Albania, a small forgotten state on the Adriatic Sea that was sealed off from the whole world like North Korea nowadays in the decades after World War II. No one was allowed in, no one was allowed out. That has changed in the meantime.
But still the country with its population of not even three million is a piece of mysterious terra incognita in the middle of Europe. Part 1 of the story is here, part two here. The number 3 you can find here and four + five + six + seven + eight. Here are the nine and last of all, the 10 and 11
From Përmet, the city of roses, where we were last night, you can't miss it. The way in the morning are always along the river Lengarica, which the Albanians call Lengaricë. The path leads us five kilometers southeast into the hill and mountain country of the foothills of the Pindos Mountains.
On the banks of the Lengarica, the view gradually narrows, nd we slowly entering the extremely narrow Lengarica Gorge, whose first major sight is the historic bridge Kadiut.
Built around 1760, the stone arch bridge is 37 meters long and seven meters high, a bit exaggerated considering the only small rivulet that trickles today along underneath. The bridge once served as a crossing on the caravan route to Voskopoja. But she looks beautiful, gray and white stone over milky blue and green water, making the Ottoman stone bridge, which Albanians call Ura e Kadiut, a worthwhile destination.
30 degrees warm water
But there is much more to be found here that makes the hike worthwhile. Besides famous caves like the Shpella e Pëllumbave, the thermal springs of Bënja ( Albanian Ujërat Termale të Benjes ) with up to 30 degrees warm sulfur water attract visitors to take a bath. The hot springs belong to the municipality of Përmet. They were recognized as a protected area in 2002 and cover an area of 0.6 hectares. Small, but beautiful.
The water comes from the earth, springs spring up in various places here, and the locals collect and dam the water in self-built pools, some of which are natural. There are a total of six warm-water pools, all of which are said to have various therapeutic effects: Among other things, thermal bathing is said to help with skin, gastrointestinal and rheumatic complaints.
Smells like rotten eggs
It smells a little unpleasant and pungent like rotten eggs, but even when the sun is blazing from above, the jump - well, more like a walk down a flight of stairs - into the warm water is pleasant. Because of the sulfur content, you shouldn't stay in the pool for more than half an hour, after which not only does the supposedly healing effect wear off, but bathers have also felt bad because of a sulfur overdose.
Better to roam the canyon one more time. The largest of the thermal pools is located directly on the river, and on the other side of the bridge is another, smaller pool. But also in the river directly under the bridge warm water bubbles out of the ground, it mixes here with the cold water that flows in from the mountains. Far back in the canyon there is another small pool and after two kilometers of walking with some river crossings, a small waterfall catches the eye on the right side.
Back in the Stone Age
All this here is historical ground. The Lengarica Gorge is about four kilometers long and up to 100 meters deep, at its narrowest point it has a width of barely three meters at low water level.
As far back as the Stone Age, findings show that, people retreated here, whether out of fear of attackers and predators or because the warm water helped them to hibernate is not known. In any case, there are several caves in the gorge, where traces of prehistoric inhabitants from the Copper Age were found.
Later, the Illyrians used the natural shelters. If there is a lot of water coming from the mountains, the breakthrough to the Hotova-Dangell National Park can be navigated by canoes in spring. In the summer, however, the water is at its lowest and with proper water shoes the entire gorge can be forded.
After the gorge the valley widens. The Lengarica flows through a wide gravel bed to the Vjosa. A new bridge has been built over the river in this area, which can now be used by cars and even buses. The water below is the same: an emerald liquid that comes from springs in southern Albania.
Into the large pool
There is not much else here. A few local teenagers splash around in the water, busloads of tourists plunge first into the large pool with its small concrete wall, then later into the only but very picturesque restaurant in the area.
It's boss has built his house right next to the new bridge and has done so with great consideration for the needs of nature. Some ancient trees, which may have already stood here when the road SH75 next door was not one of the most beautiful roads in the whole country, but a narrow goat path, were not chopped down. They were simply integrated into the building.
Now their meter-thick trunks grow right through the middle of the guest room. A unique sight.
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