MARCH "ILINDEN 2006"

It was a very hot summer morning, July 29th, Saturday. We gathered at 9 o’clock in front of the church “Sv. Spas” of Skopje in order to take flowers to the grave of Goce Delcav. After that, we went in a van via Dracevo and the village of Kolicani to the place called Preslap, near the village of Crvena Voda on the mountain of Kitka. There was the starting point of our route. The marchBefore the start of the march had been organized by the PDS “Vasil Frangovaski- Ohis” and sponsored by the FPSM.
We were eight people in the group. There were three women: Lence form PSD Korab – Skopje, Stojanovska Svetlana coming form Struga, but being a member of the club “Gjorgji Naumov” from Bitola. The men were: Blagoj Petrusevski from PSD “Vasil Frangovski - Ohis” – Skopje (our guide and the organizer of this march), Aleksandar Leko from Ohrid, Gjoko – Gjole form PSD Korab – Skopje, Gjolev Gjore from Veles, and Kindalov Marjan form PD “Gjorgji Naumov” from Bitola. Our start was on a wide dusty road from Preslap, on a hot weather and with heavy rucksacks. After the first rest at the area of the weekend cottages near the road for village Aldinci, we resumed strength to go on up the steep forest path, and we went on with our march to the mountains.
We moved with an even pace and with enough rests in order to be able to keep enough power for all planned days. During our walk we cheered up with good jokes or stories. All the time we also had the pleasure to enjoy the taste of the wild strawberries, raspberries and bilberries that we picked up along the path. A special treat of the day was the incredible view over the plateau of Begovo Pole Brake and view toward Begovo poleintersected with many brooks and with many flock of sheep and herds of horses all around it. There we also found the ruined refuge Isak Ruso, that stood there on guard as a stone monument, unfortunately falling apart now. We crossed Begovo Pole and started climbing up Solunska Glava. After 4o minutes of walk we concluded our first day walk. We made our camp near one shelter, and four of us slept in the shelter, while the others stayed in a tent. That day we walked about 10 hours. The night was pleasant and warm, and nobody felt cold during the night.
30.07.2006 (Sunday). We woke up early in the morning next day and got ready to start towards Solunska Glava along the snake-like road. We passed the top Place called Marina dupkaabout 100 m. bellow it, and we did not climb the top in order stick to the agreed route and not to get behind the schedule. We left the top behind us, we went along Marina Dupka, Plavnik and started to move along a rather dry area with poor vegetation, quite usual for places aboe 2000 m.a.s.l. We climbed to the crest and we moved along the rim, as suggested by our guide. Moving along the crest on both sides of the path there were a lot of delicious bilberries, a sort of aperitif that gave us energy to keep us going until we had the lunch. At about half way we arrived at the spring called Ajducka Cesma where we had the lunch. Soon after the lunch, until we steel moved along the crest, just before we were about to star descending from Dautica, we encountered a bad weather with strong thunderbolts and rain. Fortunately we quickly went down to the riverbed of the river Krapa and we avoided a the possible danger. It rained for about two hours. Unfortunately the rain spoiled the fun on the “beach” - a nice rocky part on one side of River Krapska Place called Mochurthat really looked like a small beach. Initially we planned to have a long break there, to cool the feet a bit and wash up some socks, alas… we decided to reschedule this for some other year. The descending took us several hours, and then we had a coffee break at the first weekend cottage in front of the village of Krapa, where we head to stay overnight. After the break we went on towards the village, happy that the rain had stopped., but on the very thought it started raining again. After one hour walk we arrived at the school house where we had our accommodation. We laid around our wet cloches and boots, we got warmed up with a hot soup, we had the dinner and everybody happy, we got ready to go to bed.
31.07.2006 (Monday). The next day the rain was forgotten. The locals of Krapa were seeing us off with a glass of rakia and green salad. That day we had a relaxing pace because this year we had one more day then before. So the second day aim was to arrive just to the village of Selce, and not like the other years village Debresteto Krusevo. As soon as we got out of the village we passed by the river of Krapa that goes underground, which is the largest in Macedonia. Not after long time we turned left away from the road and headed towards the village of Debrista along a short cut over the hill. In the village we had a bier and had a lunch near a large shop. Well rested and with fresh powers we went on to the village of Borino, where we had a short break and a conversation with the inhabitants of that village. The next stop was “krusata” (the pear-tree), ever so often mentioned that day. After a steep climbing up hill we were impatient to get to the cool shadow of the pear-tree. On my big surprise when we stopped and I asked the others where the pear tree was, they pointed to the oak tree that we were actually sitting under. It has been so many years that the oak tree had been called a pear tree, and of course the legendary oak tree still remained to be a pear tree for all of us.
WE arrived very early in the village of Selce. We went to have a look at the school. It was no more used for teaching children and the village people used it for stacking hey. There was one room free and we used it to accommodate five of us. The other three spent the night in a sent. We had a wonderful evening: there was a bit of football playing, singing, dancing, folk dancing…
