To Magnificent Montenegro

Rambler, skier and photographer Richard Hobday loved the southern Europe’s Fjordland so much that he followed up his October 2014 trip to the spectacular Bay of Kotor (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) with an exploration of Montenegro’s Peaks and Ridges this Spring. Here’s his daily diary.

It's early summer 2014. I'm wondering where to go in the Autumn. Check the Ramble Worldwide Website – there's a trip to Montenegro, centred on the Bay of Kotor, graded D/D+. Probably manage that.

Day 1

Early October 2014. At Dubrovnik Airport, the group assembles with our leader Dave Rowe and we set off for Montenegro. Across the border, leaving the EU. A stamp in the passport – not seen one of those for a long time in Europe.

The twin hotels Galia and Bokeljski Dvori lie a little back from the shore with stupendous views of the bay and the surrounding mountains. Our home for the week, and with the friendly staff it soon seems just like that. Here were are welcomed by our local guide, Danijela and the drivers Igor and Marco, who will shuttle us around throughout the week.

Time to relax and take a short walk around the village, then a briefing meeting, a pleasant meal and early to bed before the week's exertions.

Day 2

Next day we set off to explore Kotor, an ascent of the town walls and a cruise around the Bay. Danijela explains the route for the morning. We are going to climb the city walls to the Fortress above, climb through a hole in the wall and descend again by an old road. Time now to explore Kotor, and then off across the Bay to visit the church of Gospa od Škrepla on its island and the town of Perast.

Day 3

An early start as we head of to Brajici for the walk to Sveti Stefan. An early coffee break as we wait for the rain to abate; it doesn’t, so we set off into the clouds, walking along wooded tracks with occasional glimpses of the Aegean Sea below us. At lunch we meet a monk and some nuns at a little convent in the hills. Downhill now to the very private island of Sveti Stefan, and then off to explore the Old Town of Budva.

Day 4

On to the hill behind the hotel. This is Vrmac, a long ridge walk with spectacular views, which we reach by ascending an old Austria-Hungarian military road built to access the fort at the top. The views from the path are superb, the climb constant and seemingly never-ending. At the top there is an old fort to explore and views down to Tivat. Butterflies abound here as we set off towards the far end of the ridge, and then back down to the coast near Tivat.

Day 5

Our free day. We opt for a trip to the Skadar Lake close to the Albanian border. Arriving at the lake, a short walk takes us to Godinje, where we indulge ourselves with ham, cheese and wine in a local wine cellar. Now it’s time for lunch, so back to Virpazar and then out on to the lake for a trip to see the bird life and more spectacular views of the mountains that surround us.

Day 6

A new day and a new hill to climb. We are off to Njegusi via the tortuous road that climbs above Kotor to the Loven National Park. A visit to a dried ham centre, samples of ham and cheese to fortify us before we climb to the summit of Jezerski vhr and the Mausoleum of Petar II Petrovi Njegoš. Then a brief visit to the old Montenegrin capital of Cetinje and home for supper.

Day 7

Walking today at the other end of the Vrmac ridge. We ascend on wooded paths via the almost abandoned village of Gornji Stoliv to the plateau at Gornji Lastva and climb to a high promontory for lunch. We are entertained by a praying mantis, enjoying the late summer sun. The views are superb, the weather clear and we can see across to the Orijen mountains to the north. (Another trip, another time …)

The final evening meal was an opportunity to thank our local guide Bilja and our drivers Igor and Marko for all their hard work and support.

My thanks to the Ramble Worldwide leaders David Rowe and John Lade who co-ordinated the trips so effectively.

Day 8

An early start, across the ferry at Lepetane and on to Dubrovnik for the flight home.

There are many more photos of Montenegro to see on my website along with pictures from other Ramble Worldwide walking holidays.