Around 27 mountaineers from Macedonia and abroad arrived at the Koprishnica waterfall to hear the legend about the beauty. And while they were taking photographs, mesmerized by the mysterious and magical beauty of the nature, enjoying it to the fullest, the murmur of the water flowing through that kingdom made of stone told the story that keeps attracting people to this region.
Amazed by that paradise on earth, playing the “kaval” and singing songs, they admitted that it is easy for people to forget about their problems here, in the untouched nature that has created masterpieces. The foaming water, noisy at times, was particularly beautiful, as if it was another instrument in the orchestra comprised of birds, animals and wind.
A beautiful girl used to work in the surrounding gardens and came to cool down near the water during the hottest parts of the day. The river running through the village was named Mominska, and the waterfall Mominski, after the girl. And they are just as beautiful. The water from the waterfall drops from a height of several tens of meters.
Reaching this fairytalelike place is not an easy feat, even for alpinists, mountain climbers, and of course tourists and ordinary people. But first, you need to drive to the village of Dren, near Demir Kapija, and then take the forest path by foot. The walking part wasn’t difficult. It was a pleasure going through that idyllic autumn atmosphere, walking on the carpet of leafs and listening to the real stories, including the one that the caravans taking goods to Thessaloniki used this place as a resting spot. It was time well spent. We were spoiled by the caress of both the breeze and the shy autumn sun.
The descent towards the waterfall is a bit steep and slippery. It is a bit inaccessible as it is a goat trail. We had to be very careful not to slip or get caught by some of the surrounding branches. At this point, adrenalin was rushing at its highest. Our friends from the sports club “Klisura” from Demir Kapija made the experience all the more interesting. They had tied a rope between the trees.
Holding on to the rope, we were descending and then returned. That way even the oldest and youngest among us had the chance to see the mesmerizing waterfall. They were listening to the story about the boys who used to play football nearby and then took a shower in the water from the waterfall.
Dragan Markelic, a 53year old mountaineer from the association “Konjuh” from Tuzla was amazed by the beauty of the waterfall and its surroundings.
“I have been a mountaineer for many years, actually four decades next year. The people from our club travelled almost 800 km to be part of this expedition. Everything is great, I loved the waterfall” he said.
The village of Koprishnica, which was our resting spot on our way to and from the waterfall, is located nearby. What used to be 33 houses there is now down to a mere several weekend houses. None of the old houses is left and there aren’t any constant residents. We lit candles in the church of “Saint George”, believed to be around 200 years old, wishing for good health and happiness.
We were walking for eight hours from Dren to the waterfall and back, with resting stops along the way for sightseeing and taking photos. For 20 km we didn’t meet anyone but woodcutters. The children from Koprishnica, first to fourth grade, used to walk this road in a shorter period of time, even in winter conditions with a great amount of snowfall.
The oldest person among us was Jovan Jovanovski from the village of Otushishte, near Tetovo, but now living in Skopje. He is 82, but was faster than some of his younger fellow mountaineers. Or, as some said, he maintained a tempo in his walk. He is a member of the mountaineering association “Mountain Beauty” from Skopje.
“I have been climbing mountains since I was a child. I love nature and I like exploring it. The route wasn’t difficult at all. Everything was nicely organized and the trail was good. The nature and the friendships were great. It is not enough for a person just to breathe, they need to experience life. That is the whole point” – he said.
This interesting endeavor was organized by the Sports Mountaineering Alpine Orientation Club “Antigonea” from Negotino. The waterfall is at an altitude of 720 meters.
“The young citizens of Negotino gave this activity special charm and beauty. This was the first mountaineering action for many of them and we are grateful that they supported our march. We hope they will continue to do this” – said Aleksandar Gichovski, President of “Antigonea”.
