North Macedonia

Distance: 24.0 km – Elevation +540 m -430 m Weather: Sunny with short rain shower. Temperature: High 25 degrees Today I crossed the border into North Macedonia and my Albanian adventure came to an end. The forecast for the day was thunderstorms and knowing that I had a tough climb to reach the border I wanted an early start to avoid the rain that was due to arrive around mid-morning.  I always let the hotel know

Distance: 15.3 km – Elevation +60 m -50 m Weather: Sunny. Overnight thunderstorms. Temperature: High 23 degrees Ferocious thunderstorms arrived around 6 pm last night and the streets of Struga were pounded with heavy rain and startling flashes of lightning lit up the dark sky. The storm seemed very close as I dined in the hotel restaurant with the loud claps of thunder reverberating through the hotel. The storm seemed to be trapped in the valley

Distance: 29.3 km – Elevation +960 m -800 m Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 23 degrees I enjoyed my short time in Ohrid. I stayed in the old town close to St Sophia – the Holy Church of Wisdom built in the 11th century and very beautiful inside. I was a little subdued and concerned as I prepared myself for the day ahead, everything I had read suggested it was a tough day’s walking to cross the

Distance: 30.7 km – Elevation +590 m -570 m Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 26 degrees It was a chilly morning, just 10 degrees, as I left Resen at 5.45 am and all was closed. On my way out of town, I passed a most impressive building which would have looked very much at home in France. It is the Saraj, built at the request of Ahmed Niyazi Bey who desired to have a French-style estate. Its

Distance: 7.46 km – Elevation +0 m -280 m Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 23 degrees I slept really well and woke at 7.00 am and with just a short walk to Bitola, my next destination, I took my time in preparing for the day. Breakfast was relaxed too, a very good plate of ham and eggs. I left the hotel at 9.00 am and I was soon walking out of the village with distant views of

Distance: 6.37 km – Elevation +60 m -60 m Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 25 degrees Today I decided to take a “rest day” and explore North Macedonia’s second largest city. First I crossed the river Dragor to visit the old town with its bazaar and covered market. Followed by a visit to the orthodox Church of St. Dimitrie with its 17th-century icons and the walk through City Park on my way to visit Heracleia. City park