DJmotortouring – Page 42 – EUROPE BY ROAD (and other travel blogs)

Shkoder, Albania (Legjenda) – Dec 2017

I’ve already posted a blog today, about my rather wet escapade up to the Rozafa Fortress, and I think I mentioned too that I was going back to the Legjenda Bar & Restaurant to eat this evening? So pleased that I went back.

The welcome I received upon my return was wonderful (and wholly out of proportion to what I spent last night – bless them). Once again, the food and drink was very good. This evening, however, I was joined by the proprietor, Linda, and (for a short period) her husband who in addition to being a co-owner of the Legjenda and it’s accompanying camp site is the artist and inspiration behind a great deal of what sets this business apart.

Slow-witted that I am I didn’t realise until this evening that the name of the bar-restaurant “Legjenda” has a direct correlation with the “legend” of Rozafa / Rosafa whom I wrote about in my last blog. In addition to providing a bit of a history lesson on Shkoder and the Rozafa Fortress and life under communist rule (Linda is a history teacher by profession) and giving me bags of advice as to where else I need to go to maximise my time in Albania, Linda explained that much of the art work in the restaurant is influenced by the Rosafa legend and it is all her husband’s own work.

I’m sure I don’t need to repeat the story but I’ll explain it anyway. I think his art is wonderful:-

The brothers working to build a fortress for protection and the beautiful Rosafa at home with her newborn

The fortress walls keep collapsing (that’s Linda’s husband, the artist, sitting there)

That’s the brothers receiving advice from the wise man and then, jumping ahead, there’s the wives of the two elder brothers plotting against Rosafa

That’s Rosafa sealing her fate, delivering the lunch, and then there is a sculpture of Rosafa immured in the wall (you may think differently but I think he’s a better painter than sculptor but ten out of ten for artist’s impression). I’d be interested in Clare Dedic’s view on that one?

Lovely evening. Finished with a large raki (complements of the house).

I was going to move south to Durres tomorrow but there are still things I want to see here and the weather forecast is good tomorrow.

Shkoder (previously Scutari), Albania – Dec 2017

Well, the weather forecast was so bad today (thunder, lightning, torrential rain & hail) I decided to sit tight in Shkoder… and that is what I should have done!

Somebody in the taverna last night suggested that the Rozafa Fortress is worth a visit and late this afternoon, like a wally, I thought I would take advantage of a break in the bad weather and visit the fortress which is very close. I mean, how long can such a heavy storm continue? Needless to say, with the weather as bad as it is there was no one else up there.

The fortress is in ruins and the only possible shelter was locked for the winter and so when the bad weather resumed (which it did as I approached the furthermost point of the Fortress) I was well and truly caught. It was bad and more than a little disconcerting with the thunder banging and cracking at the same time as the lightning flashed. I think the storm was right above me. Not nice. All I could do was hunker down and wait it out and thank the heavens I was wearing my Paramo jacket. I wished I had the Paramo trousers on too because the Craghoppers were rubbish – sodden in seconds. Anyway, I’m back at the Van now drying out while I write this blog.

I managed to get a few photos before the heavens opened but they are not amongst my best:-

First photo is looking back down the route up to the fortress and the second is the view down over one of either the Bojana or Drin Rivers. Whichever river it is, it has burst it’s banks. No surprise there with this storm.

First photo is of some of the fortress walls. The second is a photo of what was a 13th century church, St Stephen’s, built inside the fortress and which was subsequently converted into a mosque when the Ottoman’s took the fortress from the Venetians

Apparently, there has been a fortress of some sort on this site since the Bronze Age some 4,000 years ago but it really came to the fore in 167 bc when the Romans took it from the Illyrians. Since then it has changed hands many times with most of the current fortifications having been built by the Venetians.

Local legend has it that it was 3 brothers who first started work on a fort here but the walls kept falling down. They turned to a wise man for advice and he counselled that they should offer up a human sacrifice to be interred in the walls. The brothers argued long and hard about whom to sacrifice and ultimately agreed that whichever of their wives brought them lunch the next day would have to be the sacrifice and/but that the wives should not be told of this decision – fate would determine which wife should be sacrificed. The two elder brothers reneged and told their wives of the plan and they in turn made sure the youngest brother’s wife delivered the lunches. The young girl, Rosafa by name, was subsequently interred in the walls and that is how the fortress came to receive its name. It is sad but it is only legend.

