Tag: difficulty moderate-hard

Posted on in Vitosha

Kladnitsa – Selimitsa – Ostritsa – Kladnitsa

Starting Coordinates: 42.5685, 23.19619

Distance: 8.2 km

Elevation Gain: 475 m

Time: 3¼ hours

Difficulty: moderate-hard

Transport: by car, or by minibus

  • The start of the ecopath, next to the road that leads from Kladnitsa to Kladnitsa Monastery and Selimitsa Hut.
  • At the start of the walk, the river has three crosses fixed in the stone.
  • Three successive bridges take you across the river.
  • Having crossed the river again, you reach a small clearing. Keep straight.
  • The path rejoins the road to Selimitsa Hut and continues up some steps on the other side.
  • Selimitsa Hut, which offers food.
  • The track enters the forest.
  • The picnic hut on the left.
  • One of the boulders that line the route.
  • The stone run.
  • The view of Studena Reservoir.
  • The path reaches the top. Ostritsa Hut is on the right.
  • Ostritsa Hut.
  • The descent back to where you started.
  • The depiction of the Trinity on the ceiling of the nave in Kladnitsa Monastery.

Kladnitsa, with a population of little more than a thousand, is the highest village on the west side of Vitosha. To get there by car, you must take the road from Sofia to Pernik, which passes through Knyazhevo and Vladaya before arriving at the crest of the hill and descending on the other side. As it reaches the bottom, in a village called Dragichevo, there is a set of traffic lights. Turn left here (it is signposted for Rudartsi, 4 km, and Kladnitsa, 9 km). If you continue straight, you will reach the motorway for Greece, the A3, and then Pernik.

In 1.5 kilometres, you enter Rudartsi. Stay on the same road. In another 4 kilometres, you enter Kladnitsa. 400 metres after entering Kladnitsa, the road veers left, signposted for Kladnitsa Monastery and Selimitsa Hut, and takes you uphill. After one kilometre, you leave the village of Kladnitsa and immediately enter Vitosha Nature Park. Keep going for another 500 metres. As the road turns left, you will see the start of the ecopath. 200 metres after the start of the ecopath is the slip road that leads to Kladnitsa Monastery. There is a very small area to park your car just after the start of the ecopath, otherwise people tend to park on the verge. It can be quite busy at weekends in summer.

There is a minibus that goes to Kladnitsa from the Russian Monument in Sofia once an hour, during the daytime. The 21 bus also goes there from Pernik. The buses stop in the main square in Kladnitsa, where the chitalishte (community centre) is. From here, you need to head eastwards, and soon the road will take you out of Kladnitsa and into Vitosha Nature Park.

The ecopath is known as the “path of health”. It leads straight up from the road. The river should be on your right. In 200 metres, you cross the river on three separate bridges and continue on the other side. In another 200 metres, you again cross the river, but this time the path leaves the river behind and soon reaches a clearing with a bench between two tree trunks. You continue straight here (signposted for Cherni Vrah and Selimitsa Hut). In 200 metres, a small bridge takes you over a stream, and you become aware of the road you were on up on your left. The path crosses the same stream again, and 1.1 kilometres after the start of the ecopath you rejoin the road at Selimitsa Hut. There is a car park further down on your left.

The path continues on the other side of the road, up some steps, and in a couple of minutes you arrive at Selimitsa Hut, which is a popular place for eating. If you don’t have food with you, you want to bear in mind that Ostritsa Hut is not working, so this is your only chance to grab a bite to eat on the route.

The path heads behind the hut (where the kitchens are) and joins a track. At the track, turn left and continue climbing past some wonderfully located houses. 300 metres after the hut, the track veers right and enters the forest. This track will now take you to Ostritsa Hut, the highest point on this walk.

I have marked the walk as “moderate-hard” not because of the distance, but because of the elevation gain (475 metres over 4.2 kilometres). You are constantly climbing. I always think it’s a question of not being anxious to arrive somewhere, but simply going at your own pace, putting one foot in front of the other. That’s all anyone does, isn’t it? And humans have achieved great things by putting one foot in front of the other and being patient.

