Trail Lynx - A New Era Begins

After several years of posting to Ambles & Rambles, during which time I’ve logged dozens of trips, hundreds of walks, a handful of gear reviews and a sprinkling of other walking-related issues, I’ve decided the time has come to make a few changes.

Hiking in Poland

To be honest, since the design and format has barely changed since I started the blog back in 2010, it’s probably time for a refresh, so I’m planning to give it a bit of a makeover when I get the time.

So, first of all I’d like to say a big “thank you” to everyone who has read, commented or otherwise contributed to the blog so far – although I do it primarily as a record for myself, it’s always nice to get comments, especially if in some small way the posts have been of help or encouragement to others.

Kom Vasojevicki, Montenegro

But the big news for me is the launch of Trail Lynx a new site aimed at promoting travel and hiking in the Balkans and Eastern Europe. From now on, all trip reports, travel tips and news items relating to the region will appear there, with the aim that it will information and inspiration and eventually build into a useful resource for those interested in exploring this wonderful part of the world. 

Southern Bucovina, Romania

To get the ball rolling, the report for our recent long weekend in Poland has been published there, and I hope that you’ll take the opportunity to visit the new site and maybe choose to follow it.

Polish Perfection

Any thoughts or feedback would be most welcome, and I look forward to meeting up with some of you over there.

In the meantime, Ambles & Rambles will continue to be the home for news and reports from the UK, other parts of Europe and elsewhere.

Peaks Of The Balkans: Albania, Montenegro & Kosovo - Day 13

Day 13 – Prizren & Transfer to Tejza

Today was mainly given over to sightseeing and the transfer back into Albania. As hinted at yesterday, Prizren is a city of some interest, so it was worth a look round at some of the main sights.

Having had a long history and a position of major geopolitical importance in the region, Prizren has over the years been under the control of the Albanians, the Romans, the Slavs, Byzantium, the Ottomans, the Serbs and Austria-Hungary before becoming integrated into Yugoslavia, as well as being subject to a number of other “occupations”. It’s a complex history – far too complex to go into here – but one which has left many places of interest for the visitor.

View over Prizren from the fortress

Missy G at the fortress

Our first objective was the fortress, a dominating structure perched on a rocky bluff high above the town. Although in disrepair at present, it provides a “birds-eye” view of the town and some of the more imposing buildings.

League of Prizren building, bottom right

Next was the League of Prizren Museum, with exhibits relating to the League and the organization founded in June 1878 where local leaders came together to agree to maintain the territorial integrity of Albania as part of the Ottoman Empire, and resist the advances of Bulgaria and Serbia. There were also examples of local art and traditional dress in the Ethnographic Museum.

Finally we looked inside two Mosques (one Sunni and one Shi’ite) – which was interesting, and unexpected given that it was Ramadan.

Decorated walls inside the Mosque

Chandelier

Looking up inside the ceiling dome

Decoration round the windows

After lunch at a riverside café, we loaded our stuff into the van and set off back into Albania via the “patriotic highway” – the new dual carriageway that eventually will connect Pristina and Tirana. The border checkpoint safely negotiated, our next port of call was at Kukes to pick up Gent (who was our guide in southern Albania, and who organized the ground arrangements for this trip) and his wife Laura, plus mountain hound Vicki, who were accompanying us on the last section of the trip.

It was good to meet again, and we did some serious catching up as we made our way southwards towards the small village of Tejza at the foot of Mount Korab.

Korab is the highest peak in Albania. It is also the highest point in Macedonia as well, as the border between the two countries runs over the summit. The plan was to climb it tomorrow as a finale to the trip, before returning to Tirana for a farewell dinner.

View of Mount Korab from the road, summit in cloud

Our arrival at the guesthouse in Tejza was expected, just not when we turned up. So we retired to a nearby bar for a drink while everything was sorted. Again, the accommodation was simple but tidy: dinner was served at a traditional low table, and we sat on the floor to eat cushioned by fleeces. Once the meal was over, the table was rolled away and bedding brought in so we could make ourselves comfortable for bed. Tomorrow was to be a very early start, so a good night’s sleep was essential.

Peaks Of The Balkans: Albania, Montenegro & Kosovo - Day 12

Day 12 – The Three Borders & Into Kosovo

6.20 miles / Total Ascent 653m / Total Descent 841m

We awoke to a bright, crisp morning. Despite some slight discomfort, the beautiful views and quiet serenity of the place more than compensated for a somewhat chilly, sleepless night.

Morning view from the camping barn

We breakfasted, said our goodbyes, and turned our attentions to the first of today’s objectives, the Tre Kujfit (or Three Borders) where the borders of Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo meet. As befits a point of such geographic interest, it is located on the top of a nearby summit – somehow its impact would seem diminished if it were simply a point in some non-descript field.

Looking back over Doberdol

Of course summits are great for views, but you have to get there first. In this case, that meant a fearsome 350m slog up the steep valley side – a rather rude awakening to the day.

