The Peaks of The Balkans – Day 4

I slept in which I really needed after the long days and lack of sleep over the last few nights. By 8am I started moving and soon dropped down into the local village. Other hikers were just beginning to emerge from guest houses and started moving up the mountain. We chatted as we climbed up to a little tea hut. I stopped to fill my bottles, buy a coke and continue. Unfortunately, today was going to consist of a fair bit of road walking but the views were still spectacular.

I put my headphones in, descending into my own little world. Backpacker Radio and Blister podcast keeping me company. Then some Grateful Dead to pass the time. The road walk was soon over and I was making my way up towards the next pass. For some reason I was really struggling to eat on this trip. I couldn’t finish my breakfast and hadn’t eaten any snacks. Usually I’ll eat anything in sight especially when hiking. Hiker hunger usually kicks in after day one!

Cow bells rung out across the valley as I continued up the pass. The climb was long but beautiful and soon opened up into a long reaching view across the valley below. I found a flat spot in the shade and stopped for lunch. It was over looking the next village with spectacular views up the next pass.

Dropping down into the town, it got busy with hikers and pick ups carrying duffel bags to the local huts for hut to hut hikers to collect. I found a good water source at the local guesthouse. Just as I was leaving I was politely and curiously asked, “where are you going!” A lovely Kiwi lady who was hiking hut to hut wondered where I could possibly be hiking to at 4pm. I explained I was hiking, as we backpackers do, with everything we need on our backs and that I was wild camping along the way. We spoke for a while before I headed up towards the last high point of the day. 

The climb was long and steep and I could feel the last few days still heavy in my legs. I took a few steps, rested and continued. Finally, I summited and could see round the ridge. The rest of the day flew by, following the ridge up and over a little pass and down to yet another beautiful green valley. There were families of locals travelling on horse back and camping in the valley with their horses tied long enough to reach the long grass. This nomadic, traditional way of life really fascinated me.

I followed the streams down the valley to the deeper river at the bottom. I found a good flat spot to set up and went for a much needed but very cold dip in the river. I sat out and watched the sunset before wrapping myself in my quilt as the temperature dropped.