Very soon on the left is a picnic hut, with a small fountain behind it (only trickling water). Fifteen minutes after the picnic hut, there is a stone run, one of those moraine rivers that are so characteristic of Vitosha (and of the Falklands, apparently). Another 200 metres, and there is a wonderful view to the south-west of Studena Reservoir. Another ten minutes, and there is another small fountain on the right, this one without any water. One more kilometre, and you reach the top, with Ostritsa Hut on your right. You are now not far from the walk that begins at Ofeliite.

Unfortunately, Ostritsa Hut doesn’t work, but I still ate my lunch, sitting by the hut and the grassy slope that leads to Ostritsa Peak. I then headed back down the way I had come. What makes this path so worthwhile is the beauty of the path itself, which is mostly shaded, the views to the south-west, and the numerous boulders that line the route. You are also on a less frequented part of the mountain.

Back at the bottom, do make time to visit Kladnitsa Monastery, dedicated to St Nicholas, which is only 200 metres further up the road and has a very distinctive depiction of the Trinity on the ceiling of the nave.

Posted on in Vitosha, Waterfalls

Boyana Village – Boyana Waterfall – Boyana Lake – Boyana Village

Starting Coordinates: 42.64278, 23.26402

Distance: 6.9 km

Elevation Gain: 490 m

Time: 3¼ hours

Difficulty: moderate-hard

Transport: by car, or by bus no. 64 and 107 to Boyana Village

  • Boyana Church, very near the start of the walk.
  • The entrance to Vitosha Nature Park from Boyana Village.
  • The military installation behind barbed wire.
  • The bridge over a tributary.
  • Boyana River, like a scarf caught in the trees.
  • Boyana River, heading north from the waterfall to Sofia.
  • One of the mini-waterfalls before the waterfall proper.
  • The approach to Boyana Waterfall.
  • Arriving at Boyana Waterfall.
  • Boyana Waterfall (the Communion of the Apostles).
  • The path from Boyana Waterfall heading east to Boyana Lake.
  • A view of Sofia.
  • Kopitoto in the west. From the hotel, there is another, easier route to Boyana Waterfall.
  • Boyana Lake.
  • The path heading north from the lake, which brings you back to the starting point.

The start of this walk is very near the famous Boyana Church, one of the principal tourist attractions in Sofia, a World Heritage Site with medieval frescoes dating from 1259. The church is open every day during normal working hours and, although you only get about ten minutes inside (due to conservation measures), it is well worth a visit.

Both the 64 and the 107 buses stop near the church. For the 64 bus, which continues to the next village east, Dragalevtsi, you want to get off at the stop “Boyansko Hanche”, a restaurant on Sborishte Square. The 107 bus will take you all the way to the church, since this is its last stop. By car, you approach Boyana on Bulgaria Boulevard (from where you can see the waterfall on the side of the mountain), go under the ring road and, 200 metres after entering the village, you come to a roundabout. Go left here and, at the traffic lights, turn left. After 400 metres, you will cross Boyana River (which, higher up, forms the waterfall) and, in another 200 metres, Boyana Church will be signposted on the right. Park somewhere near the square.

To reach the church, you go past All Seasons Residence Hotel and continue uphill. The church is about five minutes away and can be visited before or after the walk. To reach the start of the walk, with the entrance to Boyana Church in front of you, go right and continue further uphill. At the top, turn left and, in a couple of minutes, you will reach some stone steps and the entrance to Vitosha Nature Park.

The walk consists of three parts – a stiff climb to the waterfall (1¼ hr, 2.9 km); a gradual descent to the lake (50 mins, 2.3 km); and a return to the starting point (30 mins, 1.7 km). These three parts have red, green and blue markers respectively. As you enter the park (“protected territory since 1934”), you will see a military installation on your right. Follow the red markers. The path takes you uphill and then behind the military installation. You will soon see the river on your right. You will now follow the course of the river all the way to the waterfall. After 1 km, a bridge crosses a tributary from the left. In another 350 metres, a path goes down to the river on the right, but keep left (uphill). The path starts to zigzag and, when you double back on yourself and are facing north, quite often there are pretty views of Sofia through the trees. As you approach the waterfall, the river starts to tumble. There are one or two mini-waterfalls before the waterfall itself. The path here has a metal railing, and at certain points you need to be careful with your footing. There is a rising sense of anticipation as you near the waterfall. It soon appears and is a sight to behold, especially if you go in early spring (during or after the snow melt).

