Durmitor NP

We didn’t need to set out till 9.30, in sunshine and cool mountain air, walking the 1.5 km from the hotel to the Durmitor NP. (It rained in the night and was cloudy when we woke). Once there we set off on our walk round the two lakes. I thought I might not manage the walk as Fatima said there was 100m of steep rugged steps and most of the 6km path was up and down and rocky and slippy after the rain. However I took my sticks and thought I’d have a go though I was warned that by the time we got to the difficulties it was 3/4 over so going back would take too long. She encouraged me by saying she’d had to push a 74 year old man up one bit and there was a chain to hold on to which I could use to pull myself up. In fact it wasn’t at all bad - a few tricky bits but I used the chain - and we finished in good time and not near the back. It was very pretty walking in pines round the green lakes.

We then had the 1.5 km trek back up the road to the bus which took us to a hamlet called Podgora which is part of a regional eco village network helping to promote tourism in rural communities. A local family provided us with an enormous lunch of traditional food at their homestead ‘Charming Pony’. They are one of the few families still living there all year round. We had mushroom soup, then homegrown tomatoes and cucumber, cheese and a cheese pie. This was followed by stew and mashed potatoes for the meat-eaters and a red peppers stuffed with more cheese and deep-fried in breadcrumbs for veggies. (We haven’t seen a bean or lentil since we got here). There were 2 enormous bit of cake with jam inside for pudding. That was 2 bits each. We had 2 between us but I only tasted it - it was just too much. We also got a glass of local red wine or you could have yarrow juice - sugar water infused with yarrow - or the local raki-type spirit. Then our host took us to see his polytunnels, cabbage patch, ducks, geese, hens, pigs, ponies and cows. One of the Kent men said he expected the pigs were kept inside as the dark would help produce veal. I said nothing you’ll be surprised to hear.

Next the bus took us to a place we could do a short climb to a high viewpoint of the UNESCO-listed Tara Canyon said to be one of the deepest in Europe. It was spectacular, especially as the rain did not materialise.

We’ll not be eating tonight!