Anyone who rides to Kronstadt today does it along one of the strangest roads in Europe, a long causeway that crosses the Gulf of Finland on top of a flood barrier. The barrier was built to protect Saint Petersburg from storm surges, which have flooded the city many times since its founding, and the road runs along its top. On either side the water is open, grey and wide, with the cranes of the port and the low grey shapes of ships on the horizon. There is little to hold the wind, and a rider will feel every gust.
The highway lands on Kotlin Island, where the old naval town of Kronstadt sits at the eastern end. The road passes through flat land of scrub, old earthworks and battered brick, and on towards the town through a landscape that is more fortress than farm. The tarmac is mixed, with smooth stretches and rough, and traffic is light except at the start and end of the working day, when trucks and commuters fill the lanes.
The town has more than forty thousand people and offers fuel, shops and cafes in good supply. It was founded by Peter the Great as the base for his new Baltic fleet, and its buildings, canals and docks are among the best examples of imperial naval architecture in Russia. The great cathedral, with its huge dome, was built for the sailors and later used for other purposes, and has been restored in recent years.
Ride out in summer if you can. The evenings are long and the light on the water is strong, and the island is pleasant for a stroll. Autumn is wet and windy, and in winter the road can be treacherous with ice and snow. Fog can close in quickly, and visibility on the barrier may fall to a few hundred metres.
Check the weather and the traffic before you go, and keep a close eye on your fuel, since there are few places to stop on the barrier itself.