The waterfall reminds me of the Communion of the Apostles in Orthodox churches. It is remarkable how a bubbling stream has now become a burning star pouring forth rays of light. There’s a certain amount of tomfoolery, people taking their shirts off and standing beneath the spray or taking selfies.

After you have taken your fill, you can of course return down the mountain, but I recommend you continue to Boyana Lake. It doesn’t take much longer, and the lake is pretty. Take the path that climbs next to the waterfall, but instead of continuing uphill (south), take the path that immediately forks left (east), which is signposted for Boyana Lake and has green markers. This path meanders around rather than up the mountain. After 350 metres, a path joins from the right. Keep going east. The path begins to descend. In another 300 metres, you will reach a T-junction. Go left here, signposted for Boyana Lake and Dragalevtsi. You will soon cross another tributary of Boyana River. After 1 km, a path joins from the right. Keep going in the same direction (which is now more or less northwards). Several paths diverge to the left. Ignore them. Keep right, and you will soon come to a ruined building, behind which is the lake.

Continue to the north side of the lake, where there are some rocks and people have barbecues. A separate walk approaches the lake from Dragalevtsi Monastery further east. It is normally full of croaking frogs, who like to make their presence felt, but I wouldn’t recommend letting any animals with you drink the water, it’s a little stagnant. Once you’ve had your fill, leave the lake and head north/north-west. A path with blue markers descends the mountain, with the lake behind you/to your left. Follow this path, and in half an hour you will be back where you started!

This walk is an excellent introduction to Vitosha Mountain. It also enables you to visit one of the most famous sites in Bulgaria, Boyana Church. Also in Boyana is the National Historical Museum, which has some impressive exhibits. It is also possible to visit Boyana Waterfall from Kopitoto further up the mountain – in this case, you descend rather than climb to the waterfall, and this is what I did for many years, but I have to say I find the climb from Boyana Village very rewarding. The fact you’re by the river all the way – it’s like she’s taken you by the hand and led you there herself.

Posted on in Vitosha

Yarlovo – Golemiya Rid Peak – Yarlovo

Starting Coordinates: 42.46882, 23.27801

Distance: 13.2 km

Elevation Gain: 405 m

Time: 4½ hours

Difficulty: moderate-hard

Transport: by car, or by bus no. 69 just past Zheleznitsa (this still leaves a significant distance)

  • The turning right to Yarlovo in Kovachevtsi.
  • The main square in Yarlovo.
  • The street heading north-west in the direction of Cherni Vrah via Golemiya Rid.
  • The track as it crosses the river Palakaria.
  • The track now continues on the west bank of the Palakaria.
  • After fifteen minutes, the path divides. Go left here.
  • The path through the forest.
  • At post 158, go right in the direction of Cherni Vrah.
  • After twenty minutes, the path divides. Go left here.
  • View north from Golemiya Rid of Cherni Vrah and Yarlovski Kupen.
  • View south of Yarlovo and Rila in the distance.
  • Half an hour after the peak, you will come to a crossroads. Go straight in the direction of Klisura.
  • The view back towards Cherni Vrah and Yarlovski Kupen.
  • At the T-junction, go left to return to Yarlovo.
  • The tarmacked road back to Yarlovo.
  • The village as it appears.
  • Where we were welcomed by some donkeys.
  • The bridge over the river Palakaria.
  • The river Palakaria in Yarlovo.

Yarlovo is the other most distant village you can reach on the south side of Vitosha, together with Chuypetlovo, the difference being that you come at them from different directions. To reach Chuypetlovo, you go west around the mountain. To reach Yarlovo, you go east, via Bistritsa and Zheleznitsa. The two villages are actually in adjoining valleys – Chuypetlovo in the Struma valley, Yarlovo in the Palakaria valley – so visiting both villages is like putting your arms around the mountain from both sides, a fitting way to bring this book to a conclusion.

