Bukovikj Mountain

Buković or Bukovikj – a medium-high mountain in the Gorno Kichevo area in western Macedonia.

It is located between Poloska Kotlina in the north, Kichevska Kotlina in the south, Bistra mountain in the west and the massif of Dobra Voda i.e. Cheloica in the east. The mountain is small in area, with 79 km2, and is sometimes considered part of the Suva Gora massif.

In the central part, Buković has a large number of karst dry-stones and sinkholes. The main ridge stretches in a northwest-southeast direction, with a length of about 10 km. The highest peak is Tepe, at 1,528 m, and other higher peaks are Buković (1,518 m), Chingirli Rid (1,441 m) and Kolari (1,425 m). The eastern part of the mountain is considered a separate part, and is called the Trough.

In the orographic descriptions of the book Materials after the study of Macedonia by the Macedonian revolutionary Gjorce Petrov, a more detailed description of Buković is given, where it is written that where the Shar Planina turns to the southwest, the low and bare Vlainica mountain begins, which stretches to the east, and as its continuation is Bukovik, a high mountain that descends in a southeasterly direction near Kichevo. At the southeastern end of Vlainica, namely, where it meets the northern end of Bistra (that is at the source of the Zajashka Reka), begins Bukovik, which turns to the southeast and ends 1.5 hours above Kichevo. Bukovik is half as high as Vlainica. His cheek is sharp. Through its middle there is an overpass through which the road Gostivar – Kicevo passes. The northern slope of Bukovik is quite steep. Its slopes enclose Gostivarsko Pole from the south and reach Gostivar itself. In the middle, that slope is deeply cut by the river Lakavica. The entire northern side of Bukovik is covered with trees, mostly beech trees, from which it got its name. The mountain is inhabited by Arnauti, which makes it dangerous and scary to travel. The southern slope of Bukovik from near Kichevsko is less steep. It is completely bare, stony and waterless. As from the northern side Buković has a bright, even scary appearance, from the southern side near Kichevsko it has a dark and unpleasant appearance. It serves as a watershed between Vardar through its tributary Lakavica and Velika (Treska) through its tributary Zajashka Reka.

Landmarks:

Zapod – a karst field
Ubavica (Gjonovica) – one of the longest and most remarkable caves in the country, protected as a monument of nature

Source: Wikipedia