Before I start, winter is finished and summer has arrived, express delivery.
Yeah, that's the way it goes in the Balkans. Rapid, but nice change after a long winter.
When I went to live in Volkovo (a village, part of Skopje, just about the last village north west of the city center), I was aware that I wasn't far from Kuckovo and it's surroundings, which I did not know very well but had greatly appreciated from my few visits there, it was pretty, varied and in particular, close to Skopje.
Every day I could see all those hills, mountains and the big cross above Kuckovo from my room, and I often wondered what it was like in the vicinity.
But of course, that didn't last long.
So, one day I just had a look at Google Earth and off I went.
I have to say that I was surprised by what I found, a very varied landscape, coupled with some fantastic views. A great place to explore and chill out. And explore I did.
I have been almost everywhere around Kuckovo, even went to Gracani , which is the last village before getting into Kosovo. It's a place where nobody is supposed to go to, the border police doesn't want anyone hanging around there.
But you know me, I don't comprendo ...so I went.
Amazing place, the village itself seems to have suffered from the war a few years back, but a few houses have been refurbished, even saw a few new ones and a new Mosque, and all this in the middle of absolutely nowhere! The only people I came across were a trio of freezing sheep farmers in an old barn who were wondering what the hell I was doing there!
Ok, so it was on a very cold winter day, and the only dirt road that goes there was iced up.
Below is a pic I took of the place the first time I saw it, I was just coming out of the woods after a long hike and wasn't expecting anything like this. To me it looked like one those future colonies on far away planets that you used to see in the original Star Trek series from the 60's.
The hills behind are in Kosovo.
Gracani, on a cold, arctic febuary day in 2011. |
Now the good thing about the place is that it is easy to get to. I just walk because I don't live far, but otherwise here is a suggestion on how to get there if you don't have a car or live nearby.
Take the number 22 or 22A bus and get off at Volkovo center. It's the last stop in the village before the bus turns right and continues to the Lepenec bus depot, the last stop. If you're not sure, ask someone or the driver for the road to Kuckovo.
There is a bus that goes from here to Kuckovo, but it is too infrequent to be of any use, and anyway, walking a bit never killed anyone.
Once in the village center (which consists of a Hedi's supermarket, a couple of vegetable stalls outside, Toni's restaurant and that's about it) take the road going up to Kuckovo, it is on your left when you get there, and clearly marked. That is, if the signpost is there. Sometimes it mysteriously disappears LOL.
Then start walking up till you get next to the cemetery. There is a dirt road going up on the right, it is the last one before going under the highway, follow it until you get to the highway , turn right and follow the highway.
The dirt road with the church on the left and the cemetery on the right. Go to the top, and turn right along the highway. |
The top of the dirt road, turn right, walk about 100 meters, then turn left and follow the path going uphill. |
Another view. |
Once you pass under the highway, just follow this dirt path up, it zig-zags for a while and then brutally stops. |
View from the path. You can see the cemetery and Volkovo in the background. |
The end of the path. Go right, up, and in the north -west direction. |
Well, if you can see the sun and you have a watch with traditional hour and minute hands, you can find the north, here is how;
Hold the watch horizontal. Point the hour hand at the sun; then, bisect the angle between the hour hand and the 12 o'clock mark, this will give you a north-south line.
It isn't the most accurate method in the world, especially due to daylight savings time and the "true" time, but is sufficient in this case. And of course, don't forget that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
And, uh, don't do this in the southern hemisphere, or you'll end up where you came from!
Easy system for finding North-South with a watch. |
The top, with the road to Kuckovo on the left and the cross in the background. You can see what look like paths, but they won't lead you in the right direction. |
After a while, you get to an intersection, go right. The path is larger. |
The trail then takes a left, going downhill, then back up on the opposite ridge. Very peaceful around here. Good place to have a break. |
At the top, you get to another larger path, go right. |
The flat part, with the monastery on the left. Follow the red line till you see the path going up with a fence along it. |
The path after the two week-end houses. Keep on following it.. |
After a good lunch, it was time to move on.
The thing that blew my mind was the difference in weather. Last time I was here a couple of weeks ago, it was snowing as much as it could, real badass winter stuff, and the kind of cold that makes it difficult to do your pee-pee because you can't find your Mr. Muscolo, who has retreated to warmer places. Son of a bitch.
And now I was sweating in a t-shirt!
Spring doesn't last long here, it's straight to hot, brother. You have to get used to it.
I then went back on the path, and followed it through a pine forest until it gets to another intersection; go left, east.
After a while and a couple of bends, you get to this intersection, go left. It will take you past Sv. Ilija monastery (on your right), then to another larger path. |
Sv. Ilija monastery, empty most of the year, like many small monasteries. |
The main path going from the cross to Kuckovo. This is the house on the left, I have never seen anyone in it, but we want to go right, as in the pic below |
The path on the right, just follow it through another beautiful pine forest. |
A bit more of the Sar mountains. |