Bigger mountains above Cerem

The mules made a far better pace that we mere humans (four legs good, two legs bad), but we eventually made the ridge where we paused to get our breath back. Then it was a case of picking up a contour path round the mountainside to reach the rear of the summit and the final steady ascent to the top.

Three Borders summit, 2232m

Although not huge by local standards, the summit stands clear of other, nearby peaks, and tops out at just over 2230m. Needless to say, there were some excellent views to be had into all three countries, and we spent some time soaking them up, taking photos and commenting in the mountain log book. We could see the route of the previous day, across the nearby hills to the jagged summits beyond, and the hamlet of Babino Polje, where we had stopped during last year’s Montenegro trip, was but a few hours hike away.

Since leaving Vusanje a week-or-so ago, we had been following the route of the Peaks of the Balkan trail pretty accurately. OK, so two of the days (Nderlysa and to Pyramid 18) were side trips, but other than that we had followed the route as set out – from Vusanje, over the Peja Pass to Thethi, over the Valbona pass to Rrogram, through Cerem to Doberdol and to the Three Borders summit.

Descending into Kosovo

Now, though, as we descended from the summit, we left the Peaks of the Balkans route behind and struck off on a different path into Kosovo. We crossed some boggy moor land, dotted with orchids and alive with frogs, descended through woods, took a wrong turning, found the route again, and finally picked up the car road at a scruffy mountain village whose name we never got to know.

Orchid #1

Orchid #2

Village, name unknown

Continuing down, we reached the valley bottom – the end of this section of the journey. We met our driver, said goodbye to Lumi and the mules, and ate our lunch in slightly subdued mood.

Valley bottom, transport waiting

Then we were heading into civilization once more. A bumpy half-hour drive brought us to the monastery at Decan, the largest Serbian Orthodox Christian church in the Balkans, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Noted for the beautiful and well-preserved frescoes, the origin of the monastery dates back to the 14^th Century, the frescoes were added from the 15^th Century and have remained largely intact despite being plundered by the Turks in the late 17^th Century.

Decan Monastery

We had a look round the monastery, and it is indeed impressive. Sadly photography inside is not allowed, so I only have a picture of the exterior. However it is really beautiful inside, and well worth a visit. However, it is still under threat: as a Christian Serbian church inside predominantly Muslim Kosovo, its presence here is unwelcome.

For the sake of brevity and prudence, I’ll skip over the history behind the troubles and the recent war between Serbia and Kosovo: suffice it to say that there is a climate of strained relations between the two countries that will take some time to repair. So much so that the monastery has been targeted during the recent conflict (with attacks by suspected Kosovo Albanian insurgents as recently as 2007, I gather) and currently remains under the protection of KFOR, the international peacekeeping force in Kosovo.

Seen from our hotel window, KFOR Land Rover in Prizren

After visiting the monastery, it was time to transfer to Prizren. We arrived mid-afternoon, with time to rest and explore the town centre for ourselves. We had a potter round the streets, and treated ourselves to an ice cream before going back to the hotel for a rest and a shower before dinner. We opted for a local restaurant, and had kebab, chips, bread, dips, and salads, all washed down with excellent Peja beer!

One interesting point of note: Prizren is a predominantly muslim city, and we were there during Ramadan. As night fell, the restaurant got very busy, with people ordering and receiving food, only to wait until last prayers were complete before tucking in.

Afterwards, we went for another short stroll. The city really came alive after dark, and for a mid-week night it was really buzzing.

Peaks Of The Balkans: Albania, Montenegro & Kosovo - Day 5

Day 5 - Crossing Into Montenegro

2.50 miles / Total Ascent 100m / Total Descent 100m

Today was primarily a transfer day, crossing the road border between Vermosh (Albania) and Gusinje (Montenegro). This involved two checkpoints, 50-odd metres of no-man's-land, passports (which were stamped) and a certain quantity of time. 

The day got off to a slightly inauspicious start. Firstly, it was raining, and whilst not particularly heavy, it had the look of being set in for the day. Secondly, we were running slightly behind time because a) Endrit hadn't been able to make contact with our pre-arranged transport (who was apparently away in Kosovo, anyway!), b) the revised option organised the previous night simply didn't materialise, and c) further transport possibilities for six people and all their luggage at short notice in a remote northern Albanian valley were, for some unknown reason, scarce.

Gloomy weather in the Grbaje valley

However, as is the way of things, Endrit got it all sorted, and by 10.00am were heading east towards the border on a road of variable quality. Crossing safely negotiated, we passed through Gusinje and headed into the Grbaja valley, where we went for a short walk: nothing too exciting as we had time to make up, but with intermittent views through the trees and sightings of a large Owl and a Greater Spotted Woodpecker to boost our mood, it helped combat the lethargy of a slow morning.

Heading back into Gusinje, we then took the road out to the Ali Pasha Springs, where we had a large lunch (Goulash) and a short walk round.

