DAY 5 - Theth to Valbone

---

I wake up just before my alarm at 645. I can hear the American girl outside and one of the girls in my room is also moving about. She heads to the shower and gets in before me so I skip shower and collect my things up and go for breakfast. One coffee and three pancakes and a block of cheese later I have eaten and had my Turkish coffee. I strap up my feet with the bandages Rosa gave me and sort out my bags. I settle my bill tipping them more than ten percent which delights them but they’ve been so lovely and generous, its only £7 but they light up because of it. The girl is finally out the bathroom so I brush my teeth and say my goodbyes with big hugs from both of them I head out.

A dog meets me just outside the guesthouse and escorts me to the trail head. I feel like he’s my spirit animal. At the cafe at the trailhead a man pops his head over and asks if I’m OK. He says the dog belongs here so knows it’s way. I’m sticking with my spirit guide story. The first part of the trail is uphill and in the sun. I take it slowly stopping for a rest where the river crosses me. My water bottle makes another break for it; it’s shoved in the camera bag so I can carry the two litre bottle I bought yesterday.

This part of the trail is shaded. I can hear voices on the trail and as I take a rest and retie my shoelaces a couple pass me; I’m confused because they’re going the wrong way and there’s no way they’ve come from Valbone yet. I ask and they tell me they’re at a guesthouse up here heading down into Theth. Around ten minutes later I pass the guesthouse and three horses. I take some pictures before I head on. A couple overtake me, the first of many I’m sure and when I sit in a Rock for a rest another couple head past. The dog reappears and walks with be for a bit. This part of the trail is shaded with a nice breeze and still steep uphill. It has been like this now for over an hour. The American couple from my guest house pass me as I’m taking a break then a man passes me the other way. He’s on his way back from the top of the pass, he already walked the uphill around 3 hours worth and is on his way back. Very impressive. I’ve now been going steeply uphill for 1hr 30 minutes and the maps say I still have 5 hours 30 to go which puts me bang on track despite my many stops and breaks. I run into the American couple again at a water butt in the trees. I sit for a while before I wash my face and cool my wrists down in the water. A big group led by a guide approaches the cleaning which is my cue to leave.

The track continues steeply uphill through a forest until it comes out I meadow. It reminds me of Elfin Lakes and Garibaldi in BC and its beautiful. I rest a while and take a lot of photos. The trail continues back through woods until a second meadow. As I stop to take pictures the big group catches me up and I hear the guide tell them that this is the last meadow and it’s all woods until the very top. I decide to lie down. Two dogs approach me along with a second big group. I let both groups go ahead as I lie in the meadow relaxing. It has taken me 3 hours to do 2hr 50 of the 7 hour hike so I have loads of time. Two Norwegian girls join me in my meadow and I tell them what I heard the tour guide say so they stop too and we chat for a while.

When I am rested about 20 minutes later I head on through the woods. Its steep and long but I enjoy the trees and take plenty of rest listening to my body. I pass two French girls going the opposite way who have come from Valbone they don’t stop to talk but they tell me they set off at 7, about 50 minutes before me which means they’ll probably finish after 4-4.5 hours. Very impressive for a 7 hour hike. Higher up the path I run into the English couple from my bus the other morning. As we are talking three loaded horses and the foal from yesterday come past. I am a bit slow to get out the way, as I try to get up the steep embankment out of the way I slip back down a few times and the horses nearly trample me; they are not stopping for anything. The man with them, the one from the hut at the start of the trail has stopped to talk to the two French girls. He sees what is happening and reaches me just in time to stop me being trampled. Its my fault, I should have moved earlier but I didn’t realise the horses wouldn’t stop. They carry on and I walk with the English couple for a bit until I need a rest so sit on rock and they carry on. I pass a couple coming from Valbone and they stop to chat. They’re English from Leicester and I apologise for their relegation but he says he’s a rugby fan. We go our separate ways.

