High Scardus Trail Stage 14 Stanet e Hinoskes - Bitushe/Modrič

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Bitushe

The stage starts in the alpine village of Stane E Hinoskes and leads over 350m in easy terrain back to the saddle (2090m) on the main ridge of the Deshat Mountains, which you crossed the day before. This saddle is reached comfortably in one hour. Afterwards you hike again on the main route of the High Scardus Trail towards the south. At first the good trail leads relatively flat in the mountain flanks on the Macedonian side of the ridge. Then, in somewhat steeper terrain, a mountain saddle is hiked, which reveals an impressive view of Mount Velivar. The path continues briefly downhill and later always crossing the flanks of Mount Velivar to a large spring. At this spring, another short ascent to a wide mountain saddle awaits, which in turn offers a magnificent view of the rocky peak of Krchin further to the south. The High Scardus Trail now continues further and further south, staying on the Macedonian side and then climbing briefly to another col (2030m), which is again on the national border between Albania and North Macedonia. Here is a very nice view of the reservoir of Debar. From the mountain saddle, you now turn west and follow the markings downhill over stepped beautiful grassy ground. The descent then leads at about 1800m above sea level to a beautifully situated twin lake, which invites you to take a rest. After the lake, the trail then becomes steeper and then dives into the dense mountain forests of the Marovo National Park. The trail continues downhill in the shade of the dense deciduous forests of the Marovo National Park and, on the shore of a beautiful marshy lake, opens up once again a magnificent view of the mountains of the Velivar massif. You continue along the clearly visible path (always in the forest) until you reach the end of an asphalt road on the bank of a large stream. Here you will find an information point of the Marovo National Park and a newly renovated Orthodox monastery with a monastery church „Skete of St. Cyril & Methodius“. If you don't want to be picked up by a shuttle service at the monastery, you can hike down the narrow asphalt road to the mountain village of Bitushe for another 30 minutes (total descent 1000 m). Bitushe is a typical North Macedonian mountain village, which is massively affected by migration.