The last village on the winding road through the Kelmend region is Vermosh, set at 1100 metres above sea level in a wide alpine valley, 100km from Shkodra. The Limi river that runs though Vermosh in its wide, boulder-strewn bed is the only river in Albania draining north into the Danube and the Black Sea, rather than south into the Mediterranean. Vermosh is not as isolated as you'd think - the road crosses the Montenegrin border here, with the town of Plav just 20km away, and since the Kelmend road was upgraded, locals there can even reach their own capital Podgorica much faster using this route. The centre of this dispersed settlement could be said to be at Kisha e Shën Gjon Pagëzorit, St John's church, halfway up the valley. Covered by snow for a third of the year, Vermosh blossoms from May onwards, when it's just perfect for hiking and cycling. Paths lead up to forested hillsides, mountainsides full of fragrant herbs, high pastures and the 2000m-high Marlula peaks. Wildlife here includes Albania's elusive eagles and vultures, wolves, deer and brown bears.