This hike from Resen to Ohrid in one direction is 27 km with 840 m ascent and 1000 m descent. Because it’s quite a long walk and it gets about 30 degrees Celcius in July, I started early. At 06:00 h in the morning I took a taxi from Ohrid to Resen. The trip takes about 40 minutes and was 1200 Denars or 20 Euro in 2020. If you want to start so early, arrange your trip 1 or 2 days in advance).
The hike starts at the main square in Resen. There’s a statue of an apple near the square and after some kilometers walking it will become clear why: apple trees as far as the eye can see.
Resen is indeed famous for its apples. I had heard this statement more often in the past, but never had seen the apple orchards near Resen at the feet of Galicica National Park.
There are several churches along this hike. The first one, just outside of Resen, is dedicated to St Naum. It looked relative new and was closed.
The Monastery of Sveti Jovan Krstitel (St John the Baptist) and St Simeon Stolpnik is already signposted at the moment you leave an asphalt road after about 4.5 km, but it takes 6 additional km slowly but steadily uphill until you reach these small churches in the mountains. The churches are built on a very attractive location, there is also a covered place with tables and benches that is perfect for a picnic. Both churches were open and seemed relatively recently built.
After the monastery, the climbing becomes a bit more steep. The hike passes the Istok Vrv (East Peak) which I visited during a hike from Skrebatno a couple of days earlier. If you feel brave you can add climbing Istok peak to this hike!
You keep following 4×4 dirt roads. I’ve put a waypoint named “right” at a point where you should make sure that you follow the track to the right.
Near Velgosti there is the Church of St Peter and Paul, it looked like it was still a bit under construction. There were some big barking dogs that came running at me when I tried to visit the church, so I decided it was fine to see just its outside.
After the Church of St Peter and Paul, I left the original GPS track a little bit for some shortcuts to avoid walking on the road.
In Velgosti the trail passes a church on the cemetery that I did not visit, as well as the church dedicated to St Nedela (St Sunday). The trail does not pass many of the other churches in and around Velgosti, some of which are definitely worth a visit (such as the Monastery of St Petka near St Nedela, and the cave church St Bogorodica up in the mountains).
On the way back to Ohrid I added a waypoint for the Church of St George, which is not so well known as many of the other churches in the old center of Ohrid, but worth a short visit.
It may be better to walk from Resen to Ohrid than the other way around, so you have the sun in your back. And it is a bit less climbing. Because I started quite early and the hike was not as difficult as anticipated, I was back in Ohrid before 14:00 h and could relax the rest of the afternoon with some beers at Lake Ohrid.
It’s an interesting walk because it crosses Galicica National Park from east to west. It’s straightforward because it mainly follows 4×4 dirt roads. But that is also what makes it a little boring sometimes. It gets 3.5 stars from me.
You can view and download the GPS track of this hike here: https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/resen-ohrid-in-galicica-national-park-55186505
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