The legend continues to the effect that Rosafa had a newborn child and as she was being immured she pleaded that the brothers leave sufficient holes in the wall such that she could see and continue to feed her infant son. It seems a bit far fetched but there is another photo:-

Anyway, enough of that. It is time I put on some dry clothes and went for dinner. I ate in the Legjenda Bar Restaurant last night and it was very good and I promised to return.

Legjenda Restaurant, complete with log fire. I’ll be next to that this evening

…and last night’s dinner which was wild boar and two small carafes of local red wine (all for 12 euros)

post script – it seems today’s storms were the heaviest the Adriatic has seen since 1986 – I believe it!

Bar, Montenegro – Dec 2017

Yes, I had to move last night. The donkeys didn’t let up with their braying but, I think the next beach along was nicer anyway. It was certainly quieter.

I spent the evening in the Van with a bottle of red wine considering my next move. There was Zabljak (outstanding scenery even by local standards up in the north east of Montenegro) with a current air temperature -6 or; Podgorica (the Capital of Montenegro with it’s attendant culture), current air temperature +1 or; Ulcinj (40 km further south) at +13. No brainer.

The alternative beach – good decision

After an early breakfast I set off for Ulcinj but halted en route at a small city on the coast called Bar. Bar has an Old Town (Stari Bar) but otherwise it is a mostly modern city, unattractive and not at all appealing, except that it has a most amazing looking Eastern Orthodox Cathedral – the Cathedral of St John Vladimir – which you cannot help but notice as you drive through the city. I parked up for a better look.

This is a new cathedral constructed between 2009 and 2012 and with the building being consecrated as recently as 2016 but there is a story to this place. The communist authorities had not allowed the building of an orthodox church in Bar because they consider religion of any kind an ideological enemy but, in 1979 a rather intrepid local priest, Bogic Femic, was not to be deterred and he started campaigning for the construction of such a church to be built in a prime location in the city. For 2 years he campaigned (organising mass protests and even going on a hunger strike) and in 1981 after numerous protests and, most important, persuading more than half the city’s population (including several Roman Catholics and Muslims) to sign a petition in favour of the church, he won the day and was given more than 2 hectares in the city centre upon which to build. Because of the prevailing bureaucracy and a lack of funds it would still be some time before his dream was realised but the finished cathedral is amazing and quite unlike any other I have seen:-

The main door to the cathedral is beautifully detailed but once you pass through the doors…

… it is exquisite. It is one that will give the Roman Catholics a run for their money.

Ulcinj was a disappointment. The journey took me down a rather narrow street that turned into a cul-de-sac because the local drivers couldn’t find any parking and simply dumped their cars to go shopping. This happened twice and, believe me, it is not easy turning the Van around in such confined places. I gave up.

For all it’s natural beauty (and it does have some magnificent scenery) I will not be sorry to leave Montenegro. The standard of driving is without a doubt the worst I have encountered anywhere in the world – and that includes many countries in the Middle East, the Indian sub-continent and Newcastle upon Tyne. It was a particular nightmare just south of Ulcinj, on the road to Albania. There had been a landslide of sorts and much of an already narrow road was lost. Road-workers were doing their best to make good the road and that required setting up a traffic light system to regulate the traffic over a 2-3 kilometre stretch of road that was very unstable and had very few places where vehicles could pass. The locals simply ignore such traffic lights preferring to risk life and limb and trusting more to luck than judgement when passing oncoming traffic. I was glad to get off that road in one piece.

Surely the driving in Albania will not be as bad?!?

Kotor, Montenegro – Dec 2017

This is going to have to be a relatively brief blog because I am having too much trouble with the wifi where I am parked up.

I made it to Montenegro this morning. The crossing from Croatia was straightforward and quick. I’d been told to expect a long delay driving into Montenegro but there were just two cars in the queue at the checkpoint and they both went through during the three or four minutes it took me to obtain a green (insurance) card for the Van. I followed moments later.

First thoughts as to Montenegro – the views are as good as any I have seen during this tour but, of course, I have a passion for mountains and water and here in Montenegro there are plenty of large mountains right alongside the sea…

The views as I drove south towards Kotor and then Petrovac were stunning (but, like I said, I have a thing about water and mountains)

I’m currently parked up on the beach at Petrovac na Moru which is I think about 30+ km south of Kotor.