The path comes out if the woods and I realise it has started to rain. It is light though and I can hear voices. I look up and there is one of the fabled cafes right above me. Perfect timing. I manage to get in just as the really heavy rain starts and the big tour group heads out. I have a fanta and a sit. A group of 4 English, two couples come in and we chat for a while. They’re very friendly. At this stage I have 4 hours and 17 minutes still to hike and its 1115 so 3 hours and 25 minutes after I set off. I’m now behind but not by a lot and I’m not too concerned. I hear the English woman say though that we are halfway through the climb though which concerns me. It’s already been 3 hours of uphill. I’m not sure I have another three in me. The rain has stopped now so I decide to make a move. The trail continues uphill through the woods for what feels like forever and everyone I pass has a different answer to how far to the top. Longest is an hour and a half, shortest is an hour but eventually it comes out into the open. The view from the ridge is incredible and I can’t stop taking pictures. I find a big rock on an embankment and just sit looking at it for around 20 minutes. The Brits pass me saying they’ll see me at the top. The next guy I see tells me nearly there 15 minutes. The one after says nearly there 30 minutes. I am absolutely wiped, everything is sore. I’ve drank over two litres of water, luckily I’d been able to refill at the cafe but the climb felt endless. I am emotionally and physically drained and everything hurts but I go on. Finally I could see the top, it still looked far away and people kept giving me different times to get there. More importantly the clouds and rain were coming in and one couple I’d passed had said the view was worth it so I pushed myself on. Finally I made it onto the ridge. At this point I’d taken 5 hours and completed 3.5hours of the 7 hour hike. I was exactly halfway with only downhill ahead of me. I was elated.

There was a higher point people were walking up to but the clouds were pretty much covering any view back the way I’d came and the rain was coming in. I was very glad I’d stopped to enjoy the view ten minutes earlier as you couldn’t see it now. Plus I’m done with uphill. I pass my German roommates heading back down. They must have passed me when I was having my moment in the clearing. The English group come down from the peak and confirm my theory that it’s not worth the effort. I start heading down the Valbone side and the view is incredible. Its a valley with mountains in a U shape around us, towering high above us. Its incredible. There is still snow and bits of glacier and the valley below is stunning. The path is cut into the slide of the mountain meaning there is a steep, sheer drop down the side as we walk. Its a test of the nerves for sure. There is a couple ahead of me and I’m happy to follow them because they are showing me where the path is. Its very difficult to see at times. I’m also reassured that the English group are behind me so if I slip there are people around. I stop and take a lot of pictures at the bottom of the glaciers. It is around an hour downhill and it is steep and rocky and the edge is sharp but still I’m enjoying the downhill. I can see a clearing under a big boulder that looks like it’s at the bottom and I’m not far away so I’m feeling pretty good about things. Map still says 2 and a half hours but I heard the end is a valley floor and all flat so I assume there’s a lot of that at the end.

The trail goes past the boulder and I’m relieved the downhill is over. The rain has started but it is light and keeps stopping and starting. There are lots of beautiful wildflowers in the meadow and I take a lot of pictures. I spot a cafe with a wood burner and realise I’m hungry but they only do drinks. I open my walnuts and head on.
I’m in a great mood now, feeling really pleased with myself, glad it its basically all over until I round a corner and see how high up I still am. Suddenly the two hours left does not seem like it will be easy and I feel disheartened. My head is hurting, my neck, shoulders, back at all 4 points and my feet are all sore now. I was so ready for at least the downhill to be over; it requires so much concentration to not slip or trip, it makes me anxious and its not helping my building headache.

I keep going down. There are a couple from India that I walk with for a while and we both share the same thought that the downhill should have been over at the cafe. The girl is as gutted as I am. It is hard to keep going now but I do and every time I look at the map it feels like the distance is hardly moving. Finally around an hour after starting the second downhill stretch we hit the valley floor. The rain has started again and the couple stop to put their rain coats on. My map says 40 minutes so I plough on. I am so done, everything hurts, I’m on the verge of tears. Its been 7 and a half hours of walking and the map seems to not move from 40 minutes. I feel like crying when I hear a van behind me and hopefully put my thumb out. He stops and I open the door and ask if he’ll take me to my guest house, he says yes and I nearly cry with relief. In the back of the van I can see the couple have also thumbed a lift. We all laugh in relief. The van drive saves me mentally. I think it would have been longer than 40 minutes and the valley floor is all stones and unstable. I am almost overwhelmed as we drive along.

He drops me off next to a sign for my guest house and my phone is dead so I stop for a bush wee while I put it on my power bar to get navigation. The rain has just started, not heavy but consistent. Then I follow the map into a tree lined fence. It is saying the guest house is on the other side of the fence but I can’t find a way in. I finally find a gate and head through towards a building but they look like shepherd’s huts and there is nobody in. I try the other side; there is a track leading to the right but my maps says it’s the wrong way. I follow my maps back the same way with the same result. There is another building further down so I head there bit it is empty; the one next to it looks like it’s still being built but I knock anyway; no answer. It has been over 30 minutes now walking in circles. I try to follow the map one more time with the same result. I start crying. I am exhausted, in pain, wet, frustrated and I was ready to be done over two hours ago. This is very close to rock bottom on the low scale. I decide to head back to the road but its difficult to find; the valley floor is all the same, uneven, white and grey rocks, the trees all look the same and the low cloud means there are no geographical markers of the mountains.

