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(Almost) All Saints: Sveta Nedela Traditional Geocache

Hidden : 2/10/2013
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
4 out of 5

Size: Size:   small (small)

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Geocache Description:


(Almost) All Saints: Sveta Nedela

(Almost) All Saints: St. Domenica

The area around Lake Matka, a half-hour drive west from Skopje, is a very popular place for weekend outings for citizens of Skopje. Matka represents a rear pearl of the nature, offering to the visitors a unique mix of natural beauty, cultural and historical sights, sport thrills, gastronomical enjoyment and much more… The Matka Lake twists between imposing cliffs, offering an opportunity for hiking, boating or climbing. Rear and endemic species of flora and fauna can be seen only here. Numerous caves hide their secrets in their depths. Few national restaurants offer a wide palette of traditional Macedonian meals. There are many reasons (and several caches too) to spend a day here… The breathtaking beauty of the nature, rough and gentle at the same time, will conquer your eyes and your hearth.

If you go there in the winter


However, one of a special features of this area are numerous sacral (religious) objects dating mostly from XIV and XV centuries. Such a concentration of monasteries, churches and crosses on such a small area is very unique and represents an answer to a strong orthodox feelings of Macedonian people during the ages.

Remains of Sveta Nedela


My intention is to show geocachers this dimension of Macedonian cultural and religious past. I hope you will enjoy that laud silence and cold gloom which rule inside the churches, and a silent dignity of the saints watching you…

This cache is one of few in the series of (Almost) All Saints, located around the Matka Lake. This cache will lead you to an extraordinary place – remains of a small church St. Domenica (Sveta Nedela), high in the cliffs, near to the eagles and to God.

Shara Mt. and Lyuboten far right, covered with snow


St. Domenica is small ruined Orthodox Christian church, situated high in the canyon Matka in the locality Markov City, on the left side of the river Treska. This church is considered to be built between XIII and XIV century, simultaneously with the construction of the nearby surrounding churches of St. Nikola Shishevski, St. Saviour and the Monastery of Holy Mother down by the river. Church of St. Domenica is a small nave, domed church where the remains of the arches of the former dome can be seen. It was built of limestone and ceramic material. On the inner walls remnants of the frescoes can be seen. On the south wall is the fresco of St. Domenica.

A view toward Sveti Nikola and Lake Matka


The local tradition tells a story about a beautiful lady Boyana, from Marko city. Boyana were persecuted by the Turks and instead of being captured and molested she rather committed suicide by jumping off the cliffs. On this place was built this church dedicated to Boyana and her patron, St. Domenica.

A church frozen in snow and in time


When you reach the spot your award will be a splendid view toward the Canyon and Lake Matka (north- east, downhill). Across the canyon, on a plateau between rocks, north-east, lies the church St. Nikola Shishevski. When the weather is clear, you can even see the Shara mountain (some 40 km north-west) with its most beautiful peak Lyuboten (something like Macedonian Fujijama). North-east lies the long chain of Skopska Crna Gora (Skopje Black Mountain).

How to get there and conquer the cache?

You can reach this place and conquer the cache from two directions and three points (R2, R3, R4). At R1, behind the village Glumovo, the road splits in two. The left road will lead you toward Lake Matka and points R2 and R3. Here begin a moderate and a very tough trail. If you want to reach Sveta Nedela on easiest way, from R1 turn right toward R4.

1. From R2 and R3: You can reach this points and Lake Matka by bus, by car or a bike. The city bus (number 60) runs from central Skopje via Saraj to the Matka dam (check the schedule on the JSP website, http://www.jsp.com.mk/VozenRed.aspx). By car or bike: go west from Skopje and turn left across a new bridge toward the municipality of Saray. Continue toward the village Glumovo. Behind the village Glumovo the road splits in two (R1). Turn downhill left and continue through the village Dolna Matka about 2 km. Park your car somewhere around the point R2. During weekends and festivals the place is crowded by people and cars, so there can problem to park the car. However, if you come early in the morning it will be no problem to park.

From R2 it takes some 2.5 hours to reach Sveta Nedela. This is a moderately tough trail but very pleasant. The trail is quite poorly marked. Follow the red and white and yellow, but faded marks, on trees and rocks. When you pass the Golden Cross, situated on a exposed rock above the Monastery Matka (it would be on your left side) you will continue some 50 meters and there is a tricky spot where you should be careful not to miss the marked trail. The trail passes by a relatively big rock on the right side, where the red mark leads you DIRECTLY UPHILL, not by terrain contour line. However, if you miss this point, nothing so bad will happen, you will just experience some “goat” paths, steep terrain and a lot of thorny bushes…You will pass the Church Sveti Spas (St. Savior). From here continue toward the rocky mountain, as the coordinates lead you.

From R3: From the point R2 (where you will eventually park your car) continue walking or by bike toward the point R3. The road leads along the dam and the Matka Lake toward the church St. Andrew (Sv. Andrea) and the hotel-restaurant Canyon Matka. This is the most difficult trail, very steep!!! No bike, only by feet. In snow or rain, it can be even dangerous. How long it takes? No idea, I have never climbed Sveta Nedela on this path… About 1.5 hour, maybe. Once, in winter, I have descended down the slope, from Sveta Nedela directly toward Matka Lake. A pure horror!!! Do not do that!!!

2. From R4: Behind the village Glumovo, from the point R1, turn uphill right, through the village Gorna Matka. You can reach the point R4 only by car or a bike (or by walk, from R1 it is some 3 km). The point R4 is a wide flat terrain behind the village houses where you can park your car. Please, to not continue from this point by car (on a dirt road) in order to preserve the nature and not disturb the ecosystem. You can continue by bike. By walk it take less than 1.5 hour to St. Domenica. On this way you will pass by St. Savior (and a cache “(Almost) All Saints: Sveti Spas”). From here you should walk, because the last part of the trail is steep and narrow.

The cache is a small glass jar. Bring a pen. Because of the cliffs, the GPS could get crazy, so use the hints and spoiler to locate the cache. The cache is hidden in a low stone wall. If you stand by a wooden bench and look toward the church, behind the bench you see 2 trees and behind them this wall. At the beginning on the right side, under a stone. Please, be aware of snakes, especially in summer! Check the cache place with some branch or a stick first!

Sources: Wikipedia, other internet sources. Photos: Original (by Galejnik)

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

N ybj fgbar jnyy oruvaq n jbbqra orapu. Ybbx gbjneq gur puhepu: evtug ortvaavat bs gur jnyy, haqre n fgbar.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)