24 September 2018 After the bad winter and cold wet spring I finally abandoned my early season plan to ride the BikeOxford 80-mile sportive in May when I got a bad back about 10 days before. It was the second … Continue reading →
So that was it. The following morning we had a hot three hour drive to the airport where we said our goodbyes to Erlis and Vato, and to Robert and Jack who were booked on different flights. Vlorë looked a … Continue reading →
Himarë – (south of) Vlorë 31 May 2018 Distance: 56km; total ascent: 1823m Stayed at: Hotel Picasso I was a bit apprehensive about the day ahead. We were about to cross the Llogara Pass, and stack it how you will … Continue reading →
Sarandë – Himarë 29 May 2018 Distance: 49 km; total ascent: 1282m Stayed at: Hotel Prinos Today was billed as just a short ride along the coast of the Albanian Riviera overlooking the Ionian Sea. Easy, apart from the two … Continue reading →
Gjirokaster (Muzinë Pass) – Sarandë 29 May 2018 Distance: 66km; total ascent: 661m Stayed at: Hotel Porto Eda, Sarandë We drove in, and we drove out. This morning the minibus took us further down the main road, then turned uphill … Continue reading →
Petran – Gjirokaster 28 May 2018 Distance: 44km; total ascent: 392m Stayed at: Hotel Çajupi, Gjirokaster This was our easiest, shortest, laziest day: just 44 kilometres in the morning, mostly downhill or flat with only a few small blips. A … Continue reading →
Farma Sotira – Petran 27 May 2018 Distance: 52.7km; total ascent: 749m Stayed at: Guest House Hani i Colit It was another fine morning as we left Farma Sotira after breakfast (no trout involved). We had been promised a splendid … Continue reading →
Korçë – Farma Sotira, nr Gërmenj 26 May 2018 Distance: 61.4km; total ascent: 1315m We were taken in the minibus from the hotel to a layby just on the further edge of Korçë. Here we tried our bikes for the first … Continue reading →
Arrival in Pogradec 25 May 2018 Staying in Hotel Millennium, Tushemisht, Pogradec. After catching a ridiculously early bus from Oxford to Gatwick, a three and a half hour flight to Tirana and a 3 hour transfer in an 8-seater minibus … Continue reading →
‘Broken April’ is the other book by celebrated Albanian author Ismail Kadare recommended as ‘approachable’ by my guidebook to Albania (‘Chronicle in Stone’ is the other). Set in the 1920s or 1930s it describes the way of life in the … Continue reading →