Ali Pasha Springs (after John Constable)

Next, we passed through Gusinje again, stopping briefly so that Endrit and Tony could pick up a cab. Motoring regulations are more strict in Montenegro than Albania: apparently seven people and copious luggage crammed into one vehicle is an offence. Can't think why?

Anyway, we then made the 30 minute transfer to Plav and our lakeside hotel at the Komnenovo Ethno Village. We arrived mid-afternoon, giving plenty of time for R&R. Reviews of this hotel had been mixed, but we found it to be nice in a timber-hunting-lodge kind of way, with huge, comfortable rooms (one all to ourselves!) and all mod cons - quite luxurious, by recent standards.  

Hotel Komnenovo (Ethno Villege, Plav)

This evening, we had planned to meet up with Dimitrije (our friend and guide from last year's Montenegro & Kosovo trip). As communication in remote northern Albania is sporadic, we hadn't been able to get a message through, and were not sure if he could make it. However, come the appointed time, a familiar red car arrived at the hotel, with not only Dimitrije inside, but wife Tijana and baby daughter as well! We found a quiet restaurant in the centre of Plav, and had a really good catch up.

All to soon, it was time to go our separate ways: Dimitrije and family back to Bijelo Polje, and us to dinner - chicken, a Serbian salad (green salad with green chillis in) and the traditional Montenegrin dish of kacarmac. Delicious!

After an easy, lazy day today, it's back to trekking with a vengeance tomorrow, so an early night was had by all.

Peaks Of The Balkans: Albania, Montenegro & Kosovo - Day 1

Day 1 - Arrival

It has to be said: the start of a new hiking trip is always an exciting time. Anticipation is high, and no matter how well or how long one has prepared for the trip, the rush to change from work mode to holiday mode can be tricky transition. Tiredness from the often ridiculously early morning transfer to the airport, coupled with any last minute packing crises, also means that a smooth journey is a real boon.

And so it proved to be, as we arrived into Tirana airport on time (about 10.45am local time) and met the rest of our group: guide Endrit, Tony who we met before in southern Albania last year, Matt from the Walks Worldwide office (but who was here on holiday, not for work) and Rebecca from Australia via The Hague.  

Rozafa Castle

It was quite warm - around 27 degrees outside - so, after brief intoductions, we settled in somewhat sleepily for the 90 minute transfer to Shkodra. On arrival, we had a relaxed lunch at a riverside restaurant beside river Drin (me Trout, Missy G vegetable Risotto) before a tour of Rozafa Castle, an imposing fortress perched on a rocky bluff near the confluence of the Drin and Bojana rivers.

Confluence of the rivers Drin and Bojana

Shkodra is the principal city of northern Albania, with a population of around 100,000. It is one of the oldest and most historic places in the region, dating back to Illyrian times (3rd Century BC). In 168 AD, the town was captured by the Romans, and became part of Dalmatia (and eventually Dacia). More recently, in the 15th Century the area was secured as an Ottoman territory: with access to the Adriatic coast as well as inland to other major cities (such as the other major Ottoman city in the region, Prizren) it also has a great geostrategic importance as well. 

The early 20th Century saw further changes/occupation as a result of the first and second Balkan Wars and the shakedown following World War 1 when the whole Balkan region was divided up and divvied out by the then major European powers - a notoriously complex and unsatisfactory state of affairs that has led to trouble and conflict ever since.

Looking over Shkodra to the mountains

 

Rozafa Castle was originally built as an Illyrian stronghold, strategically situated at this influential location. Captured by the Romans, it has since also passed through Byzantine, Serbian, Venetian, Ottoman and Montenegrin control.

There is a legend associated with the castle, about the initiative of the three brothers who set about building it. They worked all day, but the walls fell down at night. They met a clever old man who advised them to sacrifice someone so that the walls would stand. The three brothers found it difficult to decide whom to choose: finally, they decided to sacrifice one of their wives - the one who would bring lunch to them the next day - and they agreed that whichever of their wives did so would be buried in the wall of the castle. They also promised not to tell their wives of this: however, the two older brothers explained the situation to their wives that night, while the honest youngest brother said nothing.

The following afternoon, the brothers waited anxiously to see which wife was carrying the basket of food. It was Rosafa, the wife of the youngest brother. He explained to her the agreement that they had made, namely that she was to be sacrificed and buried in the wall of the castle so that they could finish building it. 

She did not protest, but accepted to be walled in on condition that they leave her right breast exposed to feed her newborn son, her right eye to see him, her right hand to caress him and her right foot to rock his cradle. It is said that milk still flows from one of the walls in the castle.

Central mosque: we had dinner near here

We checked in at the hotel, then the rest of the afternoon was free time to rest, wash, and walk out into town. In the evening, we walked into main pedestrianised centre of the town, and ate dinner on a balcony restaurant near the central mosque: salad, grilled vegetables, a spicy vegetable and sausage casserole, melted cheese fondue, beef steak, and masses of it. Lovely!