Petrovac is the small town to the left of the first photo. I’m parked up on the next (deserted) beach along from Petrovac – see second photo. I may move; I can put up with the sound of the sea but there are two donkeys tethered about 100 yards away from the Van and they haven’t stopped braying for the last 20 minutes

I drove through Kotor earlier today and I had it in mind to spend the night there but ultimately decided against it. I’m disappointed about that because I was very keen to get up to the old fortress high above the town. The view from there is supposed to be one of the best in Montenegro.

At first sight Kotor would appear to have everything Dubrovnik has and more. It’s setting is tremendous. It sits on the calmest sea (the map below perhaps explains why the sea is so calm here) with the magnificent Mt Lovcen providing an excellent backdrop. As a town it appears to have as many places of interest (although I cannot for the life of me understand why there should be a “Cat’s Museum” – I gave that one a miss) and the Old Town has considerably more character than it’s counterpart in Dubrovnik.

What let Kotor down for me, however, was the number of tourists. I was advised that Kotor is Dubrovnik without the commercialism and the tourists. It was mobbed (far worse than Dubrovnik). So here I am in Petrovac.

As was mentioned previously, the views during the drive round the Gulf of Kotor were beautiful and I stopped on a number of occasions to take photos. The church sitting on the small island in the second photo above is “Our Lady of the Rocks”. According to legend the island was made by Croat fishermen who (after finding an icon of Madonna and Child on a small pile of rocks in the sea and then seeing a very sick fisherman recover after he touched the icon) swore an oath that upon returning from each successful voyage they would add a rock to the original pile. Subsequently, old boats were filled with stones and sunk at the same spot until there was an island large enough to build the church on. The practise of adding stones after a successful voyage continues to this day.

Dubrovnik, Croatia – Dec 2017

Today was always going to be a chill day and so it proved. The morning and early afternoon were about enjoying a late (light) breakfast (while the busload of Chinese tourists who arrived at the hotel late last night finished their breakfast and checked out); then ambling into Dubrovnik Old Town for a walk around the city walls and lanes and; finally, a few beers and some lunch in a seaside tavern while watching the world go by. Late afternoon was about ambling back to the hotel; then going for a swim in the pool and; finally, a one hour massage which was scheduled for 5pm. Tonight, I don’t know yet.

To start with I was ambivalent about walking the walls. However, by the time I reached the Old Town, the streets were packed with tourists and the comparatively empty walls suddenly looked very appealing.

Walls were empty and there are 2 km of them. That’s Fort Minceta in the first photo.

So, what about Dubrovnik? Three thoughts come immediately to mind. Firstly, it’s a tourist destination where the majority of locals have sold up and/or converted their property for tourist purposes – less than 500 people now permanently reside in the Old Town and as a consequence, whilst there is much to look at, the place seems to have little or no soul. Secondly, it’s very busy – in the summer it will become packed not least because the med cruises alone will bring in another 1 million plus tourists and I was told yesterday that the city is once again considering capping the number of people who will be able to enter the Old Town at any given time. Thirdly, it’s expensive – even out of season the prices in the Old Town are ridiculously high (e.g. 20 euros to walk around the city walls and a further 17 euros if you want to go into the city wall museum and; you’ll find it difficult to get a small beer for less than 5 euros).

On the other hand, it is one of the most magnificent medieval walled cities anywhere in the world with the most amazing views out to sea and, for the last two days, the most magnificent sunsets I have ever seen. The Old Town is wholly pedestrianised, packed solid with charming lanes and intriguing old buildings and museums and I could spend hours walking around. Indeed, I must have walked the “Stradun”, the main thoroughfare of the Old Town, eight times today because I didn’t want to miss anything. Having said that, it’s the kind of place I would be equally happy just sitting in the sun with a beer or wine, gazing out to sea. I did that too for a good hour.

Views were stunning

I think it is the kind of place you have to make your own mind up about. So far as I am concerned, two more thoughts come to mind – Dazzling and Bewitching.

I’ve been told about a place further south, in Montenegro, called Kotor. It is supposed to be like Dubrovnik but without the tourists. Now that has to be worth a visit.

Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina to Dubrovnik, Croatia – Dec 2017

Today was about the journey from Bosnia (Mostar) back to Croatia (Dubrovnik).

I could have completed the journey in a little over 2 hours but I decided to take my time. I checked out the various options on Google and then chose the most time consuming, circuitous route available; the logic being I would see more and perhaps see something different. To start with there were no problems and a very reasonable road took me into historic Stolac…

Looking up at Old Stolac from the road; looking down on “new” Stolac from Old Stolac and; the main gate into Old Stolac

… but then the Van and I went “off piste”.

The roads narrowed, became almost tracks in some parts, and we went over and around various hills with hairpin bends and silly drops to the side and, yes, there were times when I don’t know what I would have done had I met a vehicle coming from the opposite direction but, it was great. It was totally unlike the trip from Krk when the Bora was blowing.

The views were magnificent. I stopped countless times (usually in the middle of the road, there was so little traffic) and just marvelled at the beauty of the countryside. I saw more people than cars; the odd farmer or forester ambling along the road going from who knows what to who knows where but, women mostly, so many women trying to sell long strings of garlic by the roadside. Who they could sell to I really don’t know. I felt so sorry for them I was tempted to stop and buy a string but, come on, it would take me forever to use them and in the meantime what would the Van smell like?!?

The road out of Mostar and what amounts to congestion

One of the better “B” roads but just look at the view

The one sad aspect of the journey was the all too frequent reminders of the Croat-Bosniak conflict. Both in Stolac and in the most remote villages there was tangible evidence of the atrocities and; so many plaques by the roadside in remembrance of Christians and Moslems, civilians for the most part, lost and/or murdered in that war. I lived in Aberdeen at the time, consumed with my career and coming to terms with parenthood (and the accompanying financial difficulties) and/but as happy as I ever was. It is scary and sad that I had no real idea or interest regarding Bosnia.

Moving on…

All too soon I had crossed the border into Croatia and was driving the last leg along the Adriatic Coast.

One of the first sights of the Adriatic Sea after Bosnia; the Franjo Tudman Bridge by Dubrovnik

I resisted the urge to stop at every lay by to take photos of the remarkable sea views and in due course the Van was parked up and I was settled into my next hotel (I know that staying in another hotel so soon after Mostar goes against the ethos of what I’m supposed to be doing with this tour but, I got a really good deal – a four star hotel with swimming pool, spa, breakfast and taxes included for just thirty quid a night) … and just take a look at the sunset I enjoyed over my beers:-

More of Dubrovnik tomorrow.

Blagaj, Bosnia-Herzegovina – Dec 2017

Weather forecasters got it spot on. It’s bright and sunny and will remain so for a few days.

Took a brief walk around Mostar Old Town immediately after breakfast. It looks nicer in the sunshine and I took a couple of photos but my priority today is to visit Blagaj (pronounced blag eye).

That’s the Stari Most under a lovely blue sky

Blagaj is a village-town some 18 km from Mostar which sits at the Vrelo Bune (i.e. the Spring of the Buna River although to call the Vrelo Bune a spring seems a serious understatement). The Vrelo Bune is one of the strongest karst springs in Europe and it jets enormously large quantities of extremely pure crystal clear cold water up and out through a cave at the foot of a 240 metre cliff wall to form an immediately deep and powerful river that later feeds the Neretna. It is very impressive.

The Ottoman Sultan, Selim I, thought so too as in the early 16th century he commissioned a small Dervish Monastery (the Blagaj Tekke) to be built there. The monastery is tucked away under the cliff wall overlooking the cave mouth and it is perfectly preserved. I was going to say that the Blagaj Tekke is also impressive but it is more than that. I had it to myself today and it is an almost spiritual place – more to be felt than seen. Reading that back, I perhaps need to slow down on the wine!

The cliff with the Blagaj Tekke sheltered underneath it

The cave mouth giving rise to the Buna River and a close up of Bagaj Tekke

Closer still to the Bagaj Tekke. The number of photos I take through windows, I wonder whether I am developing voyeuristic tendencies. I suppose it is okay as all of mine are photos out of the windows and not in. I like the ceiling.

I took a taxi to Blagaj and although I felt at the time that the cost was not prohibitive (20 euros for a 18 km ride), I’m wondering if I was ripped off. A really good two course dinner last night with wine cost about 8 euros and the bus fare coming back from Blagaj to Mostar was just 1 euro. Bloody cab drivers – same all over the world.

