Photos by Madlaina Walther
Story by Gerhard Czerner
The High Scardus Trail runs for more than 300 kilometers along the border between North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Albania. Winner of the 2022 International Tourism Award, the 300-kilometer trail made us curious. Could it also inspire mountain bikers? With this question in mind, we explored the rugged, untamed landscapes of the Balkans on two wheels.
I started my research and soon ran into a conundrum. I found very little information about the nature of the trails. It was unclear whether the trail was suitable for mountain biking at all. It was this uncertainty that sparked my spirit of discovery: could this be a hidden gem of a trail? An undiscovered dream destination for mountain bikers?
Then, during a road trip to Slovenia, I surprisingly got some answers. Over dinner at the Ekohotel Koros, which is part of the Jamnica Trail Park, I excitedly told my friends about my idea for the High Scardus Trail. Suddenly, a gentleman from the next table approached us with a smile: “Were you talking about the High Scardus Trail? I’m Stojan, I’m from Macedonia, and I built trails there.” Unbelievable!
AN INTERNATIONAL TEAM FORMS
Stojan, an avid mountain biker and owner of Outdoor Adventure Macedonia, immediately offered to help me realize my idea. Although he knew some of the sections, he estimated that no one had ever tried to ride the entire long-distance trail. Stojan was as enthusiastic as I was to try it. He did the rough planning while I stayed at home looking for travel companions. With photographer Madlaina Walther from Switzerland and Austrian unicycle and two-wheel virtuoso Gerald Rosenkranz, our international team of four was complete. Our exploration of North Macedonia was about to begin!
Since 2019 the country has been officially called the Republic of North Macedonia. The state was founded in 1991 under the name Republic of Macedonia after the breakup of Yugoslavia. A name dispute with its southern neighbor, Greece, eventually led to the renaming. The locals, however, tend to refer to their country simply as Macedonia.
The landlocked country on the Balkan Peninsula has a population density of just 82 people per square kilometer. By comparison, Germany has 238 people per square kilometer. So, there is plenty of room for experiences off the beaten track. Of the slightly more than two million inhabitants, more than 500,000 live in the capital of Skopje. This is also where we meet as a team for the first time.
We spend our first day on the trails of the pulsating city’s local mountain. We pedal 200 meters up a trail built for bikers to a gondola. This will take us to the top of Vodno. At the top, at an altitude of 1066 meters (3,497 ft), is one of the largest crosses in the world: the 68-meter-high (223 ft) Millennium Cross. The mountain is covered with an extensive network of trails that offer a lot of fun. There is even a flow trail that leads from the bottom of the gondola back to the city, which puts a big smile on our faces. Stojan is especially happy about this because he helped to build the Adrenaline Trail. We hadn’t expected such a good infrastructure for biking; we are thrilled.
The next day we head west in the van to the Ljuboten mountain hut. A narrow forest trail leads to the hut at 1623 meters (5,324 ft). Built in 1931, the lodge has recently been renovated and offers the kind of upscale cabin comfort we know from the Alps. We enjoy a delicious dinner on the terrace and the magnificent view that stretches across Tetovo all the way back to Skopje.
CLIMBING INTO THE SHAR MOUNTAINS
The crossing of the Shar Mountains begins with the ascent of Ljuboten. From the hut to the summit at 2498 meters (8,195 ft), we have to push and carry the bikes. Once there, we are out of breath, with one foot in North Macedonia and the other in Kosovo. In the distance we see the lifts of Brezovica, the largest ski center in Kosovo and our destination for the day.
Neither descending nor continuing over the grassy plateau turns out to be pleasant for us bikers. We have to push for long stretches. Sometimes the narrow path is completely overgrown with vegetation. “There was a lot of rain in the spring. I’ve never seen so much tall grass here as this year,” Stojan tries to comfort us. Unfortunately, it doesn’t help much. Already, on the first day, we are really challenged. Late in the evening, after a challenging descent in the golden light of the sunset, we reach a small ski workshop, our accommodation for the night. It belongs to a friend of Stojan. Luckily, we don’t have to go all the way down to the valley, as the next day brings enough altitude anyway. Unfortunately, there is no accommodation on the border ridge itself.
The next day promises to be exciting as well. Over winding paths, past the Karanikolla Lake at 2200 meters (7,217 ft) above sea level, we reach the small mountain village of Bozovtse the next evening after an entertaining descent. Stojan has booked a place to stay by phone. When we arrive, the building is locked and the landlord is not available. There is a couch in an alley in front of a bar where we sit down and have a drink. As the only cyclists for miles around, we soon become the talk of the village.