01.08.2006 (Tuesday) We woke up at about 07.00 hours. And we got ready and started walking towards Krusevo. Along the road the guide was telling us for a legendary battle that took place at the area where we were moving. Muratova chesmaListening to that story nobody of us noticed how quickly passed the time from the Murats’s spring, where we had some water, to the top with a plum tree on it, where we had a glimpse of the monument “Makedonium” and of the man made lake of Krusevo. We went down to the lake, crossed it and went towards “Sula Mina” – a children’s camp where we had to accommodate ourselves. The rooms where we stayed were nice. We had something to eat, had showers, got ready, and joined the procession in order to lay flowers on the monuments of the “Ilinden fighters”, on the grave of Pitu Guli and then we also visited the “Makedonioum” monument. We had the evening free for sightseeing the tow, for making parties and for relaxation.
At Mechkin kamen 02.08.2006 (Wednesday). The next day, the fifth day, of our march we started towards Meckin Kamen wher two of the mountaineers, Aleksandar-Leko and Blagoja, donated blood. There we set under a deep shadow and refreshed with a cool water melon. We watched the festivities that took place there. We had the rest of the day for relaxation in order to recharge the batteries for the next day. 03.08.2006 (Thursday). We woke up early about 03.30 o’clock. We got ready and under a moon light we started towards the village of Kocista.
When we village Radovoarrived to the village the sun was already high. We stopped at the big village well in order to refresh and then we started towards the village of Radovo where we looked forward of meeting thee grand dad Stojan who wished welcome to the mountaineers every year. But when we arrived to his house he was not there and the neighbours told us that he had moved to live with his son in a new house. We had our lunch, cooled our feet and went to look for grand dad Stojan in order to say hello, but at his place we meet only two friendly sheep dogs. The house was empty. We left several photos made last year and went towards the village of Dolenci. In village Dolenci we stopped at the village shop and they offered to us cold beverages and beer.
We went on to the village of Babino, and village Babinoon the way there we had a short break at one fish pond. In the village, as usually, we met the old women sitting on a bench at the square at middle village having a chat. We teased them for idling like that during all day, but they answered: “we are too old to work, we get our pensions that somehow keep us during the month, so we get out here to pass our time chatting”.
Near to the further end of the village we went in one very interesting yard leading us to a house turned into a library. The young guy that leaded us through the library had an admirable knowledge. We went through several books with folk costumes, we saw several first editions of books, set in an antique room on low three-legged chairs around an ancient low table. Before sunset we arrived in the village of Bezernik where we were supposed to stay overnight in the village school. There we learned that the villagers here used to go a lot for bilberry picking and were selling them for good price. In the evening we stayed till late in the village shop that looked like a grocery store.
04.08.2006 (Friday). This was the last day of the days reserved for the mountains. Early in the morning we started walking up Ilinska Mountain. The high forest made the walking pleasant View toward both lakes Ohridsko and Prespanskohiding us from the morning sun. After several hours of walk we emerged on the bare ridge of Plakenska Mountain, floored with wonderful wide meadows full of bilberries. Moving along the ridge we had one of the most beautiful views along this journey, we could see the moth lakes simultaneously: the one of Prespa and the one of Ohrid. The meadows on this mountain towards the village of Plake are full of different tea-herbs that we could not just pass by indifferently. Lence was explaining to us the names and the positive effect of the herbs. Some time about one o’clock we went down to the village of Plake, we filled up the water bottles and went via the village of Recica all the way to Prontov Bridge, where we waited for the minibus to Ohrid. In Ohrid we accommodated us in caravans in the summer cam “Partisan”, we left our rucksacks and went to the beech for a swim. The rest on the lake side was the real prize for the whole effort of this journey.
05.08.2006 (Saturday). Today was officially the eight day of our march. We visited the Samoil’s fortress, Plaosnik, we walked around Ohrid and we returned to the cam to enjoy the beech.
06.08.2006 (Sunday). The ninth day was a day to exchange our telephone numbers and to say goodbyes, before everybody started home satisfied and with a wish Watermelon for the endfor success and with hope for more similar experiences.
This text was written one month after the march had been completed. That is way I could not exactly capture how difficult the march had been. The difficult things are easily forgotten, and similarly this text summed up to a description of relaxing moments and nice places. In fact this march is not an easy task and there are days when one has to walk 13-14 hours. Yet, everybody who is ready and willing for the challenge is welcome to the next year’s march.

Text: Stojanoska Svetlana
Photos: Gjelev Gjore
29.01.2007

Thanks to Kindalog Marjan for the help in publishing this reportage


Ilinden 2006

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