Few borderlands in the Balkans feel as folded and unhurried as the country around Peshkopi, in the Dibra mountains of north-eastern Albania. Across the frontier the same people are Macedonia's Dlaboka Reka, the Deep River, and the double name tells you the story: a Slavic and Albanian valley land cut through by a political line that locals still cross for weddings and markets. The Black Drin runs through the region, the great peaks of the Korab range stand along the border, and Mount Korab itself, at 2,764 metres, is the highest in both Albania and North Macedonia.
Peshkopi is the capital of Dibra county and the only real town for miles, a compact place of about fifteen thousand people with fuel, banks, cafes and a famous set of sulphur springs on the hillside nearby, where Albanians have taken the waters for generations. If you are crossing from the Macedonian side towards Mavrovo and Rostusa, treat Peshkopi as the last big refill; the villages beyond are small and the petrol stations scarce. Fill the tank when you can, and carry cash in lek or denars, since cards are a gamble in the hamlets.
The riding is the sort you remember. The roads wind along gorges and over ridgelines, with long climbs through beech and oak and open pasture above, and the surface varies from freshly laid asphalt to broken patches where a spring washout has been patched with gravel. Livestock use the road without apology, and a herd of goats can appear around any bend. Corners are generally medium and open, but tighten as the road drops into valleys. Spring brings snowmelt streams over the road, and winter makes the high passes difficult or impossible, so the months from May to October are the sensible window.
Culturally this is a conservative and hospitable part of the world. Wherever you stop, you will probably be offered coffee, or raki, or a plate of byrek. The old churches and mosques stand close together, a reminder that the valley has long been mixed in faith as well as language. Take your time, ask the way, and accept that the route may take longer than the map says.