Another reason for taking the bus is that I could sit outside in the sun waiting for it…

There’s the bus stop – that blue and white sign

Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina – Dec 2017

Despite the Croat-Bosniak war ending 22+ years ago, war damage is still very much in evidence across the city (several buildings ready to be torn down and many more riddled with small arms fire). Also, there is clearly still tension in the city between the two factions, not helped I suspect by the Croat General Slobodan Praljak committing suicide last Wednesday after his sentence for war crimes (committed mostly in and around Mostar) was upheld. A significant number of Croats want to honour Praljak which is upsetting the local Muslim population. Having said that I am finding the people here, Christian and Muslim alike, as friendly as any I have met during this tour. In less than 24 hours, so many have gone out of their way to help make my stay more enjoyable that this promises to be nothing other than a good visit.

The weather forecast was not good today but is excellent for the remainder of the week and I therefore decided this would be a chill day and I would limit my activities to a long walk around the city and to finding a good restaurant for this evening.

Mostar sits on the Neretva River and it’s most famous landmark is a 16th century Ottoman bridge known as the Stari Most which spans the river in the Old Town. The bridge was totally destroyed during the war but rebuilt in 2004. In the summer months the locals dive from its high point of 79 feet.

I spent a couple of hours wandering around looking for the best spot to photograph the bridge even ‘though the weather was not really conducive to good photographs. If nothing else the search allowed me to see all there is of the Old Town.

Two views of the Stari Most from the south and …

…two views of the Stari Most from the north. The latter two photos were taken from the minaret on the Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque

The Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque is the only mosque I have come across that allows visitors access both into the prayer area and to the top of it’s minaret. The attendant there (to my shame I have forgotten his name) was so very informative, telling me amongst other things that this 17th century mosque was also totally destroyed in the war but was reconstructed in 2001 with financial support from Turkey.

First photo is of the KM-P from the Stari Most; the second is a closer view of the minaret I ascended and; the third is of the inside of the mosque showing both the Mihrab (the apse in the wall which as well as facing Mecca is designed to reflect the Imam’s voice back to the people praying behind him) and the Minber (like a pulpit and used to deliver sermons on congregational prayer days such as the two Eids)

A close up of the Stari Most

I’ve gone on a little too much about the Stari Most and the KM-P. I’ll try and take some night time photos when I go for dinner. In the meantime here’s a few other photos of the Old Town which you’ll notice is all cobbled streets:-

I like the first photo. It is the kind of place that Hobbits(es) would stay at if they were to ever visit Mostar

postscript: Would you believe it? The “Hobbits Place” is actually a restaurant, the Konoba Taurus, that was recommended to me as a place to go for dinner (and I did)…

That’s the Konoba Taurus with the windows all lit up. There’s also a night picture of the Stari Most…

… and, finally, the “Don’t Forget Stone” that stands on the Stari Most as a reminder to all and sundry about the war.

Stobrec, Croatia to Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina – Dec 2017

I really like Split. Indeed, up until half way through breakfast this morning I was undecided as to whether to move on or stay another day. The other options were a 140 mile drive down to Dubrovnik (mostly motorway and could be done in a little over 2 hours) or, a ferry across to Ancona in the Marche Region of Italy (I have to get real and start looking for a house sometime) or, a hop across the border into Bosnia. Bosnia won. I’d like to see Sarajevo but if there’s too much snow in the mountains I’ll settle for Mostar and Blagaj, weather permitting.

Before I left Croatia there was time for both a last stroll around the bay at Stobrec and an hour or two up at Klis (pronounced Cleese, as in John Cleese) which is only a 25 minute drive from Split.

Last night’s view of Stobrec from the campsite bar. Upon leaving the bar I met a Mrs Yun from South Korea who with her husband are taking their 3 children on an extended caravan tour of Europe via Russia. They started last May with ferries from South Korea to Japan and then Russia but have since driven across Russia and all around Europe (with the Isle of Skye being their favourite). Good for them. Pil sung!

