Village Bozovce – Dolna Leshnica – Krivoshijski Waterfalls

Leshnica – valley of Shar Mountain. It is located in the middle of Shar Mountain in the area of ​​the highest Shar peaks, between the peaks Sreden Kamen and Plat. It is bordered on the south-west by the highest peak Titov Vrv, while on the south-east by the second highest peak Bakardan, on the west by Sreden Kamen and on the east by Plat, while on the north it is open and merges with the valley of the river Pena, in its upper catchment and source area. . It is divided into Dolna Leshnica at an altitude of 1450 meters and Gorna Leshnica at 2221 meters above sea level.

It is characterized by a pronounced alpine landscape and character, with high rocks, grassy areas and dense evergreen and beech forest, ie abundant with coniferous, beech and other mixed forest, as well as rich endemic flora and fauna that can be found only in this place. On the rocky area between Dolna and Gorna Leshnica there is a large and occasional waterfall, which is especially strong in the spring and summer. The Leshnica valley can be reached from Popova Shapka through 2 routes: via Jelak and the peak Plat or through Ceripashina, and it can also be accessed by paths leading from the village Bozovce.

Krivoshijska River is a right tributary of the Pena River in one of the most beautiful areas of Shar Mountain, known as Leshnica. The river flows almost in a meridional direction from south to north. Its source is at 2200 to 2300 m. altitude in the circus Krivoshija, west of Titov Vrv (2747 m). It flows into Pena at an altitude of 1500 m, which means that at such a short length there is a huge drop of up to 700 m. Most of the water in the springs of the river comes from the precipitation and the melting of the snow in the circus. Several springs below the headwaters, receive water by groundwater from the shallow Krivoshija glacial lake (2238 m). The whole landscape in the source part is beautiful, with prominent remnants of the former glaciation. Here is the striking circus 1.5 km wide, with large rocky sections on the sides, then a few sea walls towards the “exit” of the circus (north), and a little lower are the huge sections of Leshnica. Krivoshijsko Lake, in the central part of the circus, is one of over 20 glacial lakes on the Macedonian side of Shar Mountain. It is 0.5 m deep, 95 m long and 80 m wide, and almost completely filled with sediment. The lake is maintained by several tributaries, and it flows through an outflow that sinks to the mentioned springs. Preserved traces indicate that the lake in the past was wider and longer, but is now in the extinction phase.

Krivoshija Waterfall (Gorno Ckalo) is located 1 km. downstream of the spring is the first more characteristic waterfall called Krivoshijski waterfall or Gorno Ckalo. It is located at 1880 m. altitude, and its total drop is 14 meters (9 m. + 5 m.). The flow of water through the waterfall varies and depending on the season ranges from 20-150 liters per second. The water is cold, and its temperature is usually around 10-12 degrees Celsius. It is interesting that regardless of the relatively small flow, the water curtain over the rock is 2-3 m wide and is dispersed in numerous droplets towards the foot. Here, the view is really impressive, especially when you notice the waterfall rainbow. Otherwise, in the rocky masses on the side of the waterfall there are two ditches ten meters deep in which you can take shelter in bad weather.

Krivoshijski Slap (Dolno Ckalo) is located about 1 km. downstream, where the river re-emerges on the surface and through a series of rapids forms the waterfall. It is located at an altitude of between 1550 and 1600 m. and consists of a total of 6 waterfalls. They are easily accessible on the arranged and marked path that starts from the nearby forest road or from Dolna Leshnica. The upper waterfall, 11.2 m high, is especially exciting. (6.7 + 4.5 m.) Whose water falls into a circular hollow rock hall, creating a large pool (giant pot) at the bottom. Due to the refraction of light and the color of the rocks, the water seems to change color from light, sparkling to greenish-blue. The semi-enclosed rock hall, created by the centuries-old water erosion, creates a strong echo from the waterfall, and all this fascinates you and leaves you breathless.

About 30 meters downstream are the four lower waterfalls stacked one below the other, with a total height of about 30 m. but the approach is risky. Therefore, the high water drop creates a loud noise that can be heard from far away.

In this lower part of the river, as a segment of the fascinating geomplex Leshnica, the landscape is complemented by dense forest vegetation, diverse flora and fauna, forest fruits in summer (raspberries, strawberries, blackberries) and green pastures.

Source: Wikipedia / igeografija.mk

Tour

We start the tour from the village Bozovce on Shar Mountain. From Skopje to the village Bozovce there is a well-paved road of a total of 65 km. From Tetovo we drive to Popova Shapka and near the village Gajre we stand out in the direction of the village Shipkovica, we pass the village Brodec and Veshala and we arrive in Bozovce. At the very entrance of the village, right next to the upper fountain, there is a small parking lot for several vehicles. Bozovce is a village of narrow type, narrow and steep streets, and if you go in search of parking or out of curiosity, there is a high risk of getting stuck if you have a passenger vehicle . Honestly, we have not visited Switzerland, but the villages Bozovce and Veshala with their location surrounded by beautiful Shar peaks, forests and nature, are very reminiscent of the Alps.

From the village Bozovce to Leshnica (more precisely Dolna Leshnica) there are two parallel paths: north and south. Our recommendation in the direction of Leshnica is to use the northern path that starts immediately from the upper fountain in the village directly from the parking lot because it is picturesque and offers beautiful views of the surrounding peaks including Titov Vrv. For the return we use the southern path which is actually a dirt road from Bozovce to Leshnica and at the end it passes through the narrow village alleys and offers the opportunity to get acquainted with the local population.

We start immediately from the upper fountain in the village Bozovce, where we park the vehicle and move on a dirt road. After 3.5 km. we split along a hiking trail and enter a beautiful evergreen and oak forest dotted with several springs and streams that flow into the Pena River. Moving along the hiking trail is easy because the height difference we overcome is insignificant, but on the right side in several places there is a steep slope and we recommend caution especially if you are moving with children. After a total of 6 km. we arrive in Dolna Leshnica where the southern and northern paths meet: a magical place to enjoy and relax with an alpine landscape and beautiful views of the surrounding peaks. The Leshnicka River and the Krivoshijska River merge here to form the Pena River: water in abundance. If the water level is high, be prepared to cross the rivers with your shoes off.

After a short break of sighs and admiration from this beautiful area, we head to Krivoshijski Slap (Dolno Ckalo). At approximately 0.5 km. from Dolna Leshnica there is a neatly marked path that turns south and which allows you to avoid the part of crossing the Krivoshijska River if it is significantly swollen. Approximately 1 km. from Dolna Leshnica is located the first bathtub of Krivoshijski Slap (Dolno Ckalo) but the access is quite difficult and risky. A few hundred meters above is the second bathtub of Krivoshijski Slap (Dolno Ckalo), which is significantly larger with a neat access and improvised wooden scaffolding. This is where our tour ends because our return time is already limited. It is more than certain that we will repeat this tour in the summer when we will be able to visit the Krivoshijski waterfall (Gorno Ckalo) and Krivoshijsko Lake.