Area: Ushguli, Caucasus, Svaneti, Georgia
Ushguli is off the scale, a truly stunning location - Europe's highest settlement (if you think this is Europe, that is). Points of comparison in my own experience are the remoter parts of Nepal, or perhaps the Atlas Mountains: ancient organic stone buildings, narrow muddy alleys, livestock, high peaks, and of course the medieval Svan towers that reach their apogee here. I didn't think I'd be able to get up here, but it was relatively simple - a two hour mashrutka journey through stunning villages and landscapes until the road gives way to a bone-shaking dirt track above the Enguri gorge. I'd watched the film 'Dede' (set in Ushguli) the night before, so it was all rather exciting as we drove up the higher valley with the stupendous 5100m wall of Shkhara (Georgia's highest peak) just emerging from the mist at the valley's end. On either side of the upper village (there are four tiny hamlets up here) were two peaks. The driver then told us we had longer in the village than I'd expected, so suddenly an enormous potential bonus presented itself - perhaps I could get up a peak in this stunning location. I had no details but the right-hand (northerly) mountain looked the most feasible, with a ridge leading to the summit (unlike the enormously bulky mountain opposite). I walked through the atmospheric alleys of the upper village (although this is the most touristy of the four), and spied a path off to the right. This did indeed lead up the obvious forepeak, and after a steep haul, to my delight it seemed to continue up to the grassy ridge. It was perfect: a notable peak, very obvious from the village, in the most wonderful imaginable location - an excellent addition to the '50@50'. I trotted up the ridge, with wild views down to the right, Zeshko, and the Russian border - completely wild and uninhabited. To the left, the trekkers valley up to the Shkhara glacier. The peak itself kept emerging then disappearing, as well (perhaps) as Dykh-Tau beyond. Once or twice, it peeked through a hole in dark clouds - absolutely stunning, reminding me of the cinematography in 'Dede'. I left my sac below the much steeper summit cone (still grassy). This necessitated a detour contouring right to gain the final summit ridge, which was broad and led to a large cairn. Fabulous views, despite the cloud and mist, with grassy ridges in the foreground and savage ice peaks beyond. On the descent, which was quick and easy, wonderful views over Ushguli and its valley. I then had plenty of time to wander round all the villages - the bottom two are entirely undeveloped, still in their original medieval state. The top one has some modest cafes, at one of which I enjoyed a beer with ojakhuri (pork, chicken, chilli, butter, potatoes). Later, I had ostri and chvistari after the bumpy return to Mestia.
Ushguli is off the scale, a truly stunning location - Europe's highest settlement (if you think this is Europe, that is). Points of comparison in my own experience are the remoter parts of Nepal, or perhaps the Atlas Mountains: ancient organic stone buildings, narrow muddy alleys, livestock, high peaks, and of course the medieval Svan towers that reach their apogee here. I didn't think I'd be able to get up here, but it was relatively simple - a two hour mashrutka journey through stunning villages and landscapes until the road gives way to a bone-shaking dirt track above the Enguri gorge. I'd watched the film 'Dede' (set in Ushguli) the night before, so it was all rather exciting as we drove up the higher valley with the stupendous 5100m wall of Shkhara (Georgia's highest peak) just emerging from the mist at the valley's end. On either side of the upper village (there are four tiny hamlets up here) were two peaks. The driver then told us we had longer in the village than I'd expected, so suddenly an enormous potential bonus presented itself - perhaps I could get up a peak in this stunning location. I had no details but the right-hand (northerly) mountain looked the most feasible, with a ridge leading to the summit (unlike the enormously bulky mountain opposite). I walked through the atmospheric alleys of the upper village (although this is the most touristy of the four), and spied a path off to the right. This did indeed lead up the obvious forepeak, and after a steep haul, to my delight it seemed to continue up to the grassy ridge. It was perfect: a notable peak, very obvious from the village, in the most wonderful imaginable location - an excellent addition to the '50@50'. I trotted up the ridge, with wild views down to the right, Zeshko, and the Russian border - completely wild and uninhabited. To the left, the trekkers valley up to the Shkhara glacier. The peak itself kept emerging then disappearing, as well (perhaps) as Dykh-Tau beyond. Once or twice, it peeked through a hole in dark clouds - absolutely stunning, reminding me of the cinematography in 'Dede'. I left my sac below the much steeper summit cone (still grassy). This necessitated a detour contouring right to gain the final summit ridge, which was broad and led to a large cairn. Fabulous views, despite the cloud and mist, with grassy ridges in the foreground and savage ice peaks beyond. On the descent, which was quick and easy, wonderful views over Ushguli and its valley. I then had plenty of time to wander round all the villages - the bottom two are entirely undeveloped, still in their original medieval state. The top one has some modest cafes, at one of which I enjoyed a beer with ojakhuri (pork, chicken, chilli, butter, potatoes). Later, I had ostri and chvistari after the bumpy return to Mestia.
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