Yarlovo is again about fifty kilometres from central Sofia, an hour’s drive. You pass through Bistritsa, Zheleznitsa, the villa zone known as Yarema, until you reach Kovachevtsi. From Bistritsa to Kovachevtsi is 22 kilometres. Shortly after entering Kovachevtsi, there is a turning on the right for Yarlovo, 5 km. The furthest you can get with public transport is bus no. 69, which takes you just past Zheleznitsa, but that still leaves a significant distance to Yarlovo (about 17 km).

On entering Yarlovo, the road veers to the right, goes past a playground on the right and then heads left into the main square, where there is a Church of St Nedelya, the town hall, a post office and various amenities. Park here. This walk will take you along the course of the Palakaria, up onto the ridge between Yarlovo and Chuypetlovo to the peak Golemiya Rid (with wonderful views north to Cherni Vrah and south to Rila) and back around to Yarlovo. So you leave the main square in the north-west corner and return via the south-west corner.

Take the street that leaves the square in the north-west corner (to the west of the church). It is signposted for Smilyo shelter, Chuypetlovo village and Cherni Vrah via Golemiya Rid. The river Palakaria is flowing on your left. You will pass two bridges going over the river on your left, but just keep going on this street. In half an hour, after the tarmac ends and the road turns into a dirt track, it crosses the river, where there is a pretty waterfall. On the other side of the river, the track begins to climb and turns right (left will take you back into Yarlovo). In fifteen minutes, you will cross a small tributary of the Palakaria, and immediately the path divides. Right will take you along the course of the river. You want to go left, up the mountain. Now stay on this path (with the black and yellow posts), ignore the turning on the left that appears immediately. The path divides and then comes back together (it doesn’t matter which branch you take) and in little more than ten minutes it emerges into the open.

Another ten minutes, and you will reach post number 158. A path on the left will take you to Smilyo, Chuypetlovo and Bosnek. Go right here, in the direction of Cherni Vrah. You will pass a farm outbuilding on the left and then a small house. Follow this path for twenty minutes. It then divides. The right branch will continue taking you in the direction of Cherni Vrah, the summit, but we are going to go left here, in the direction of Golemiya Rid peak. 200 metres after this left turning, there is a path through the grass on the left. In ten minutes (500 metres), this path will take you to the peak, which is a good place to stop for rest and refreshment. Halfway there, a path diverges on the left – ignore it, and in no time at all you will be at the peak. North of here is Cherni Vrah. To the right of Cherni Vrah is Yarlovski Kupen, the main peak at the head of the Palakaria valley. North-west is the village of Chuypetlovo, which featured in our previous walk. And south-east is Yarlovo and the mysterious peaks of Rila, the highest point in the Balkans, in the distance.

Once you have had time to enjoy the views, return to the path you were on and continue left. In about twenty minutes, you will reach a clear crossroads with a picnic area on the right. The left branch will take you to post number 158 and the farm outbuilding, from where you can return directly to Yarlovo. The right branch takes you down to the road just before Chuypetlovo. Keep straight, in the direction of Klisura village. After a hundred metres, ignore the turnings on the right and stay on the path you are on. In half an hour, it divides (the right branch goes to a “cheshma” or fountain). Keep left here, and in five minutes you will come to a T-junction. The right branch goes to Klisura. You want to head left, back to Yarlovo three kilometres away. The road is now tarmacked.

When you reach the first houses in Yarlovo, there is a dirt track on the right, which soon becomes tarmacked as it enters the village, running alongside the river Palakaria on your left. After ten minutes (800 metres), cross the bridge on your left and in five minutes you will enter the main square from the south-west.

Please note: it is easily possible to shorten this walk in two ways. The first is to take the left turning at post 158 and to walk in the direction of Chuypetlovo, not Cherni Vrah. This will omit the peak Golemiya Rid. When you get to the crossroads, take the left turning for Klisura village and continue as per the description. Alternatively, having climbed the peak, when you reach the crossroads, instead of continuing in the direction of Klisura village, turn left here for Yarlovo. You will return to post 158, where you can turn right and descend into the village the way you climbed up. Both options will reduce the walk by several kilometres.

A map of the walk in relation to the whole mountain, with the outskirts of Sofia visible in the top right-hand corner:

Posted on in Vitosha

Goli Vrah – Ushite – Kamen Del Peak – Bor – Goli Vrah

Starting Coordinates: 42.59034, 23.29317

Distance: 11.0 km

Elevation Gain: 395 m

Time: 4½ hours

Difficulty: moderate-hard

Transport: by car, or by bus no. 66 to the last stop

  • The slip road to the top of the Dragalevtsi chair lift, Goli Vrah, 200 metres before the last stop on the 66 bus route.
  • The top of the chair lift.
  • The path right, marked by black and yellow posts, across the peat reserve.
  • The peat reserve, with Ushite and Chernata Skala in the distance.
  • The peat reserve.
  • The brightly coloured flowers.
  • The Ushite shelter.
  • Kamen Del peak.
  • The view of Sofia from Kamen Del peak.
  • As the path descends towards Bor, the TV tower at Kopitoto is visible.
  • In a short while, the path enters forest.
  • It passes a hut and a fountain.
  • Bor mountain hut (inactive).
  • Immediately after Bor mountain hut, there is a small bridge over Boyana River, a nice place to rest.
  • On the return, the views from the Ushite shelter towards the summit, Cherni Vrah, are spectacular.

Part of this walk is the same as for Kominite, along the plateau next to the top of the Dragalevtsi chair lift, Goli Vrah. It takes you all the way across the peat reserve and down to Bor mountain hut, which features in the walks Planinets and Zlatni Mostove. It offers the chance to climb a peak, Kamen Del, the peak which is most visible from the centre of Sofia, next to Ushite, and affords wonderful views of the city itself.

If you are travelling by public transport, you take bus no. 66 to the end of the line and then walk back 200 metres to the slip road to Goli Vrah. By car, you take the road up the mountain from Dragalevtsi village. From the cobbled square at the centre of Dragalevtsi, you take the road in the far corner and drive for 14.2 kilometres, past the turning for the “Vodenitsata” restaurant, past the car park behind Dragalevtsi Monastery, under the Dragalevtsi chair lift, past the middle station on the Dragalevtsi chair lift (Bay Krastyo), past the turning for the ski slope Vitoshko Lale, until you get to the slip road that takes you to the top of the chair lift, Goli Vrah. If you find yourself in Aleko, where the road ends, you have gone too far and need to drive back a short distance. The slip road is on the right, 200 metres before the final bus stop.

Many people use this slip road to access the summit, Cherni Vrah, instead of going to the summit from Aleko, which is nearer, because the slip road climbs more gradually whereas the climb from Aleko is very steep (there is a chair lift). The slip road takes you in five minutes past the top of the Dragalevtsi chair lift, Goli Vrah, and in another five minutes you come to the peat reserve on your right and a path marked with black and yellow posts. Turn right here (it is signposted for the Ushite shelter, “zaslon Ushite”) and follow the black and yellow posts for the next forty-five minutes. You will notice a slight springiness in your step because of the peat, it buoys you up. The views behind you to the summit, Cherni Vrah, right to Sofia, and straight ahead to Ushite (“The Ears”) with Chernata Skala (“Black Rock”) to the left of it are all wonderful. So is the sense that you are crossing a valuable piece of land, the peat reserve, full of grasses and brightly coloured flowers.

The path from the slip road starts at post number 30. In ten minutes (post 50), there is a path on the right going back to Goli Vrah. Keep going straight. In another ten minutes (post 64), there is a path on the right. Ignore it. In another ten minutes (post 89), there is a path going right to the Kominite Climbing Area. This features in the walk to Kominite. Keep going. In another ten minutes (post 108), you reach the Ushite shelter on your left, with Ushite behind it. Immediately after you have left the shelter behind, another peak, Kamen Del, becomes visible to your right, overlooking Sofia, a Bulgarian flag flying on top. This is a popular destination at weekends during summer.

