Today involved a 1600 metre total ascent. It was a long climb up the Vitosha mountain, a bit of plateau, then a steep descent.
After a hearty breakfast at the Hotel Romantic, the climb was through sycamore and beech followed by fir trees higher up. Finally above the Aleko mountain lodge there were no trees just juniper creeping at ankle height. Shortly after starting my day's walk I deviated off the E4 to visit the Dragalevtsi Monastery. One of its churches was open, a nun on her cellphone sat outside with a playful cat. Inside the dark frescoes on the wall looked old, those parts that remained. Icons with their gold leaf added a bit of light. Periodically crossing a cobbled road and the wires and pylons of a chair lift (not in operation) I reached the Aleko mountain lodge. Too early for lunch I enjoyed a coffee, mango juice and kit-kat. Just before the lodge a wooden walkway took me over an impressive "river" of boulders. There were not many people before the lodge, just a party of children picking wild raspberries and some workmen, but from the lodge to the summit the path was popular, and I exchanged a "Dober Dan" with several walkers. After the lodge it was a steep climb, scrambling over boulders in places, up to the highest peak of the Vitosha range, Mount Cherni Vrah. The ground was surprisingly wet for August, mud could be an issue at other times of year.
At the summit was a weather station, said to have a tea room, although it was not at first apparent that it was open. Then I noticed people climbing the steps on one side of the building and entering through a closed, unmarked door. I followed and enjoyed a lunch of bean soup. On my way to the summit I had been sweating profusely, drips dropping from my chin, my handkerchief wet from mopping my brow to avoid sweat stinging my eyes, but at the top (at 2290 metres) there was a cold wind blowing forcing me to add a layer of clothing.
From Cherni Vrah it was a gentle walk across a plateau to the lower summit of Mount Yarlovski Kupen. The summits I could see reminded me of the granite tors of Dartmoor in the UK, piles of rock rising above the grass and creeping juniper.
After Yarlovski Kupen the steep downhill section was hard on my knees, until a lower ridge where the trail led me through deciduous trees to the Smilio shelter, where I am camping tonight. Two Dutch people, also walking the Bulgarian E4 had arrived a little before me. There was not much in the hut, referred to as a shelter, a wood burning stove with some matches, a table and benches. Someone had put some grass on the floor in one part to make a sort of mattress.
Climbing up Vitosha, once above the tree line, I had extensive views across Sofia. On my descent I had views of the Rila mountains ahead. As they drew closer they looked a lot more irregular and rocky than the mountain I climbed today. A sign of things to come.
On this and subsequent days I was following a gpx file for the Bulgarian section of the E4 that can be downloaded from traildino.com or waymarkedtrails.org.
After a hearty breakfast at the Hotel Romantic, the climb was through sycamore and beech followed by fir trees higher up. Finally above the Aleko mountain lodge there were no trees just juniper creeping at ankle height. Shortly after starting my day's walk I deviated off the E4 to visit the Dragalevtsi Monastery. One of its churches was open, a nun on her cellphone sat outside with a playful cat. Inside the dark frescoes on the wall looked old, those parts that remained. Icons with their gold leaf added a bit of light. Periodically crossing a cobbled road and the wires and pylons of a chair lift (not in operation) I reached the Aleko mountain lodge. Too early for lunch I enjoyed a coffee, mango juice and kit-kat. Just before the lodge a wooden walkway took me over an impressive "river" of boulders. There were not many people before the lodge, just a party of children picking wild raspberries and some workmen, but from the lodge to the summit the path was popular, and I exchanged a "Dober Dan" with several walkers. After the lodge it was a steep climb, scrambling over boulders in places, up to the highest peak of the Vitosha range, Mount Cherni Vrah. The ground was surprisingly wet for August, mud could be an issue at other times of year.
At the summit was a weather station, said to have a tea room, although it was not at first apparent that it was open. Then I noticed people climbing the steps on one side of the building and entering through a closed, unmarked door. I followed and enjoyed a lunch of bean soup. On my way to the summit I had been sweating profusely, drips dropping from my chin, my handkerchief wet from mopping my brow to avoid sweat stinging my eyes, but at the top (at 2290 metres) there was a cold wind blowing forcing me to add a layer of clothing.
From Cherni Vrah it was a gentle walk across a plateau to the lower summit of Mount Yarlovski Kupen. The summits I could see reminded me of the granite tors of Dartmoor in the UK, piles of rock rising above the grass and creeping juniper.
After Yarlovski Kupen the steep downhill section was hard on my knees, until a lower ridge where the trail led me through deciduous trees to the Smilio shelter, where I am camping tonight. Two Dutch people, also walking the Bulgarian E4 had arrived a little before me. There was not much in the hut, referred to as a shelter, a wood burning stove with some matches, a table and benches. Someone had put some grass on the floor in one part to make a sort of mattress.
Climbing up Vitosha, once above the tree line, I had extensive views across Sofia. On my descent I had views of the Rila mountains ahead. As they drew closer they looked a lot more irregular and rocky than the mountain I climbed today. A sign of things to come.
On this and subsequent days I was following a gpx file for the Bulgarian section of the E4 that can be downloaded from traildino.com or waymarkedtrails.org.
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| Inside a church at Dragalevski monastery |
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| Part of the track up Vitosha mountain |
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| Weather Station (and cafe) at the top of Cherni Vrah, highest summit of Vitosha |
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