Miles of hiking are sweetened with interesting and luxurious hotels in Croatia

I AM perched atop Croatia’s Mount Ucka, feeling pretty pleased with myself.

I had already enjoyed a week of fantastic walking through beautiful countryside.

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And now I had done the final day’s yomp, climbing to the 4,596ft summit through woods with astonishing glimpses of the far-away sea.
The view of the Istrian peninsula was staggering. I could see Croatia from coast to coast and in the distance I could have spotted Switzerland had I known which way to look.

The climb was hard but not too hard. That is the trick with this sort of break — the miles of hiking sweetened with interesting and often luxurious hotels.

Few Brits see this side of Croatia and I hardly heard an English accent all week.

I went with Headwater, the walking and cycling holiday specialist. It sorts out the flights and gets your luggage moved from one hotel to the next, so all you need is a light rucksack for essentials such as sun cream and water.

It also supplies maps and detailed descriptions of each walk. But once out of the hotel, you are on your own.

I flew in to the very quiet Pula Airport to be met by an English-speaking taxi driver, who immediately got on his phone to make sure the hotel kept its kitchen open for my evening meal. Hotel Kastel in Motovun was extremely comfortable. In the morning, the full drama of the countryside was revealed.

Motovun is an amazing medieval fortified village on top of a steep rocky outcrop.

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Starting the day by strolling downhill was good — although later, after walking nearly 16 miles, the uphill path to the hotel proved a challenge. The first day took me through beautiful vineyards, apple orchards, wild flower meadows and deserted villages along a wide valley.

The walk notes I was given picked out the best places to stop for my daily picnic, supplied by the hotel.

There were no shops or cafes, adding to the sense of adventure.

Day two took me on what turned out to be my favourite walk, along the course of an old railway, rising past cute villages and hunting hides before scrambling to a high ridge leading to the artists’ village of Groznjan.

I needed a torch for this walk, as the rail path goes through a long, dark tunnel.

The views from Groznjan were breathtaking — on a clear day you can see Venice — but the local beer in a café en route proved even more welcoming. The 16 miles flew by, though I wasn’t at all fit before setting out.

It was then time to move base, to the Vela Vrata hotel in Buzet, another hilltop village wonder.

And my timing was spot-on. I arrived for the town’s motor-racing carnival, with parades, screaming engines and all-night drinking. Now that was fun.

The walks from Buzet were lovely and slightly less demanding, along an impressive limestone ridge.

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I did my own thing here, getting a cab to Hum, which claims to be the world’s smallest town.

It’s certainly small and when I got there it seemed to be shut. But the countryside was amazing and the trek back along a river exhilarating.

The final hotel would be the base for climbing Mount Ucka and this one was on the coast — the beautiful Sveti Jakov at Opatija.

Swimming from the rocky coast here was just what I needed after my mountain exertions.

Opatija was more refined than my previous two stopovers and provided a relaxing end to the holiday, with a stroll of just four miles along the coast. This is the undiscovered Croatia.

The people are wonderfully friendly, the food is excellent and the hilltop villages out of this world. All that — and the walking might just have done me some good!

Go: Croatia

GETTING/STAYING THERE: A seven-night trip to Croatia with moderate walking from hotel to hotel is from £1,019pp (tour only) or £1,289pp including Thomson Gatwick flights and transfers. Available May 3 to September 20. Includes seven nights’ B&B in 3H to 5H hotels, five picnic lunches, two evening meals, maps, notes and 24/7 support.

To book, see or call 01606 822675.