Here the borders of Montenegro, Kosovo and Albania meet in the Prokletije, the Accursed Mountains, a rugged range of limestone peaks that rises above two thousand metres and is among the wildest country in the Balkans. The label uses the Albanian name for a stream, Lumi i Gashit, the river of Gashi, and the nearest places on the Montenegrin side are Plav and Gusinje, where Albanians and Bosniaks make up a large share of the population. Plav sits on a glacial lake, a cold, clear body of water ringed by high peaks, with a small mosque, an old Ottoman tower house and a quiet lakeshore promenade.
The mountains here have a reputation for being harsh. The name Prokletije may come from a Slavic word for accursed, or from the Albanian bjeshket e nemuna, the mountains of the damned, and both reflect how difficult the terrain was for travellers. Blood feuds, clan law and the Kanun of Lek Dukagjini shaped life in these mountains for centuries, and traces of that old order remain in the stone towers, the hospitality and the sense of honour. The valleys, however, are green and open, with orchards, meadows and clear streams, and the villages of Vusanje and Grebaje are gateways to some of the best hiking in the Balkans.
The riding is fine, if rough in places. Roads wind along valleys and over passes, with tight bends, patchy asphalt and unmarked drops. The route east towards Pec, in Kosovo, climbs over a high pass, and the border crossing requires proper documents and insurance, so check the requirements beforehand. Snow lingers on the upper slopes until June, and thunderstorms in the afternoon can be fierce. Autumn, with the beech forests turning gold, is the best season.
Plav, eighteen kilometres away, has fuel, shops and cafes, and larger services are in Pec and Decan across the border. Expect coffee, strong and served with a glass of water, and in the villages, fresh bread, cheese and honey. Visitors who show respect and patience are warmly welcomed, and a few words of the local language go a long way.