Although New Dukat (Dukat i Ri), the conclusion of this walk, is not as fascinating as some of the other villages I?ve visited, the paths along the foothills of the Resa i Kanelit range of mountains are worth exploring. If you take route B, which is the slightly longer option you get a glimpse of life on some of the many smallholdings along the route to Dukat. The simpler route A is quicker and easy but a bit regular.
Path by Hassan Puolo School
Dukat walk details
Length: ~14km both ways
Time required: 3-4hrs
Difficulty: easy, see the Disclaimer
Things to take: good walking shoes, plenty of water, food, sun cream, sun glasses
Similar walks:
Radhime walk
Orikum Circular Lagoon and Marmiroi
Tragjas walk
Walk across Karaburun peninsula
Gjipe walk
The start of both, like our walks to the Church of Marmiroi (Kisha Marmoi) and the lagoon (see the Orikum page) is the modern single story Hasan Puolo school just behind the Bashkia building. The path to the west side of the school takes you past smallholdings and homes.
Rent apartment in Albanian Riviera
Carry on about 1.5 KM past about 7 or so farm houses on the right , which are gradually being added to and extended , until you reach the last but one turn off road on the left. There?s a new concrete footbridge across the dyke. This marks the evocatively named Karabarun road.
The path continues as a dirt track for about 1KM then becomes a rigid stone road, it could easily be Roman because it is dead straight but I tend to think it?s 1950?s Hoxha, built by poor work gangs who must have sweated in the summer months to build it. The road crosses cultivated fields either side.
The Karabarun road continues more or less uninterrupted until you reach Dukat,with one or two slight moves to the side.
After about 3.5 KM you should spot a new stone barn on the left . The junction ahead is the Rruga Ferruni, this asphalt road runs left to the National Highway and right to the Rruga Kanali which takes you back to Orikum by the foothills route if you?ve had enough by now.
We want to carry on across the Ferruni to rejoin the Karabarun road which continues in it?s solid way past fields and the odd farm building.
After another 1.5 KM it reaches the main road out of Dukat. Just a short step right and you should find Dukat?s new main street, a KM long, built with funds from The National Islamic Bank. It is surreal because there?s nothing built on most of it yet.
New concrete footbridge across the dyke leading to stony Karaburun road.
There are a few cafe bars in Dukat at the other end and as ever the people are welcoming but I found Old Dukat about 10KM further on, off the National Highway more appealing. Two hourly buses get you back to Orikum or if you walk up to the National Highway you could probably catch a furgon, there are some taxis who will probably spot you in Dukat i Ri, try old Dukat by taxi or bus if you have the time and energy.
Rigid stone road leading to Dukat
The walk back to Orikum offers fine views ahead as you work towards Karabarun peninsula together with the Kanelit range on your left.
The alternative walk B continues past the Rruga Karabarun and our concrete bridge towards Kisha Marmiroi and the dried up river bed we featured in our lagoon walk. Instead we cross the second bridge and take a left along a stone path which echoes the river, past the terrible illegal hill development .
This route is much prettier than A and you are more likely to meet people here. After 3.5 KM along the foothills of Kanelit, varied farms and fields, you should reach the Kanali/Ferruni junction. Take a left along the asphalt Ferruni Road and the next main turn off right is the stone Karabarun road which gets you to Dukat after about 1.5 KM.
Derek Smith October 2012
