Overlook Spain and France, your subsequent touring journey needs to be in Albania

As I battled alongside brambly footpaths and unmade suburban roads, chased out of Tirana by road canines, I had my doubts about this journey. I’d arrived with the sinking realisation that I’d forgotten to pack my multitool and needed to scour Tirana’s bike outlets to search out one, after which my route did not obtain on my Garmin. It was early afternoon earlier than I’d picked up the appropriate highway and located a restaurant with a satisfying view again to the capital. When the waiter stated my proposed path to Elbasan was “not doable”, I panicked, solely to grasp he simply meant it will be simpler on a motorcycle. The highway would turn into not solely doable however quiet, easy and scenic. The one hazard was crossing tortoises, various in dimension from half-walnut to half-football.

Since retiring from work in 2021, I’ve ridden throughout Scotland, Spain and France. For my subsequent journey, I needed to discover additional afield. Stumbling upon a UNESCO heritage route in southern Albania, I used to be intrigued, however all I knew about Albania was that it was a mountainous nation within the Balkans, had a king referred to as Zog and had been closed to the remainder of the world from 1945-1990 below the communist regime of Enver Hoxha. As I started plotting my route, I used to be drawn in by the irresistible-looking Ohrid and Prespa lakes and the city of Ohrid in North Macedonia. Adjusting accordingly, I deliberate to start out and end in Tirana, driving 50- 100km per day over 17 days in June via south-eastern North Macedonia and southern Albania. On paper not less than, it appeared spectacular.

Between Elbasan and Lake Ohrid, my Garmin informed me to go away the SH3 onto a concrete highway, which descended steeply and crossed the River Shkumbin. It subsequent needed to ship me up an unrideably steep observe, so I ignored it and continued. I’m positive I’m not alone in an irrational reluctance to retrace my steps, even when it’s clearly the wise factor to do. Convincing myself on the premise of nothing in any respect that the highway should turn out to be rideable quickly, I sweated and stumbled up the rock-strewn observe below the new solar.

After just a few kilometres I reached a junction with an indication for By way of Egnatia. Improbable, I believed, the Romans knew the right way to construct a highway, it should get higher now. Builtin the second century BC, linking Rome and Constantinople, the highway might have been spectacular again then, however now it was nearly unusable besides by tortoises, lizards and snakes. A person appeared from a home with pity in his eyes. “Pogradec?” I stated, gesturing vaguely in the direction of Constantinople. He considerably dubiously agreed and provided to fill my bidons. I used to be relieved to rejoin the sleek tarmac of the SH3 because it wound its method eastwards via hills to Lake Ohrid.

On the steep north-eastern shore of Lake Ohrid, I handed by idyllic spots for swimming, and arriving in Ohrid’s outdated city I discovered plentiful bars and eating places alongside the slim cobbled streets. Extremely, Ohrid boasts as many church buildings because the 12 months has days, although my drained legs have been protesting after simply three, the final being the Eleventh-century St. Sophia, which has been each a mosque, below Ottoman rule, and an Orthodox church.

Small-town largesse

The highway from Lake Ohrid to Lake Prespa via the Galicica Nationwide Park was a delight, climbing 730m to 1,590m over 16km at a gentle 5%. The forested ascent afforded occasional views to Lake Ohrid, and the highway floor was wonderful with nearly no site visitors. Above 1,400m, I used to be in cool misty rain, and there was nothing to point I’d reached the go apart from a swampy watershed and a cool breeze from the east. Lastly descending, I emerged from the mist via timber in the direction of the shores of Lake Prespa.

On the east aspect of the lake and on the fringe of the Baba Mountains, my lodging above the village of Brajčino was in a superb setting. Having settled in, I walked to a bar on the village sq., the place after one beer one other appeared on the desk. A person on the subsequent desk stated: “The primary you pay for, the second is on the home” – now that’s hospitality! I returned to an outstanding dinner of salads, roasted stuffed peppers and leek tart with “home made” purple wine, and was feeling slightly woozy by the point I headed to mattress. Regardless of the slight hangover, I didn’t thoughts in any respect being woken by a nightingale singing outdoors my bed room window at 4am.