03 from Çorovodë - along the Osum Canyon

This is the third part of a series describing my hike from Bogova to Gjirokastra. Most of the single parts can also be hiked separately when you can manage the transportation.

From the main place in Çorovodë I crossed the river and turned right after the recommendable restaurant "Drita e Tomorrit". Then I followed the path heading south and crossed the Osum river on the decaying suspension bridge. From here I had my first close look at the southern end of the Osum Canyon.
Now I turned right then followed the main road where it bends 90 degrees to head west, then I took the unpaved track heading south.
The plain I crossed was green from vine yards. Turning back I had a beautiful view of Çorovodë with the Tomorr and Kulmakë mountains.

Now I just followed the track, enjoyed the not existing traffic and the beautiful views into the Canyon.

After five kilometres - the track now headed south-west - I left it for a smaller track which went south-east. Since it was closed by an awry gate I took the cow path with an interesting surface pattern to its right.
As the path ended I headed south further and thus entered a hamlet whose name I still don't know. Passing some buildings and sheep at a stable soon I reached the end of the village.
For a hundred meters the path is also the bed of a stream but it isn't too bad.
1.3 km after the village I discovered a narrow path going off to the left - to the canyon. Curious that I am I followed it - and ten minutes later I found myself at the bottom of the marvellous canyon.
After sufficient exploration - no easy path seems to leave the gorge except the one I walked - I left the place to continue my hike.
Just 500 m further along on the opposite side of the canyon I saw a Bektashi khanqah.

1.4 km from the path which leads into the canyon I reached a more used track, turned left on it and right there saw a small and beautiful miniature canyon with soft rounded flanks heading to the Osum Canyon.

Having gazed enough I followed the track which after 1 km crossed the Osum Canyon by an iron bridge with a surface of well used wooden planks. Though a lorry (the first vehicle I had met today after leaving the city) just had crossed the bridge a Pick Up didn't dare to do so.
Along with the passengers of that car I admired the abyss the bridge traverses.

Now I had to follow the highway SH72 but the traffic was not too bad. Two times I saw cars were the dads let drive their proud minor kids - both a boy and a girl. Another thing I saw is a herdsman with his flock of goats at the bank of Osum river.

After 2.5 km I decided to take a short cut since the street makes a big bow to master beginning the second, southern part of the Osum Canyon. So I skipped 500 metres but had a not too easy climb since the path was disused and vanished at the end.
2 km after the beginning of the southern part of the canyon I came to it's end.

Now it got late and I didn't have water except some luke warm drops in the last bottle. Though I had a filter with me I would have been glad to have a spring to drink from.

I followed the road to the big bend the Osum river makes there and pursued a track into the riverbed to search and soon find for a place to put my tent. The only issue I have with camping at riverbeds is the mostly very stony ground which makes it hard to get all tent pegs in.

Being the lucky guy I am two young man walked near my tent, handed me a bottle with raki and showed me a spring in the riverbed some hundred metres downstream.
Since I had the tent ready and was tired I declined the invitation of the men though I was sorry doing so.