Local charity, Inspire, and outdoor adventure specialists, BackStrong Adventures, have joined forces to offer intrepid, would-be explorers the opportunity to embark on a picturesque trekking adventure through the Accursed Mountains of northern Albania.
The week-long trip, which will raise funds for Inspire’s employability programme for people with learning disabilities and additional support needs - Inspire Academy - is set to take place in July 2017 and will see participants stray well off the beaten track through unspoiled areas of outstanding natural beauty.
The group will begin their adventure in Tirana, Albania’s trendy capital city, before travelling to Valbona via Shkodra and Lake Koman. The next few days will be spent trekking through the eastern Albanian Alps towards the magnificent Thethi, before taking in Mt. Arapit and the ‘Blue Eye Springs’ and eventually returning to Tirana.
Evenings will be spent enjoying home-made regional delicacies before retiring to traditional farmhouse style accommodation for some well-earned rest. The Accursed Mountains are both truly spectacular and virtually impenetrable except for a series of high passes that link the small number of farmsteads and homes in the valleys below to the outside world during the summer months, making this a truly special European trekking adventure.
An information evening for those interested in finding out more about the trip is being held at Café Coast & Meeting Rooms on Aberdeen’s Beach Boulevard from 6pm–8pm on Thursday, August 25. First-hand stories will be shared and there will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions.
Andrew Reid, community fundraiser at Inspire, states: “We’re excited to be teaming up with BackStrong Adventures to organise such an adventurous fundraising challenge. An overseas event has been missing from our fundraising calendar for a few years so we’re delighted to be able to bring this back in order to raise funds to continue running our employability programme, Inspire Academy.”
BackStrong Adventures founder Gillian Fowler said: “We are delighted to be working very closely with Inspire to help raise funds and awareness of their invaluable services to the community. This fundraising trek for July 2017 will offer an incredible experience to all participants, while they walk across the valleys deep in the mountains of Albania. Although the trek is challenging, participants will be rewarded with beautiful scenery and great hospitality throughout the whole week.”
Anyone who is interested in finding out more should contact Inspire on 01224 280 005 or visit www.inspireptl.org.uk.