Lux (I work there and know how cheap diesel is)!
Cheers,
Steve2021 BMW iX3 Premier Edition in Carbon Black ⚡️🔌
2019 Škoda Kodiaq 2.0 Tdi 190 DSG Sportline in Quartz Grey. Excellent vehicle. Gone.
2017 Discovery Sport HSE Auto in Carpathian Grey and Ebony Leather. Modern JLR Junk. Gone.
2007 Discovery 3 TDV6 S Manual in Zermatt Silver with Ebony Cloth (143k) Gone, but now patrolling the Asia section of the West Midlands Safari Park!
16th Aug 2018 9:53 am
Brian_DL13
Member Since: 25 Aug 2013
Location: Teesdale
Posts: 1418
Quote:
We drove from the tunnel across France, Belgium (took a wrong fork on the Brussels ringroad and went through the centre at 0830, not good)
Brussels ring road is worse than the M25 IMO and to be avoided.
16th Aug 2018 10:32 am
Croftyd
Member Since: 29 May 2018
Location: England
Posts: 8
Thanks for the replies guys.
Nice post on the link Steve.
SWMBO wants to go back to Germany/Austria as it was so nice (and the people) but I'll give the Brussels ring road a miss...
CroftyD3 -Java Black
110 CSW -Marine Blue
16th Aug 2018 6:05 pm
Iguana
Member Since: 14 Oct 2013
Location: 'Sunny' Zomerset
Posts: 9402
Cracking trip and welcome Iggy/Ieuan
Current LR =
2015 RR Sport Autobiography
&
1992 Land Rover Defender Camper
- Gone but not forgotten:
MY10 D4 GS
MY05 Disco 3 'S'
MY14 FL2 HSE manual in Blue
MY15 Disco 4 HSE Lux in Santorini Black
MY08 Disco 3 SE manual in Buck Blue
1960 Series 2 88" (No idea why I sold it!)
16th Aug 2018 7:29 pm
Dusty
Member Since: 23 Sep 2013
Location: London
Posts: 1022
That Slovenian border crossing is a nightmare. We’ve done Croatia a few times and always time it so we get to the border early to avoid the que.
Glad you enjoyed it and Croatia is a beautiful country.Discovery 4 HSE
SDV6
2015
16th Aug 2018 10:07 pm
Buckster
Member Since: 04 May 2015
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 600
Fantastic trip 8)2003 BMW M5- 5 Litres of V8 Optimax Slurping Goodness in Carbon Black
2013 RRS SDV6 HSE Black Edition- Orkney Grey with Ebony & Ivory. LR Facelift RAI, Genuine G4 Expo Rack, 4x Warn Spotlights, Warn 9.5 XPS Winch, Mantec Underbody Protection, Full Easylift Suspension, LightForce HTX 230 Spot Lights, LR Light Guards, 18” Compomotive PD1881 on 265/65/18 BF Goodrich KO2, Brembos Calipers, ARB Fridge, Tuff trek awning.
Visiting from the RR Sport forum:
16th Aug 2018 10:23 pm
professorpool
Member Since: 19 Mar 2012
Location: Woking
Posts: 3213
The route through Austria, Slovenia and into Croatia is breathtaking to say the least. I've done the trip four times myself. Best way to avoid the traffic is to time your journey so that you arrive at the German border around 10pm thus the bulk of the journey is at high motorway cruising speeds on empty roads.
Great pics and enjoy your disco! D3 07 SE - still going strong
D3 07 HSE - gone to car heaven
FL1 - gone to Romania
D3 05 HSE - gone to a divorce diet
D1 V8 manual - gone but not forgotten
RR Classic - gone to car heaven
Jeeps, Lexus, X-trails... Too many to name..
21st Aug 2018 8:50 am
Croftyd
Member Since: 29 May 2018
Location: England
Posts: 8
Cheers Guys,
Started to drop a few hints now that it might be really good to go to Odessa or Kaliningrad next year, now we know the D3's capabilities...
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Tunnel about 1900 and on driving into Slovenia, Sally Satnav thought we'd driven off the end of the world, although she was useless most of the time anyway.
. I soon learnt all about cadence braking and upset all the cars and lorries behind me (and gave SWMBO whiplash 
). V8 brakes for me I reckon...
. Did well until we hit Charleroi where it was down to one lane for about 2 hours (no work being done obviously).