The path you are on, with the black and yellow posts, will take you all the way to Bor mountain hut, but it is worth making a diversion to climb Kamen Del peak. So five minutes after the Ushite shelter (post 116), take the path on the right in the direction of the peak, which you will reach after ten minutes. Enjoy the fabulous views over Sofia! Lots of people stay here to admire the landscape, the valley with Sofia and the airport, Pancharevo (with the lake) and Bistritsa to the right, the Balkan mountain in the distance. If at this point you feel you have walked far enough, it is perfectly possible to turn around here and retrace your steps. Otherwise, come down from the peak, return to the path with the black and yellow posts (you can rejoin this path at post 121 instead of returning to post 116 by taking a path on the right as you come down from the peak).

Once you are back on the path with the black and yellow posts, it will begin to descend and soon it will enter forest. Forty minutes after Kamen Del peak, you pass a hut and a fountain on the left. Immediately after this hut and fountain, the path forks. Keep left, join the tarmac road and in five minutes you will be at Bor mountain hut, which is not active. If you keep going straight, after the mountain hut, you will immediately come to a small bridge over Boyana River, which is a lovely place to sit and rest. In the not so distant future, this small river will become Boyana Waterfall, but that’s still in the future.

Then simply return the way you came, taking the same path (signposted for Platoto and Aleko Hut). On the way back, when you emerge from the forest after half an hour, the path divides. It doesn’t matter which fork you take since they have the same destination, but I usually follow the fork with the black and yellow post next to it. That way, I know I’m going in the right direction. In another ten minutes (post 120), the climb ceases and, as you reach the Ushite shelter on your return, the views over the plateau towards Cherni Vrah are truly stunning. At post 50, there is the option of taking a slightly shorter route to Goli Vrah, but I’m a stickler for tradition and prefer to stay on the path with the posts. At post 30, you rejoin the slip road. Turn left, and in ten minutes you will be back at the main road where you started. Like all walks that go and return by the same route, this walk can easily be shortened by turning back earlier. What I like about continuing to Bor mountain hut is that it links this walk with two earlier walks, Planinets and Zlatni Mostove, and I get a better understanding of the mountain (just as the walks from Kopitoto and Bay Krastyo also meet in the middle, but lower down the mountain).

Posted on in Vitosha

Bay Krastyo – Goli Vrah – Kominite – Bay Krastyo

Starting Coordinates: 42.60455, 23.30066

Distance: 7.7 km

Elevation Gain: 450 m

Time: 3½ hours

Difficulty: moderate-hard

Transport: by car, or by bus no. 66 to the stop for Bay Krastyo

  • The penultimate stop of the 66 bus route with the hut in the bend of the road.
  • The path to Kominite. This is the path you will come back on.
  • The path (E4) to Aleko and Cherni Vrah. Take this path to the top of the chair lift (Goli Vrah).
  • Climb the log steps.
  • The path through the forest, having left the chair lift behind.
  • The small fountain.
  • The top of the chair lift, Goli Vrah.
  • The beginning of the path across the peat reserve in the direction of Ushite (visible in front of you).
  • The peat reserve with Ushite behind.
  • A description of the peat reserve.
  • After turning right to go to Kominite, look back to see the summit.
  • The picnic area next to the path from the peat reserve to Kominite.
  • There are wonderful views of Sofia.
  • Kominite, a well-known rock climbing area.
  • Dragalevtsi River, with Sofia in the background.

This is one of the higher routes on Vitosha, taking you to the peat reserve between Goli Vrah, the top of the Dragalevtsi chair lift, and Ushite, meaning “The Ears”, which is the part of the mountain most easily seen from Sofia. It is good to do it in reasonably fair weather. I have marked it “moderate-hard” because of the steep descent past the rock climbing area known as Kominite (“The Chimneys”), but the distance is comparable with other walks.

The starting point is the same as for the walk from Bay Krastyo to Kikish. You take the road that goes up the mountain from Dragalevtsi or bus no. 66. From the cobbled square of Dragalevtsi, you take the road in the far corner and carry on driving up the mountain for 9 km, ignoring the turning on the left for “Vodenitsata” restaurant. Stop at the slip road for Bay Krastyo, the middle station on the currently defunct Dragalevtsi chair lift, or get off at the penultimate stop of the 66 bus route.

Instead of walking down the slip road towards the station, however, you need to continue up the main road. After 80 metres, you will see a path signposted for Kominite. This is the path you will come back on. Continue around the corner for another 80 metres, and  you will come to a second path on your right, the E4, signposted for Aleko and Cherni Vrah. This is the path you want, which begins on the other side of a hut inside the bend of the road with large heaps of what looks like cement.

