It’s only a couple of miles up the trail opposite Noravank (new monastery), Armenia’s top tourist draw, but it’s a steep zigzagging slog, especially in summer. Thankfully, the view from the vantage point is more than worth it.
Only from a distance is it possible to really take in the masterwork of the red stone monastery complex, comprising churches and chapels, and to appreciate the sheer remoteness of the cinnamon-hued canyon it sits in, dotted with honeycomb caverns – “nests for bears” as a local priest later told me. And once you’ve reached the top and come back down, on the road leading to Noravank there is a small cave cafe offering respite in the form of refreshing salads, thick cool madzoon (similar to yoghurt), fresh lavash bread and fizzy bottles of Jermuk, the famous local mineral water.
In Armenia, I came to the conclusion that no meal can compete with what is served to you after a good walk. The deep, primeval happiness and comfort when you finally sit down and eat is one of the most satisfying and pleasurable things in life. A hillside sandwich is one thing, an Armenian feast is next level.
For my new book, Green Mountains: Walking the Caucasus with Recipes, I spent a couple of months exploring Armenia’s towns, valleys and hills, doing what I could on foot, usually travelling with a walking partner and using a car to reach trailheads.
Before I started, I’d been given some warnings about walking in the Caucasus by a seasoned expat hiker. “Watch out for lightning storms, snakes and giant hogweed, which can give you terrible blisters and severe burns. And don’t get caught between a Caucasian shepherd dog and its flock.”
Keeping all that in mind, I began my Armenian explorations not far from Noravank, towards the south of the country, gradually making my way northwards, often picking walks – long and short, urban and rural – from the HikeArmenia app or choosing sections of the Transcaucasian trail.
Armenia might not boast the number of towering peaks of neighbouring Georgia – and the awesomeness of mountains such as Ushba, Tetnuldi or Kazbek up close cannot be denied – but there are fewer trekkers setting off here, and the sense of adventure is often greater. I didn’t pass another walker on several longer hikes, and that is priceless if it is peace that you seek out on the hills.
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