Liqeni i Jazhincës...

We met at 7:30 am Sunday morning to hike with Shoqëria bjeshkatare alpiniste “ Kaçaniku”.  We rode to the trailhead with the president of the group and another hiker as there was not room in the van.  The drive itself was very pretty as we drove up a windy mountain road near Brevovicë ski area.  As we neared the trailhead, the van started smoking (it was ahead of us), but they were able to cool the engine with water and continued on.  At the trailhead, we met two other hiking groups:   Cameleon from Gjilan and SHB Ujëmiri from Kerçova, North Macedonia.

Our group of hikers at the beginning of the trail 

The hike today was to the beautiful heart-shaped Jazhincë Lake.  As always the group makes you feel so welcomed.  There are always many greetings before we get started and today was no exception.  As we got ready to take off, Thom noticed someone we had not met before with a Wisconsin Badger cap on.  His name is Max and he lived/s in Eau Claire (Osseo), Wisconsin.  We were not sure if he is just visiting or if he has moved back.

Max in Wisconsin cap and the lady in the white hat is a member of Gjilan Rotary Club

Also, on the hike was Gjenëtu (Janet).  We met her at our favorite vegetable market "Te Dadini".  Te Dadini is her families market and she works three Sundays a month and can only hike occasionally.  We enjoy their market because they are all so friendly and helpful.  We were happy to see her and meet some of her friends.  Emirë was on the hike.  We met her on the last hike, but this time we met her father, Flamur, as well.  Many spoke English with us and I enjoyed talking with different hikers along the way or just listening to conversation in Albanian.  One young lady works full-time in Prishtina and is in school studying to be a nutritionists.  Florije was a high school student that I talked with for a bit.  Her English was amazing and she has amazing plans for the future.  

The whole day was filled with new friends and beautiful views.  The hike went through wooded areas, pine forest, meadows, alongside waterfalls, passed remains of snow, and over rock scrambles.  The trail was relatively clean along the way, although as we found and picked up trash along the trail.  This is always the sad piece about the nature here.  The air as we hiked up was cooler and we enjoyed lunch next to the lake.

I was talking with one hiker from Gjilan and found out that she is a member of the Gjilan Rotary Club.  Her name is Manushaqe, which is a name of a flower that we saw along the trail as we hiked.  Later, we hope to join her for a meeting at her club.  They will take a hiatus for the summer, so maybe August or September.  She will be able to provide us contact information on the Ferizaj Club, which is closer to Kaçanik.

The purple flowers (hard to see) are manushaqe (viola in English)

Image by Albrecht Fietz from Pixabay

There were many flowers in bloom along the way and as we got closer to the lake there were areas of crocuses.  You could tell that the snow had only just recently melted in these areas as the grass and plant life was still very brown and mashed to the ground.

Other beautiful flowers along the trail

Trollius europaeus (found in alpine regions of Europe)

These remind me of the marsh marigold found in wetland or riparian areas of the U.S.

These are wild crocus, recent snow melt area

On the hike to the lake, we crossed the river an a bridge made of tree branches.  As a group of us waited to cross, a young lady slipped and fell in getting very wet.  It was at that point that some of us ladies decided to take off our shoes and socks and wade across.  The snow melt water was very cold, but at least it was only our feet and we had dry socks and shoes to put back on our feet.  The really great thing about the group is that the veteran hikers always watch out for the less experience and they are always willing to help you along the way.  It really is a great group to hike with and there is safety in numbers.

River running along the trail

Crossing the river

The tree branch bridge, taken after everyone crossed

We hiked 10 to 12 miles, depending on whose app you looked at.  Each hike we have been on always includes a little singing of old Albanian tunes.  On this hike, it was at the hunting lodge on the way down the trail.  What a great way to spend our Sunday.

Other photos from our hike:

Amazing views along the way

A group of us stop for a photo shoot

In the black top next to me is Janet and 

second from the right the young lady working on her masters in nutrition

The guy in the black shirt just arrived the day before from the Netherlands (I think),

but still made to the hiking group

There are two ways to the lake.  We took the longer, less steep route.

Snow melt waters flowing down to the river

Jaxhencë Lake

A Russian built hunting lodge a stopping point both up and back