Maja e Buzes së Gurthit - from Shemri to Mafsheq

We call 'Front Range' the chain of mountains that starts with Dajti Mountain east of Tirana, and continues to the north with Brar, Gomnit, Kruja, Rakshanit. All these mountains offer exceptional hiking, which we have described on hikr and elsewhere. Next in the chain is a mountain whose name is given as Maja e Buzes së Gurthit on the old Nato maps, with a height of 763 Meters. In the western foothills lies the village of Shemri, which can be reached on a rough road from Mamuras, preferably with a high clearance vehicle.

There are little used mule paths from Shemri to Mafsheq, a collection of homesteads behind the front range, that are otherwise difficult to reach.

We followed a beautiful path skirting the mountainside, with a plan to return in some sort of a loop. At the edge of Mafsheq, we first met one çoban (shepherd) who sent us in one direction, and then another who sent us in the opposite direction, both extolling their views that no other way would exist that would bring us safely home before nightfall. In the end, we returned the way we came, but resolved to come back to find a circular hike that would fully explore this beautiful area.