While much of the news from the country is about demolitions, quarrels and detentions, something different happened on Shar Mountain this weekend - over 650 hikers (and by some counts over a thousand) climbed Titov Vrv on the 44th traditional ascent. A living tradition that hasn't stopped in decades, and without much fanfare at that.

The event, organised by the "Ljuboten" Mountaineering Club from Tetovo, began on May 30 with a ceremonial opening at Popova Shapka, complete with a mountain bazaar, handicrafts and a music programme. Hikers took part from several towns and clubs across Macedonia, along with guests from Kosovo and Serbia - a reminder that the mountain doesn't know the borders politicians know.

Titov Vrv, the highest peak of Shar Mountain at around 2,748 metres, greeted climbers this year in near-winter conditions - significant snow along the route and strong wind on the higher sections, which is characteristic of this part of the mountain. Even so, the climb passed without major trouble, with guides watching over safety along the marked trails.

This year, for the first time, a children's programme was organised as a separate segment - an easy mountain walk, eco-actions and creative workshops for the youngest. A detail worth more than it looks: love of nature and of being active is built from a young age, not bought later. In a country where children spend more and more time in front of a screen, a mountain hike is a small but real victory.