The visit to Klis was all about a trip to the hillside fortress of Klis which holds a spectacular position high up in the rock face overlooking Split and much of the Dalmatian Coast. The fortress is steeped in history and dates back to at least the 7th Century, changing hands countless times in numerous wars but it is now probably best known as having been the setting for Mereen, one of the three great city states captured by Daenerys Targaryen (she who is “Queen of Mereen, Mother of Dragons, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, etc”) in the TV series of “Game of Thrones”.

I believe the views in the first two photos figured prominently in Game of Thrones.

I seem to have developed a thing about taking photos through windows. Some of the views (drops) were amazing

In the second photo, Split can be seen in the distance

Crossing the border into Bosnia was a straight forward affair although once again the Croatian authorities (and those in Bosnia too) was very thorough in terms of checking passports. At the crossing I had to buy additional motor insurance (it seems British insurance companies rarely extend their cover to Bosnia) but it took no more than 5 minutes and cost just 20 euros. I had been told previously that it’s best not to enquire about the extent of the insurance cover; so I didn’t. At least I remain legal.

Bosnian roads do not look that good (and feel even worse) and the motorway to Mostar that I joined at the border crossing petered out quite literally in less time than it took me to pay the toll money. It was hardly worth joining the motorway but this is a poor country that never received the investment that Croatia once did from the West. I’m looking forward to this part of the tour but I suspect it will be very different from all of the other places visited so far.

More about Bosnia over the next couple of days. Right now I am checking into Mostar’s second finest hotel (the best hotel cannot accommodate the Van) with a view to spoiling myself again. Bath, pool, sauna, massage…

Split, Marjan Hill – Dec 2017

Today rates as one of the best days of the tour, my primary objectives being to (i) revisit Diocletian’s Palace and; (ii) walk up the Marjan Hill for it’s supposedly spectacular views of Split and; (iii) eat a small tub of fritules (not unlike little Rum Baba’s that the Wimpy Burger chain used to sell). All three objectives were accomplished but the Marjan Hill really stood out for me.

I was on the 25 bus into Split shortly after 7.30 am and had walked, I think, every aspect of the Palace before most of Split had finished their first cup of coffee at work. I’m not saying I have seen everything of the Palace. It is one of those places that you will see something different no matter how many times you go. What is unusual about this site compared with others is that it is open to the public and available throughout the year to walk and touch- it seems a bizarre way of preserving such treasures. I took far too many photos but will include just a few otherwise this will look more like a photo album than a blog.

There’s a bust of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, a local boy made good, who made life seriously uncomfortable for the Christians. The second photo is of the Peristyle (a garden porch that leads into what were his living quarters) and the third a bit of artistic detail from the Peristyle which caught my eye.

Much of the Palace is still being used. The first photo is of one of two parts of the Palace that were converted into scenes for the TV mini-series “Game of Thrones”. The other two photos show areas that are currently used as an indoor market

It is ironic that within 300 years of Diocletian dying, his sarcophagus was destroyed by Christians and his Palace Mausoleum converted into the Sveti Duje or Cathedral of St Domnius, Domnius being one of many who were martyred during Diocletian’s persecution of the Christians.

The Bell Tower of the Cathedral of St Domnius standing proudly alongside the Peristyle

The real surprise today was the Marjan Hill. It made my day because it proved to be more than just a place to enjoy “spectacular views of Split”.

Because I had seen all I needed to see of the Palace before 9 am, there was sufficient time to walk around the Marjan peninsula and ascend the hill from the rear (instead of taking the more direct approach from the marina). The walk around the peninsula was noticeable for the scent of oranges (fully ripe later this month) and for great views out to sea but it was the walk up the back of the hill through the Mediterranean Pine Forest that was special.

The ascent was easy; very gradual with excellent paths and requiring minimal effort to reach the first of the two summits on the 178m hill. For most of the way I walked the old road which, at least during the low season, is restricted to pedestrians and cyclists. The views out to sea and across to Trogir improved as height was gained but the real interest was on the inside against Marjan’s steep cliff faces.

View across to Trogir during the ascent

There are a number of hermit caves and small churches dotted around the south side of the hill (with the most interesting being the 15th century church of St Jerome) which you would miss altogether unless ascending the hill from the rear. I took a video of St Jerome (posted on Facebook earlier today) which says it all. Also, the sheer cliffs on the south side and to the rear of the hill (many with significant overhangs) appear to offer excellent climbing. I sat for an hour watching in awe as a couple of free climbers went to work on those cliffs.