One day it is gonna happen

After our climb to Gamila we took a nice rest day yesterday doing some bridge spotting around Zagori. We are now fully recovered and ready for our next walk around the village of Vradheto, north of Zagori Park.

There are a few routes around here with different lengths and different grades of difficulty. We have chosen a short and easy one, as we would  like to get back to Ioannina early this evening. We are going to Albania tomorrow for a week, and we have lots to prepare beforehand.

The walk we have chosen is a circular route which starts in Vradheto; follows the river of Meghas Lakos, a small gorge which feeds into Vikos gorge; and climbs back up to the village. It should only take three hours.

We are up early, have a quick coffee, and are ready to roll. It is now 9.30am, we estimate that the walk is only three hours, so we only take water but no food, as we will be back by lunchtime anyway. There is no need to take wet weather gear, as it is clear sky; and no torches, what is the point, we don’t even bother with the first aid kit?

We leave the village and get on to the path pretty soon.

As we have plenty of time, I put into practise my navigations skills. We stop now and then, we look at the contours on the map and look back at the landscape.

Those mountains in the distance must be the south side of the Astraka peaks. We went close when we climbed Gamila a couple of days ago. Yes, it all makes sense.

Gary is getting a bit irritating about all my questions.

It is all very well you want to practise your navigations skills when the time allows. But at this rate we will never be able to finish the route.

I am sorry to be a pest but I want to improve my map reading. We are not in a hurry, it is an easy route, so  now is the perfect time.

We come across a crossroad at a small farm. Our path goes off to the left, and it heads straight down to the gorge.

We start to approach the edge of the cliff before descending down into our gorge.

From the map, we are aware that it will be a steep descent, simply by looking of the closeness of the contour lines.

Right at the edge of the cliff, a sign board describes the descent route. Words like: “dangerous, steep, and exposed” warn us that this could be more serious than we think. However, the description also says that we will be walking down “a stairway”. So it shouldn’t be too bad.

Breath-taking views from the top of the gorge. These views you will never get if you drive.

As soon as we start the descent we get the severity of the slope. No matter how well you know your route from a really good, detailed walking map, there are always features you will never guess until you get there. Features such as the type of path (narrow, wider), how well this path is maintained, the quality of the terrain and the level of exposure…

I look down before I start. Where the hell is the path??

This is a really exposed path, not only is the terrain steep, it is also infirm, overgrown and difficult to follow! GDR

We quickly find the red dots.

The path is rather narrow, not ideal for such a steep slope. At times, it is a bit tricky as it it is covered in leaves, which are still wet from early morning dew, so care is needed to avoid slipping.

I don’t think many people have been here for a while.

Yeah, like six months! GDR

Occasionally, there are rocks and trees which we can grab to keep our balance.

The exposure petrifies me. It is so psychosomatic. So I prefer not to look down. I will look at the photos later.

The path disappears at times, and we have to find our way through shrub and dead tree branches.

Gosh, where do I step next? I test the terrain with my poles.

The path is so relentlessly steep, this must not be doing any good to my knees.

The vertigo is so intense that I feel dizzy.

In this vast landscape, I feel so vulnerable, so insignificant that nothing matters, only that we get down safely.

It is most bizarre, the landscape is vast but also claustrophobic, the walls of the gorge closing in on you. GDR

A sign painted on a rock warns the next turn: DANGEROUS!! Hands and feet are needed to scramble down. A rope has been set up to help. I feel relief. The sense of vertigo minimises when you have something to hold on to.

Eventually we reach the bottom. We are pretty exhausted but glad that it is all over. A sign to some caves is pointing out to the right. We go and find them but we can’t. Never mind, we press on. It is 13.00 and we are only half way. So much for a short walk today!

According to the map, we should turn right, and follow a path up the gorge, close to the river for a bit and turn right to climb back out again. We see an arrow and red dots. This must be the way.

Twenty minutes after walking along the river the dots disappear. Does the path continue higher? Have we missed the turn?

There is no obvious route to go up. Luckily the river is not carrying any water, so we continue, surely the path will eventually join up with the river. Our fear is that we will reach a waterfall wall and not be able to pass.

And there it is. We can’t continue by scrambling up the rocks, it is too dangerous.

Gary suggests we go off piste and climb up to find the path. I don’t think this is a good idea. The path may be just there, or may not. I suggest we turn and go back.

We are a bit reluctant. We hate going back. Moreover, we don’t entertain the idea of going up that bloody steep cliff. But it is a sensible thing to do, at least we know the way.

A good decision. GDR

After 45 minutes we get back to the point we turned off but we cannot find the path up to the cliff. The woods are too dense and the landscape never looks the same when you go back.

Were we back, now we are not sure, at the time it seemed so, maybe not. GDR

However, we see signs to Avgherinos pass. We look at the map and we cannot make sense of what we’ve just done. The signs seem to take us down to a different valley but we follow them as this pass is in the direction of the village where we started the walk.

It is now 14.30. We won’t be having lunch today as we thought we would have been back by now.

The red dots have reappeared.

This is a good sign. Gary says.

I don’t get too excited. I remember our treks in La Pedriza and Bernia, we followed dots and we got badly lost.

I sound that pessimistic because the more we look at the map, the less sense it all makes. We feel we should be walking along a valley parallel to us. But we have no way of checking directions, as I have not brought my compass today. Big mistake!

Now the path takes us up. This is not  what we expected.

Now the path crosses the river and we are now walking on the left hand side. This is not what we expected it either.

If anything we want to go up and right. But as long as we see red dots, we continue.

My mouth is getting dry, my breathing is becoming heavy and faster. I recognise these feelings, the feelings of stress. This is looking like another of those damned walks where we end up walking in the dark. I cannot believe it, we have done it again. And we have no torches. Another big mistake!

 

Suddenly we reach a snowy plateau and guess what? The red dots have disappeared! This cannot be true. Are we ever going to learn?

We spent 20 minutes looking for them. It is now 16.00, we have to make a decision. Our instinct says we should be somewhere up that cliff. So we have two options:

Scramble up the snow slop or,

Go all the way back and try to find the path where we were at this morning.

The disadvantage of the first option: we could get up the ridge and find out it goes nowhere.

The disadvantage of the second option: it is about four hours back to the village. This is assuming we find the path straight away.

What do you want to do?

Let’s scramble up. If it goes wrong, we will ended up walking in the dark anyway; or worst, sleeping in the mountain.

Gary is walking on his trainers, so I lead the way to make up the footprints. I keep thinking what the hell are we going to do if it doesn’t work.

Suddenly, we look up and spot two people with a dog in the far distance.

Gary, look up, people!!

We only hope they are not on a three day ridge walk!

We get to the top of the ridge and can no longer see them.

However, in the distance, we see a car. It must be theirs.

We hug each other with joy. We now know we are going to be all right.

We soon see signs back to Vradheto. This is the right path to get back to the village. We were right all the way along. We have eventually done our route!

It is 19.00. With the stress out of the way, we start to feel hungry. I only had a coffee this morning.

From now on, no matter how easy and short a walk looks, I am always going to take the emergency blanket, compass and torches.

Well, one day it is gonna happen. We are doing lots of trekking. Statically, it is becoming more and more likely that one day we may be sleeping in the mountains.

Yes, but then, we would be a bit more prepared than today.

Once again, the day has ended up well. We get to Dora, drive for an hour and have some food!

Tomorrow, Albania.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SM