Blue Eye of Theth

The Blue Eye of Theth, distinct from the better-known one near Saranda, is a pool in the bed of the Shala river high in the Albanian Alps, where water emerges very cold and very clear and collects in a basin of pale rock, taking on a deep blue-green in the light. Above and below it the stream runs in a series of smaller pools and cascades over smooth stone. Getting there is the substance of the day: about three hours on foot from Theth up the valley, or a shorter but still rough approach from Nderlysaj lower down, with the last stretch on a path beside the water. The water is close to freezing and swimming is brief. The valley is steep-sided with beech and pine and almost no development.

What you actually see

• A deep blue-green pool - cold water in a basin of pale rock.
• Cascades above and below - the stream stepping through smooth stone.
• The Shala valley walk - three hours up from Theth through the mountains.
• Near-freezing water - the temperature that limits swimming to seconds.

When to go

June to September; the valley is inaccessible in snow. A full day from Theth. Early starts avoid both heat and the crowds that arrive by transfer from Nderlysaj. Water is highest in early summer.

Honest expectations

It is a long walk with rough sections and the shorter approach still involves a rough track and a fee. The water is genuinely freezing. It has become busy and the pool is crowded at midday in August. There are no facilities beyond a seasonal stall.

Nearby

Theth village is down the valley; the Grunas waterfall lies below it.