Rumija

Rumija is the mountain that separates the Adriatic from Lake Skadar, a long limestone ridge running above Bar and Ulcinj and topping out at 1,595 metres. It is not high by Montenegrin standards, but its position makes it exceptional: from the summit the sea, the lake, the peaks of the Albanian Alps and, on clear days, the plain around Shkodra are all in view at once, a combination very few single points in the country can offer. The mountain has been a meeting place far longer than it has been a hiking destination. Every year on Trojičindan, the feast of the Holy Trinity, a procession carries a cross to the summit, a tradition kept for centuries by Orthodox, Catholic and Muslim families from the villages on both flanks and one of the more remarkable examples of shared custom anywhere in the Balkans. A small metal chapel was placed on the top in 2005 and has been argued over ever since. Walking on Rumija changes as you climb. The lower slopes are Mediterranean, with olive terraces, maquis, holm oak and the smell of wild herbs in the heat, and these give way to beech and open grassland along the ridge. Routes start from the villages above Bar and Sutomore on the coastal side and from Livari and other hamlets on the Skadar side, ranging from a steady half-day to a long full day, and several old mule paths and stretches of the historic road over the mountain are still walkable. It suits reasonably fit walkers rather than casual strollers: the ascent is long, there is very little water on the ridge, and the karst offers almost no shade. Spring and autumn are the sensible seasons, when temperatures are manageable and visibility is at its best; midsummer is punishing on the south-facing slopes, and winter can bring snow and cloud to the top. Start early and carry everything you need.