We considered hitching to the main start of the Truso Valley walk. But unsure if we’d get a lift, and more concerning, a return lift with Corrie, I drove the 3.6 dirt track. I’m absolutely NOT doing any more dirt tracks … we lost a piece of the wheel arch on the return.
The walk itself was busy with people and 4×4 passing us. Note to self: if we want to get down another dirt track, we need to rent a car / and driver.
Along the valley are abandoned Ossetian villages. One guidebook warned there may be Georgian soldiers as it’s close to the South Ossetian border. We didn’t walk that far 😂
I left J at a cafe when the path had a sheer drop one side and I walked onto a thermal sulphur pool. The scenery is majestic.
Where we parkedTravertine terraces Abano Lake: I didn’t swim as I didn’t want to smell of sulphur
We drove onto Sno. And we hope it doesn’t Sno. Even more majestic mountains as we drove here.
Incredible colour – almost blue
We are parked up, just off the road (no dirt tracks) adjacent to the huge stone heads. I like a bit of the bizarre, but do they all have to be bearded men?
Nose picker!We wandered into Sno, drawn by the tower. I like the shabby architecture Evening view, with moon
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.
Steep and muddyDogwood berries, had to stop C consumingNo hooks 😢Monument of 300 Aragvians … lost their lives fighting Persians … quite a bizarre structure
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.
Ananuri Castle on Zinvala Reservoir. A tourist hotspotOld road heading … into water!
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.
70m of mosaic and 700 tourists. Tourists central with folk selling crap. And a coach load with blue and pink hoodies,all with ‘friends’ on the front. Friends as in TV series. No colours for non binary, gay etc. Views from the monument were stunning. And some expansive views (and sun) as we descended from the Jvari Pass 2,395m
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!
Dirt track I didn’t fancy and lorries coming up full of cattle Expecting 4C tonight. No heating on. I’m ok!
Clune Gap Years 