Hiking in the Balkans – Day 5
Sunrise – yes, the sun!
Having got up in the night to starry skies I was glad to see the fog had gone and we were treated to an amazing sunrise and expansive views of Kosovo in the morning. Our campsite choice was perfect.
I’m not going to apologise for the many photos taken here – it was simply the ideal location. The tents looked stunning in the golden hues of the morning sun, a sight we had sorely missed in the mist and fog of the past few days!
It was quiet here below the ridgeline with barely a ripple on the surface of the lake. Morgan found a tiny newt in the lake I couldn’t resist a dad joke about it being a ‘minewt’!
Ridge Top Traverse
After breakfast, we dried the tents completely and set off up the hill behind us, then along an incredible ridge. To our right were cliffs in Kosovo, and to our left, an enormous, steep 800 m slope down to Dobërdol in Albania. Montenegro lay ahead along the ridge. The views were vertigo-inducing, and a breeze along the top kept us moving; we didn’t linger too long but stopped briefly to take it all in. I was relieved to hear that Morgan found it a little scary up there too! It was perfectly safe but definitely got the adrenaline pumping.
Out to the SW we could finally see the stark limestone peaks of the Prokletije Mountains that we had walked through on Days 1 and 2. They looked impressive from here so would no doubt have been spectacular up close.
It was a glorious day as we summited Maja Bogicaj (2,406 m) and a couple of smaller peaks, then made our way along the ridge to Tromeda (2,366 m) and the three-border point between Kosovo, Albania, and Montenegro.
Back into Montenegro
Here, we faced a choice: we could turn right and rejoin the official Peaks of the Balkans Trail, which would lead us along a broad ridge between Kosovo and Montenegro and then drop into the village of Babino Polje. We could see the village in the valley below, along with a clear path bustling with people, including large groups. We had quite enjoyed forging our own path on less-traveled routes.
So, we descended down to this busy trail passing a group climbing up as we did. We then met a girl from Portugal along with a guy from the UK. We had a quick chat with them but then turned left off the Peaks of the Balkans trail and continued essentially north along the ridge that marked the Albania-Montenegro border. We picked off a couple more summits along the way and had the path to ourselves. The views along here were stunning with the vibrant autumnal colours of blueberry bushes glowing in the sunshine and a mosaic of green pine trees dotted across the hillside.
As we walked, we could hear and see millions of grasshoppers of all colors and sizes jumping out of our way.
After reaching Shpati Peak (2,203 m) and a few unnamed peaks that were slightly higher, we dropped back onto larger trails and re-entered Montenegro. We were now heading towards the stunning lake at Hrid Jezero, where the hillsides were painted in autumn colors. We soon entered the lush greenery of the forest. The walking was good, the sun was shining, and the trails were easy to follow.
Camping by the lake at Hrid jezero
We caught our first glimpse of the lake through the trees and then turned off the track onto a steeper descent towards it.
We met a couple of girls from New York who asked us to take their photo. When I stepped forward to help, they said, “Not you, the younger guy!” Apparently, I was deemed too old to be trusted with technology, so they handed their phone to Morgan!
We soon arrived at the lakeside after what had been a relatively short and easy day – one of the best yet in terms of views. Though we only walked under 6 miles, it had been an amazing trek, and we now had the afternoon to soak it all in beside the lake.
We scouted around for a large enough flat area to camp, but the lakeside was surrounded by large boulders, leaving few flat spots. So, we set up early in a small clearing in the forest just behind the lake’s rim.
We paddled in the lake, soaked up the sunshine, and enjoyed a four-course feast that took four hours to prepare and eat. Having carried all our food this far, we might as well finish it all before our adventure ended.
We played cards, chatted and watched the sunset.
After some stargazing, we went to bed and slept well. However, we weren’t smelling great by this point, and the effects of the massive chili dinner didn’t help! Tomorrow would be our final day on the trail—a bittersweet prospect. Today had been glorious, but we were also in need of a shower, proper beds, and real food.
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Absolutely amazing photos …I wonder if the girls from New York will ever see them lol I bet Morgan had a laugh!