Tuesday 24th September
– Kuç to Kudhës, then to Qeparo
Total Distance: 12.20 miles /
Total Ascent: 665m / Total Descent: 890m
Altitude Max (1) 607m / Altitude
Min (1) 164m
Altitude Max (2) 199m / Altitude
Min (2) 6m
Another early start found us loading bags in to the jeep
at 6.45 in the morning before a walk down the hill to the restaurant for what
turned out to be quite a leisurely breakfast – a now-typical spread consisting
of boiled eggs, cheeses, bread and honey, yoghurt and milk, çaj and Turkish
coffee.
Early morning on the terrace |
No raki for me today, although some of the locals were
already knocking it back like there was no tomorrow. Judging by how some of
them were going at it, there might even be no today, either. Still, I’m sure
they can take it, having most likely been weaned on the stuff. And, if they run
out, they can always resort to water to quench their thirst (there is
absolutely no chance of this, by the way).
Glorious: the hills above Kuç |
Our route today was to follow the
valley for a few kilometers before climbing through a gap between the hills to
reach the coast near Qeparo. Gramoz – businessman, property owner and local man
of influence – donned another hat this morning: that of guide. And, if that
were not already enough, he could add “hunter” to his list of skills as well,
as he and a friend were going in search of Wild Boar on the way back.
All of which necessitated this man
of many parts carrying a rifle with him!
Our guides for the day |
Anyway, with gun slung over one
shoulder, knapsack over the other, cartridges strung around the belt of his
combat trousers and dogs at his side, he definitely cut an “Action Man” type
figure. In what I trust was gentle humour, some of the girls dubbed him “Rambo”
– a not inappropriate moniker under the circumstances.
Setting off beside the river |
There may have been a hint of
chill about the morning, but otherwise it was set to be a beautiful day. We left
the village on a riverside path with superb views of the nearby hills rendered
in sharp relief by the clear morning light and blue, cloudless skies.
Blue sky thinking |
Before
long we curved away from the river to walk beside a dry streambed. There were
lots of these, we found – completely dry now, but that must be raging torrents
at other times of year judging by their size, frequency and the number of
smoothly rounded boulders littering the channels.
Leaving the valley, with the hills beckoning |
A sudden, steep climb on a rocky
zig-zag path lifted us out of the valley and into the hills once more. By now
the day was beginning to warm up nicely, but there was still plenty of sunshine
and a sharp clarity to the air that made for great views – almost perfect
trekking weather.
Perfect trekking weather |
The Shushica valley is only a few
miles from the Ionian Sea, but separated from it by a narrow line of mountains
rising in places to over 2000m. The cleft through which we were now walking
represents one of the few routes to the coast that doesn’t require a lengthy
detour. The undulating path we were on made for relatively easy going and
common consent had this as one of the best walks of the week, despite its lower
altitude and less mountainous character.
Great views |
I say relatively easy, because the
paths were still quite rocky and loose, and required vigilance on almost every
step to avoid rolling an ankle. They were also often fringed or blocked by
vegetation, all of which seems to be tough, woody and sharp or thorny, spiky
and sharp – two days of hiking in these hills and my arms and legs looked like
I’d gone twelve rounds in the ring with Edward Scissorhands.
Scratch handicap |
As the morning progressed, we
passed a couple of springs and made a stop at each one – one for drinks, the
other for lunch – before reaching a col where a tumbledown house marked the
boundary between the villages of Kuç and Kudhës.
Gramoz: restauranteur, businessman, guide, hunter and all round good egg |
A little welcome shade |
Between Kuç and Kudhës |
Location, location: in need of modernisation |
From here, we could clearly see
the coast, and – a few miles offshore – the bulky presence of a large island:
Corfu. That may come as a surprise to some: nevertheless it’s true, with the
gap between them as little as two miles at the closest point they are very
close neighbours.
Looking towards the coast: the faint smudge in the distance at the centre of the picture is Corfu |
After WWII, when Albania became a communist state led by
Enver Hoxha, disaffected Albanians sometimes tried to swim to Corfu (and hence
Greece) as a means of escape. Even if it were possible to swim that far,
however, it was an escape fraught with danger – not least because anyone caught
trying was liable to be shot in the water.
A gentle descent brought us to the village of Kudhës at about 2.00pm. We walked down through the village, passing olive groves and fruit trees on the way, until we met up with the jeeps ready for the short transfer to Qeparo.
Kudhës: anyone seen a couple of dogs? |
Gent had temporarily lost track of the
whereabouts of Piotr and Vikki, and we spent a few minutes calling them to no
avail. Where could they be? He decided in the end to complete the transfer then
come back to look for them, only to find them waiting calmly by the side of the
road a couple of miles down the track. Thinking we were all on board, they must
have run after the first jeep …
Reasons to be smug #1: heading for our hotel |
Our hotel in Qeparo was a
beachfront affair, with little apartment-style rooms complete with kitchenette.
A quick drop off of our stuff, and we were back out again for a swim in the
beautiful, clear water. Not as far as Corfu, though – we definitely weren’t
trying to escape.
Corfu as the sun sets from Old Qeparo |
An optional late afternoon stroll
to the deserted village of Old Qeparo was planned to coincide with the sunset.
Half a dozen of us set off, but we’d slightly misjudged the time. So, rather
than rush and get all hot and bothered just before dinner, we opted for a
gentle stroll back down as the sun set behind the headland.
Sunset from near Old Qeparo |
Dinner was served at a nearby
beachfront restaurant. All the usual salads were in evidence, along with soup,
potatoes, spinach, grilled vegetables, shrimp and octopus – the food just kept
coming, and with only a packed lunch today we were more of a mind to oblige.
It was a great way to end a great day. Even a
couple of power cuts and a singalong by the German group on the adjacent table
couldn’t put a dampener on things, although trying to eat octopus in pitch
darkness is a slightly peculiar sensation. Not as disconcerting as an amateur
rendition of “Knocking On Heaven’s Door” though. Now that really does take some
digesting.
I'm not jealous of your holidays Jules. Nope. I'n not, I really am not.... Well... Maybe just a little bit. Glorious weather and beautiful countryside. Absolutely brilliant.
ReplyDeleteIt looks beautiful, very Mediterranean in appearance. I have always wanted to go to Albania, there is something exotic about it to me. I am glad to see the reality lives up to my imaginings....enjoy the rest of your trip!
ReplyDeleteJust catching up. Not jealous. No. Never!
ReplyDeleteHi all, and thanks for your comments.
ReplyDeleteSorry I've not replied to comments sooner, but I've had a few computer problems over the last week (mainly through not having one) so I've not been able to reply to comments or add the remaining days yet.
Hopefully, that's now a thing of the past!
The accounts and the stunning photos are enough to boost Albanian tourism 100%
ReplyDeleteMiriam