In the shallow, grey waters of the Gulf of Finland, a chain of fortified islands guards the sea approach to Saint Petersburg. Peter the Great founded the naval base of Kronstadt on Kotlin Island in 1703, and over the following two centuries forts were built on artificial islets and reefs to the north and south, to form a defensive screen. In many cases the forts are military or ruined, and visits require permission.
Kronstadt itself is a fascinating place. The town, with its straight streets, canals and white-and-gold cathedral built for the navy, was the base of the Russian Baltic Fleet, and in 1921 its sailors rose in rebellion against the Bolsheviks, a revolt crushed by troops crossing the ice. In recent years a dam, completed in 2011 to protect Saint Petersburg from storm surges, has linked Kotlin Island to both shores of the gulf, and a highway runs along the top of it, so you can ride onto the island for the first time without a boat.
The riding is an odd mix. The dam road is a long, straight, modern highway with sea on both sides, and it can be very windy, with spray in rough weather. Elsewhere in the area, roads are flat, with port traffic and heavy lorries, and on Kronstadt itself the streets are quiet and cobbled in places. Summer evenings, with the sun low over the gulf, are lovely, and the white nights of June bring a pale, glowing sky until after midnight. Fog and storms can close the dam.
Kronstadt has fuel and shops, and the main street has cafés and a market, so plan to refuel there or on the mainland. Local food is simple, with fish, soups and pastries. Keep to public areas, avoid photographing military installations, and carry your passport, because security is taken seriously in this region.