04 from river Osum to village Frashër

This is the fourth 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.

Before I started the hike I refilled all bottles at the spring.
On the main road I turned left after 800 metres to start the ascent into the hills. I took the shortest possible way which resulted in partly quite steep ways and several serpentines. The reward was a beautiful view at every switchback.
Because of the soft material the hills are made of and the lot of cut (or after all missing) trees landslides are common in the region. Several minor barred some ways I walked from being used by motor vehicles.

Again I took a short cut through scrub making good 600 metres - just to realise in the evening the socks I had hanged onto the rucksack must have been ripped of by that scrub.

The first person I met this day was a herdsman near Muzhënckë who called after me that I should wait a second. We talked as far as my little Albanian allowed me to. He was wondering about this crazy guy walking around in the warmth of the day with ~20 kg luggage just for fun.

After 6.5 km from the start I crossed the first mountain saddle at an altitude of 900 m. The rocks showed an interesting formation there.

The track showed lesser and lesser traces of usage until after the next village Kakos it remained just a path. basic bridges undermined by water and eroded retaining walls showed that it must have been long since that a car went this track.

Walking along I enjoyed the remoteness of the region, the absence of the noises of civilisation and the fantastic views of barren hills, rocky beds of streams and torrents, meadows with sunburned grass alternating with small woods, scrub land and neat little fields.

One time I had to cross the stream where the bridge had been carried away by the torrent. Luckily due the summertime the water was now very low.

On the way I also saw two ruins of stone houses. One I was told had been a mill.

As time went on and I got closer to Frashër the clouds cumulated and seemed to mean bad weather so I started to hasten my steps.

Shortly not far from the village a wayside cross reminded of woman who was struck by lightning being 25 years old...

In Frashër I was astonished to find the "main road" being completely paved with concrete and having street lamps mounted at its side.

I made it in time to the museum which was luckily open. I entered and the rain began to fall.

The museum is in memoriam to the three brothers Frashëri which where important persons in the history of Albania.
In the building you can see several paintings of the brothers and historic situations. Regrettably all the documents exhibited are in Albanian so you should have an interpreter with you if you don't speak Albanian fluently.
Don't forget to mention your stay in the visitor's book.

Another sight you may want to visit is the Bektashi khanqah 800 metres further south. Ask in the village for the Arben Mustafay (or just ask anyway :) ) if you want to have a closer look.