After an hour I find the sign where the driver dropped me off. I can see people heading in my direction and even though they’re a way off I feel a huge wave of relief. I hope they’re Albanian and have a phone and can call someone to come get me. They’re German and bless them, they try but their maps look the same as mine. Behind them come the two Norwegian girls and the two English women who have binned their husbands on the trail. I start to explain again and just burst into tears. The Norwegian girls and one of the English women surround me and hug me. I think they could all sense how broken I was at this stage and as I’d talked to them all on the trail they knew how difficult today was going to be for me. The hug and the cry was really needed. The Norwegian girl pulls my guest house up on her maps and says they will walk me there and stay with me until we find it. I start crying again because I’m so grateful. They still have an hour to get to their guest house but they’re adamant, they’re not tired they’ll come with me. I say a tearful goodbye to the English women and go with the girls. Her maps takes us up the lane where mine turned me around, they both agree though that it needs a sign and even her maps are getting confused but as this is the one track I didn’t try we figure its worth it. We turn right at the end and as the lane opens up we can see a house that looks like the one on the sign. The girls insist they’re not leaving until I’m in so we knock and the girl who answers has my name. The girls both give me a long hug and I cry with relief and gratefulness on them. They’ll be on my ferry tomorrow so I tell them I owe them a beer. The girl at my guest house is apologetic she says the maps have been getting confused recently and they are trying to get more signs. She helps me take my boots off because I’m that sore if can’t even manage it. She shows me to my room which is gorgeous. Stone and wood with a huge double and single bed all for me and private bathroom. She gives me dinner options but I’m too tired to pay attention so I ask what time she needs my order by and she says 6. Means I have an hour to rest.

As much as I’m desperate for a lie down I instead sit in the toilet and use the shower as the whole bathroom is a shower room. It is so hot, really burning and really helps my aching muscles. Shower gel is provided but when I get out I can’t find towels. I lie on the empty bed and dry off. The relief to be lying down. I’m just about dry so I put my pyjamas on and she knocks on my door with towels. I don’t tell her she’s too late. Then I crawl into bed, pull the duvet over me head and sleep.
I wake cold and hungry. It is six so I go outside and place my order. I’m really not hungry but know I need to eat so go for a small salad and chicken. She asks if I feel better and I say yes just cold, indicating my wet hair. She asks if I want a hairdryer which I gratefully accept then send the next 40 minutes while I wait for my dinner, drying my hair and socks. I feel so much better with dry hair so I head to the dining room.

A German man is engaged in conversation with two Americans; a Mum and daughter while his wife looks on. They say hi but resume their conversation and another couple don’t even look up as I come in so I take a seat at an empty table and when my dinner arrives I order a coke. As expected its massive but its a good salad filled with lettuce, tomato, Cucumber, feta, olives and onion which I pick out plus two chicken drumsticks with a crispy skin and a bucket of bread. Another couple arrive and shortly after the conversation opens out to include everyone. The new couple are from The Netherlands and the couple who didn’t say hi are from Poland and Latvia and are talkative now. We talk mainly about travel, a bit about stereotypes and where we are all from. The owner comes in and asks if we would like red or white wine, their treat. We all get red. We talk a bit about our day and I tell my story of getting lost and everyone is super sympathetic. The German man brings me a slice of their homemade banana bread for my lunch tomorrow. I drink my wine, jump on the wifi to check in at home and at 9 I call it. Breakfast tomorrow is at 8 and she reassures me my bus will pick me up from my accommodation and if its the road she will personally walk me there.

Its a lovely end to a really physically and mentally tough day but I’m so proud of myself. Just three weeks ago I couldn’t walk more than 30 minutes without pain, 5 weeks ago I was averaging 400 steps a day. Today I walked 30 k up 800 metres in 8 hours, only an hour more than the average. I met some amazing people, saw some incredible scenery, really challenged myself and proved I could do it.

Food3x crepes with jam and honey, 1 block feta, almonds, apple, half bag trail mix, small salad, 2x chicken drumsticks, coke. Fanta, 8x water
Money 6250lek

---