It’s getting later and later, and our stomachs are growling. There is not a single open restaurant. After a few phone calls, a jeep finally picks us up and drives us uphill through the darkness to a locked hut. The driver wakes his wife, who serves us pasta just before midnight. Hospitality is a Balkan tradition and very important. When we return, the landlord is also there, but there are no guest rooms in his small apartment. We spread out on the children’s room and the living room couch, and I use the fluffy living room carpet as a sleeping surface for the short night.
HIGH COUNTRY AND HIGHER STAKES
The next morning the muezzin wakes us up with the call to prayer. It is already hot again as we pedal along the outskirts of the village into an increasingly spectacular mountain world. The rolling hills of the last few days give way to sharp, rocky peaks and towers. A comparison with the Dolomites comes to mind. After a few hours, the forest road ends. Pushing is the order of the day.
We climbed up to 2100 meters (6,889 ft) where we made our exhausted bivouac by a small lake. It took us eight hours to get here, about six of which we spent pushing. Madlaina sums up the day in three words: “Borderline experiences on the border ridge”. We are surrounded by lush green mountains as far as the eye can see. No path, no lift, no hut disturbs the view. Dreamlike—if it weren’t for the thoughts of the bears and wolves that live here, causing us to drift restlessly to sleep under the starry sky.
After a long descent through knee-high grass, we reach the road to Trnica, our destination for the next day. The crossing of the Shar Mountains ends here. After a refreshing shower at the hotel, the local delicacies will taste even better. Tavce gravce, a national dish made with beans, peppers and tomatoes, is a must, as is pastrmajlija, a kind of Macedonian pizza. We are also visited by a bear who hungrily makes his way to the garbage cans in the restaurant’s driveway. We are glad to be sitting safely behind a window during this encounter instead of lying in our sleeping bags in the open.
A CHANGE OF PLANS
Unfortunately, an approaching bad weather front ruins our plans to cross the country’s highest mountain range, the Korab. We have to change our plans. Stojan immediately has an idea for the next day. As part of an EU-funded project in which Stojan is involved, a number of trails have been created in the border region with Albania. The project, called “Cross Border Adventure Biking Trails,” has the subtitle “Next-Level Adventure Tourism.” It sounds promising.
We sleep in, take care of our bikes and take the shuttle to Tanushe in the afternoon. From there, we pedal up another 400 meters (1,312 ft) to a flat summit at just over 1800 meters (5,905 ft). The view in the soft light of the early evening is fantastic. We sit here for a long time and enjoy the magical moment.
INTO THE NIGHT FOREST
We start the descent much too late. The little bell that Stojan has mounted on his bike keeps ringing to warn the bears of us. The trail begins playfully through low bushes. Fortunately, Stojan knows exactly where to put the line, so we make good progress.
The darkness soon forces us to turn on our headlights. Shortly after, the pitch-black forest swallows us. At first the path is still recognizable, but soon it is completely overgrown with vegetation. A machete would have been more useful than a bicycle. Without Stojan’s knowledge of the area, who bravely fights his way through the undergrowth to find traces of the path, we would be completely lost. After what seems like an eternity, he finally finds the way out of the thicket. We roll into Žirovnica, where we enjoy a cool drink in a bar around 11 p.m.
“So, how was the descent?” grins Gerald.
“Don’t ask me. You should answer that. It wasn’t a descent for me,” Stojan waves him off. We laugh out loud. There have probably been more bears than bikers on the trail in the last few months.
At Deshat, the mountain range that joins Korab to the south, Stojan wants to show us one of his favorite trails. Once again we take the shuttle up the first few meters to a mountain pasture. Here we have to put our bikes on our backpacks, as the path to the border ridge is too steep to ride. Once at the top, a spectacular view opens up, stretching all the way to Albania.
“Are you crazy?” is all Gerald can say.
“This looks promising,” confirms Madlaina. Perfect single trails in all directions, that’s what we are hoping for.
HISTORY ON THE BORDER
Stojan points to a small village on the map: “Rabdisht. We’ll be there in two days.” The road there looks like it was built especially for mountain bikes, but first we follow a trail along the ridge that takes us over a small pass. On the Albanian side, we notice a prominent ridge. Stojan explains its origin: “This is an artificially created strip of sand and soft earth that was meant to prevent the Albanians from escaping. When they crossed it, they left footprints so that the pursuers could see where the fugitives had gone”.
Under the rule of dictator Enver Hoxha, Albania was sealed off until the 1990s. Today, only a small sign with the words “State Border” marks the border. At first the descent is a bit overgrown. The flowers are a feast for the eyes, even if we would rather see them beside the road than on it. Instead, they fill the air with an aromatic scent. When we reach the forest, the trail fireworks that Stojan raved about begin: soft ground, technical passages, hairpin bends, fast sections in between—just perfect!
