Velgosti to Resen
6th October Wednesday
day thirteen Via Egnatia
About 19 km, we start from our camping spot near the chapel part way up the mountain
Finally decide to get out of my sleeping bag and brave the chilly morning air...
We set off about 8:15 am had to put the tent away a bit damp, there was a very heavy dew last night.
Stopped off on a charming little meadow overlooking our first view of lake Pespa at 11 and had a snack and 15 min rest. From the GPS it looks as though we're half way to Resen now. The track so far this morning has been mostly along rough roads or 4wd tracks, no problems navigating so far!
It looks as though people have recently cleared some trees from the tracks and driven a tractor or 4wd along it.
Then, wow warning warning!
If you're planning walking this section, take the opportunity at the meadow overlooking the Prespa lake to put on long pants, or attach your zip off hiking bottoms to your shorts, we have about 45 min of bush bashing through evil stinging nettles, thorny plants and blackberries trying to attack us, sometimes successfully!
The photo below shows the evil nettle "track" Patrick has his GPS in his hand continuously for this section, the tracks keep changing and shifting levels.
Finally the track clears a little, and its quite pleasant walking through the shady quiet forest, there's so much leaf litter on the forest floor that our feet sink at each step like we're stepping into a soft, downy pillow.
Apple Heaven! The apple orchards here are loaded with fruit being picked, !!
I waved hello to some harvesters and admired their apples, and they gave us some, sooo delicious, crispy, crunchy, sweet...
Bloody hell, up another hill, covered in pine forest, then up the top hallelujah! I can see Resen below, my feet and legs are ready for a rest! Sadly there's also a lot of rubbish here on the path into town.
Arrived in Resen 4 pm, phew quite an effort today! Glad we left from halfway up the mountain and that we've arrived.
Sat at a coffee shop in the town square ... Interesting place, there's a big public square, a bazaar, people out wandering and having coffees... Patrick had a local beer, Zlatendab which he enjoyed, I had a macchiato and a sparkling water.
Well, it's very funny the way things turn out! There's a large hotel in Resen that's closed, and the other hotel, on the main square that we check out is fully booked with Apple pickers! Apparently being fully booked only happens one week a year, and it's this week, apple harvest week! There certainly are lots of tractors and trailers loaded with apples and people everywhere.
There's a hotel about 6 km out of town in a small village, called Carevdvor the hotel Royal approx 30 euro B&B , so we find a cab, luckily find an English speaking driver, Erol, who's lived in Sweden for many years. He drives us the 6 km or so towards Lake Prespa to the hotel for 150 den
And if we phone him tomorrow he'll come and pick us up in the morning and take us to our starting point for tomorrow's walk.
Mobi Taxi, Erol PH: 070508763
It was lovely camping last night, but it's just as lovely (in a different way) to have a hot shower, wash my hair and have a bed to sleep in!
The Royal L Hotel doesn't seem to have any other guests staying... Very quiet! A basic, clean hotel with western style bathroom fixtures.
After our showers, some clothes washing and little rest we have a short wander around the village, A lovely sunset tonight
quite a few mud brick buildings here, and some large new homes, some of the apple farmers seem to be doing OK.
We can't find a market, so we'll need to get more supplies tomorrow.
We have dinner at the hotel.
Chicken - Pile, and salad for me
Pork chop and salad for Patrick. Not a whole range of choice - no menu 😊 a bit reminiscent of the "menu del dia" options on the Camino de Santiago...
They want our passports, and we'll get them back in the morning, first time that's happened on the trip.... And I don't like it one bit!
Good night all
Accommodation:
Royal L Hotel PH: 071225460
hotel and restaurants in Resen
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