We walked this trail in 2008 from the beginning of Lake Matka (near Skopje), uphill from the Monastery of St Bogorodica via St Spas to the ruins of St Nedela. From there the trail goes very steeply downhill to St Andrea at Lake Matka. It is not advice able to do this after a wet period.
Alternatively, you can do the hike from the opposite direction, starting from St Andrea. This way, you do not have to go the steep part downhill, which is always more difficult.
Go right at the crossing in the picture above, to the Monastery of St Bogorodica (Holy Mother of God) as indicated by the signposts. The Monastery of St Bogorodica is just around the corner.
After a visit to this peaceful monastery, follow the trail to the left (i.e., left if you are facing the monastery).
Somewhere we lost the red/yellow marked trail. We ended up in a small village, probably Upper Matka (Gorna Matka) where two kids joined us and showed us an alternative trail. We probably should have kept more to the left in retrospect, see the map at the end of this page.
In case you do not see the marks anymore at a certain point, I suggest you walk back to the last point where you still saw the marks and look really well! If you reach a village, you definitely went too far! But maybe the locals will help you as well, just ask for Sveti Spas (Holy Salvation).
If everything went well, you will reach the Church of St Spas about 60 minutes after you started the hike at the Monastery of St Bogorodica.
There’s a quite spacious site around the church, including a picnic table. But you better keep your food in your backpack until you reached the ruins of St Nedela, where there’s an even more perfect place for a picnic!
From St Spas to St Nedela and St Andrea, the marks are easier to follow.
On your way from the church of St Spas to the ruins of the church of St Nedela, you pass the ruins in the picture below. They are probably the ruins of Marko’s City.
Finally, you reached the ruins of St Nedela, about 30 minutes climbing from St Spas.
The view from the ruins of the church of St Nedela is fantastic. High on the cliffs, on the other side of the Matka Lake, you can see the Monastery of St Nikola Shishevski, which can be reached with another hike.
A bit below St Nedela, and hardly visible, you will find this shelter that is perfect for a picnic. The view over the valley is magnificent!
You walk steeply downhill to the Church of St Andrea at Lake Matka. The trail is so steep, that only throwing yourself of the cliffs seems a faster way to reach the lake. It took us about 4 hours to complete this hike, including walking into the wrong direction, rests, picnic and enjoying the beauty around Lake Matka.
The map below gives you an overview of the places we visited:
The legend of the map:
1) Marko’s City and Church St Nedela
2) Monastery St Andrea
3) Monastery St Nikola Shishevski
4) Monastery of St Bogorodica
5) Lower Koacica Spring (dried)
6) Upper Koacica Spring (dried)
7) Petrov Stone, St Spas, remains of churches St Troica and St Michael
8) Old Village of Matka
9) Present-day Upper Matka (Gorna Matka) Village
10) Present-day Lower Matka (Dolna Matka) Village
11) Gragorot and Gumniste (?)
12) Rupine Pasarkose Oslamne (?)
My Macedonia Blog 