During the night the heavy thunderstorms of the predicted bad weather front move in. In the van we drive around the Deshat to Albania. On the way we visit the beautiful orthodox monastery of Sveti Jovan Bigorski. Built in 1020, the building is still in use today and is home to a monastic brotherhood of over 20 monks. A few kilometers further on we stop at the Saint George Monastery, which is run by nuns. The following border crossing is unproblematic.
We feel like we’ve been transported back centuries as we drive through the narrow, stone-paved streets of Rabdisht to our accommodation. We enter the courtyard of the Sabriu guesthouse through a large gate. Apple trees line the path to a covered terrace. A fire crackles in the open fireplace. Sabri and his wife welcome us warmly. We end the day with a delicious dinner.
THE FINAL DESCENT
The mountains are covered in clouds, and it has cooled down considerably. Nevertheless, we want to ride the trail we saw two days ago. At the top of the ridge, visibility is zero. Clouds are drifting over the slopes, and the temperature is in the single digits. With squeaking brakes, we start the descent at the familiar “State Border” sign. The trail requires full concentration. The surface is very slippery due to the moisture. The nearly seven kilometers (4.3 miles) and 900 vertical meters (2,952 ft) down into the old alleys of Rabdisht are another highlight for trail lovers. A glance at the trail map shows that there is still a lot to discover in this region. Unfortunately, we have to say goodbye to Sabriu in the evening, as we still want to explore the area around Lake Ohrid.
Ohrid is located on the shores of the second-largest lake on the Balkan Peninsula. The region is known for its numerous churches—there are said to be 365, one for each day of the year—as well as for the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the old town of Ohrid. Here we meet Jovan Jovanoski, a friend of Stojan’s. He, too, is a colorful figure in the mountain bike scene of northern Macedonia. JJ works as a mountain bike guide and knows the area like the back of his hand.
The trails start just outside the town. The network of trails in the Galicica National Park, which can be used for hiking and biking, covers 40 kilometers (24.9 miles) and 4000 meters (13,123 ft) of altitude. The lakeshore is 700 meters (2,296 ft) above sea level. The peak of Lako Signoj is 1284 meters (4,212 ft) higher. From the Baba Pass, we take a rough forest path to the highest point. A few antennas and dilapidated buildings dot the mountain.
We are rewarded with a sensational view of two lakes. Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa, both located in the border region of northern Macedonia, Albania, and Greece, are geologically and hydrologically connected. Lake Prespa, which is higher, feeds Lake Ohrid through underground channels. This natural system ensures that Lake Ohrid has a constant supply of fresh water. The trails in the Mediterranean environment are rocky but rarely steep. On our final descent the glowing red sun disappears behind the Albanian mountains on the horizon. There is no better way to end a bike ride.
TRAILS YET TO COME
Late into the night we stroll through Ohrid’s pedestrian zone with hundreds of tourists and locals. The promenade is lined with small stalls. Food, drinks and all kinds of knickknacks are offered. Some of the rides are a real magnet for children and teenagers. Loud music blares from large loudspeakers. The contrast to the ancient lanes of Rabdisht, just a few kilometers away, could not be greater. Children ride donkeys between the old stone houses; here in Ohrid, they ride dodgems (or bumper cars).
In a cozy ice cream parlor, JJ and Stojan rave about other trails and regions in northern Macedonia, especially the Baba Mountains, which they praise as a true paradise for trail lovers. As we say goodbye, we all realize that the next adventure is already waiting for us. We will meet again to explore unknown trails together, enjoy the delicious local cuisine and experience the lonely, wild landscapes of the Balkans, because there is still so much to discover.
NORTH MACEDONIA: QUICK FACTS FOR TRAVELERS
Capital: Skopje
Official language: Macedonian
Local currency: Macedonian Denar (MKD)
Time zone: Central European Time (CET)/Daylight Saving Time (CEST)
Population: Approximately 2 million
Best time to visit: May to September for pleasant temperatures and sunny weather
Attractions: Lake Ohrid (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Matka Gorge, St. Naum monastery, old Kale fortress in Skopje
Food: Try tavce gravce (bean stew), ajvar (paprika paste) and local wines
Visas: Visa-free for EU citizens and most Western countries for stays up to 90 days
Safety: Safe country to travel, but as everywhere else, take care of your personal belongings.
Guided cycling tours, hiking & kayaking: Stojan Hadjijevtimov, Outdoor Adventure Macedonia, https://oa.mk/
Guesthouse Sabriu, Rabdisht: https://sabriu.com/
Cross-Border Biking Project: https://alcdf.org/cbb/home
Ljuboten Mountain Hut: https://sharplanina.com.mk/EN/plan_domovi.html
High Scardus Trail: www.high-scardus-trail.com/de/
Video of the trip is available here: