"Hike from Ohrid to Velgosti via Ramne" Top 5 Page for this destination Ohrid Off The Beaten Path Tip by Pijlmans

NOTE: Due to fire hazard it may be mandatory to get a permit from the Galicica National Park Office to enter Galicica National Park in the summer. Allegedly fines go up to 3000 euro if you are caught without a permit. See http://www.galicica.org.mk/ for more information.

This hike will take you from Ohrid through the rural village Ramne to the village Velgosti. It is better known as the "Francophonie Hike", since the marking originally was sponsored by Francophonie. However, the trail used to be sparsely marked and it was very difficult to find the right trail the first time we did this hike in 2008. It took me three times by trial and error to complete the whole trail. In my traveloque I have a written a description with pictures that should enable you to do this nice hike without problems.

Nowadays (2011) the trail is a bit better marked with signposts by the Galicica National Park Office.

We did the hike again in 2011 and recorded the track with a GPS. You can view or download this walk in more detail at the link below. This GPS version is a round trip of about 16 km.

The start is close to the petrol station at the Bulevar Turisticka near the Biljana Springs, just before you exit Ohrid on the road to St Naum.

When you go left at the top of the stairs, you go to the new Galicica National Park Office and a Second World War memorial. To the right there are the ruins of an Early Christian Basilica.

Continue the path near the stairs uphill to the asphalt road to Velestovo. At Signpost P13 of the Galicica National Park you leave the asphalt road to the left. Note that the coordinates on the post are wrong, they are somewhere in the nearby village Velestovo.

Follow Signpost P12 to the village Ramne, where you can visit the church.

From Ramne, you follow the asphalt road downhill. At a certain moment the asphalt road makes a curve to the left to Ohrid. Here you go right towards the Church of St Atanasia (St Atanas). At a crossing in the 4x4 track, follow the track with a sharp curve to the right to the Church of St Atanas. Remember this point because when you come back from the Church of St Atanas, you have to go straight on here to get to Velgosti. From here the trail is a bit hard to find, have a look at the pictures in the traveloque if you do not have a GPS device.

Then walk via Signpost P3 and P2 to the Monastery of St Petka in Velgosti. You also pass Church of St Nedela in Velgosti.

Walk back to Signpost 3, from here you walk to the pink Church of St Rusa Sreda.

When you walk back a little bit from the Church of St Rusa Sreda, there is a path on your right going steeply uphill to the Cave Church St Bogorodica. This is probably the most rewarding part of the hike. The church itself will most likely be closed, you can try to get the key at the Monastery of St Petka or the Church of St Nedela in Velgosti.

Now you walk back to where you left the asphalt road to Ohrid. If you follow the GPS track, it will take you to my favorite take-away Grill restaurant at the Bulevar Turistika. Have a beer while you wait for the skara!

See the link below for the GPS track.

Website: http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=fxfatspyuviujiuq