Arithit and Tolla

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Arithit and Tolla

Summary: Mali i Arithit and Tolla do not just have a name that is easy to remember; a hike to both summits provides indeed for a memorable outing.

With just under the 2000 meters mark, at 1986 and 1976 meters respectively, they may not immediately attract attention. But Arithit (also called Mali i Bardhe, or the white mountain) and Tolla (also called Guri i Bylbylit) are of the white, karstic, limestone formation that contrasts much which the nearby red rock of the Micekut Mountains near Bulquize. Add to this the carefully kept grazing areas and – in springtime - the gurgling waters, meticulously maintained water channels and flower-strewn meadows, and you have quite a different experience from the wilderness of the Micekut Mountains.

It should be possible to walk to Arithit and on to Tolla from the village of Dushaj. Having climbed Maja e Kreshtes the day before, we opted to drive onward to one of the stans higher up, at an altitude of 1280 meters. This allowed us to comfortably hike Arithit and continue to Tolla without overstretching ourselves.

The summit of Arithit is hidden behind a false summit for most of the hike. Tolla has three nearby highpoints, of which the middle appears to be the actual summit. The hike from Arithit to Tolla (or back) takes about 50 minutes.

Arithit and Tolla provide a balcony from which to admire the Korab range, including Velivar and Krchin, to Diber in Macedonia, the Jabllanica range and Shebenik, the Micekut Mountains and Mali i Dejes.

Maximum altitude:	1986 meters
Minimum altitude:	1274 meter
Cumulative height:	893 meter
Cumulative length:	10.6 kilometer roundtrip
Difficulty	moderate
Time:	6.5 hours
Date of this record	June 2014
Download GPS info:	Arithit and Tolla

Drive to trailhead: The drive to the trailhead is not difficult to find. A high clearance vehicle is definitely needed. The trail is generally easy, but has some tricky spots.

Maximum altitude:	1387 meter
Minimum altitude:	664 meter
Cumulative height:	725 meter
Cumulative length:	12.5 kilometer
Difficulty	moderate
Time:	50 minutes
Date of this record	June 2014
Download GPS info:	Trailhead Arithit

General location and approach: Near Bulquize

Other Information: Accomodation is available in Bulquize (Shtepia Bardhë)

Arithit and Tolla (under the red letters) seen from Maja e Kreshtës, near Bulquize.

Arithit, or Maja e Bardhë. It is considered to be white mainly in contrast to the red rocks of the nearby Micekut Mountains.

On the hike towards Arithit. For a long while, one has the fasle summit in view.

The summit has the lines of rocks, put there to serve some unfathomable ideas of Enver Hoxha.

View from the summit of Arithit towards Tolla. Mali i Dejes in the distance (see separate trail).

Looking back from Tolla towards Dhoksit and Lopes mountain.

View towards Velivar and Krchin, along the border to Macedonia (see separate trails)

Near the trailhead - the intricate water channels that sometimes seem to make water flowing uphill.

GPS and trailmaps: The map and trailinformation is generated by

, based on GPS information collected from the actual hike. Waypoints can be downloaded to a GPS device from Wikiloc. If necessary, use GPSBabel to convert GPS data to different formats. For more hike descriptions by Palmtreetreeproduction, browse this website or visit Wikiloc and search for "Palmtreeproduction". You may also find nearby trails from other authors.

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