03/11/2025

The Military Highway. With stops. It connects Russia to Georgia. Was a main freight route until a railway along the Caspian Sea was built in 1883. Started life as a track. 800 Russian soldiers converted it to a carriage road in 1783.

The drive up was not as stunningly pretty as the drive up to Mestia, Svaneti, but the road was much less under construction, so easier. Although J may disagree … the overtaking on blind bends had our hearts in our mouths. Including a coach. Being right hand drive, as the passenger, he bore the brunt of cars and trucks coming round on our side. We only saw one accident.

Several stops en route.

Bodorna Church was 1.6km up a a seriously steep and muddy hill. But I promised J he would see hooks outside where they used to hang the sacrificial lamb. Sadly we couldn’t find the hooks, but the views were good.

We stopped to admire the Zhinvala Reservoir. Apparently protests prevented the level being higher and saved some ancient churches.

We elected not to go inside the Ananuri Castle to see its churches. Very attractive setting.

Everyone on the road stopped at the Georgian Russian friendship monument. Tourist central. 70m mosaic, created by Russia in 1983 to commemorate a treaty 200 years before. Quite how that worked with Soviet occupation … ???
But the views from there were staggering.

We considered driving 9k down a dirt track for a parking but saw a closed ski cable car so have sheltered from the winds in front of it. Expecting 4C tonight. Brr!