This path will take you to the top of the chair lift, Goli Vrah. It is a little confusing to begin with because on the left there is a bike trail. Some steps have been built with logs. It’s a good idea to follow these steps, and at the top turn right to continue up the mountain. In ten minutes, you will pass under the chair lift, but then the path will double back on itself, forming a zigzag and taking you back under the chair lift. It does this a second time. On returning under the chair lift for a second time, continue straight. Then, confusingly, the path again zigzags twice, not as far as the chair lift this time (the chair lift should end up on your right), before finally deciding to climb the mountain and leave the chair lift behind. If you are in any doubt, simply follow the red and black markers.

After fifteen minutes, you will see the bike trail on your left, which crosses the path you are on. Continue straight. The path gradually narrows and becomes wet. Logs have been placed where the ground is wettest and there is running water. In another five minutes, you will come to a fountain on your right. In another twenty minutes, you will pass a generator behind a wire fence on your left and become aware of the main road behind it. The path crosses a slip road, climbs some steps, and then crosses a second slip road (going to Salzitsa hut). Continue straight, ignoring the main road on your left and the slip road on your right. A stiff climb brings you in ten minutes to a third slip road. You want to join this slip road, which goes from the main road behind you all the way to the top of the mountain (the main road does not go to the summit of the mountain, it stops short, at Aleko).

Turn right along this slip road and in five minutes you will pass the top of the Dragalevtsi chair lift, Goli Vrah, on your right. Continue along the slip road, and in another five minutes take the turning right signposted for the shelter (“zaslon”) Ushite. This turning is very clearly marked by black and yellow posts, starting with the number 30. You are now in a very precious part of the mountain, the peat reserve, designated as such in 1935 and covering an area of 783 hectares. You will immediately notice that you have a spring in your step. Walking suddenly becomes easy because of the ground you are stepping on. Follow this path in the direction of Ushite directly in front of you, with Chernata Skala, “Black Rock”, to the left of it.

After ten minutes (post number 50), a path doubles back to Goli Vrah on your right. Keep going straight. Another ten minutes (post number 64), and a path diverges on the right. Keep going straight until after another ten minutes you get to post number 89. Here take the turning on your right, signposted for the Kominite Climbing Area and Kikish. Were you to continue in the direction of Ushite, the path would eventually take you to Bor mountain hut, which features in the walks Planinets and Zlatni Mostove. See the walk Ushite.

As you start along the turning on the right, look back the way you came and you will get a wonderful view of the summit, Cherni Vrah, on the right with the radar station (aka a golf ball) in the middle. Continue along this path. You are now heading in an easterly direction. After five minutes, there is a convenient picnic area on your right, where you can sit and admire the view towards Bistritsa and Pancharevo, with the mountains behind. Sometimes there are hang-gliders. Now the path begins to descend, with excellent views of Sofia to the north-east. After five minutes, a path heads left to Kikish. Keep right. The path becomes quite overgrown. In another fifteen minutes, you will reach Kominite, the rocks in front of you. The path veers right here (to avoid the rocks). The path then divides, but both branches lead in the same direction (the left branch is steeper, the right branch more roundabout). They will both take you past the climbing area on your left. This part of the walk can be tiring, you need to watch your step as the descent is quite steep. In twenty minutes, you will reach Dragalevtsi River. This river features in two other walks, Bay Krastyo and Simeonovo Lakes, but you are now higher upstream. Cross the river and follow the path across a small moraine field and back under the chair lift. In twenty-five minutes, you will be back at the main road where you started.

We have often done this walk in reverse, going from the main road (Bay Krastyo) only as far as Kominite and climbing the rocks there to have lunch. It’s not ideal for small children or pets, since the rocks are steep, but it’s a wonderful place to have a picnic. Shortly after crossing the river, at the bottom of the rock faces where people can be seen climbing, you leave the path you are on, walk along the bottom of the rock faces, and continue for another ten minutes. You pass a small shelter and come to a secluded area with large rocks you can sit on. It’s safe so long as you stay away from the edge.