A long ascent through trees followed by a long descent to the hut.
After a good breakfast of yoghurt and eggy bread at Predel Lodge I headed off along the busy road, stopping to buy some snacks and toilet paper at a nearby restaurant. I don't think they actually sold toilet paper but when I indicated my supply, depleted by my earlier diarrhoea attack, the lady found a roll for me.
At a nearby drinking fountain and war memorial truck drivers were stopping to fill up bottles of water at the spring, maybe it's better than the tap water? An eagle sculpture stood guard opposite. It was here I turned off the main road and headed south up the beginning of the Pirin range. The ascent fell into two parts. A gradual climb along asphalt and dirt roads through mixed woodland followed by a much steeper path through pine trees and, higher up, dwarf pines. Ants crawled across the path among the pines, busy doing their allocated tasks.
At the top, a saddle between higher mountains, the steep ascent changed immediately into a steep descent. The path entered grassy meadows and then stands of tall, old pines. There was supposed to be a particularly outstanding group of pines called the candle stands. I found the path to them (marked by a red cross) but could not find them, or maybe I saw them but did not recognise them.
Not long before reaching the hut the route diverted off the forest track I was following, for an unexpectedly steep final climb along a small path giving a total ascent today of 1440 metres.
At the hut, while waiting in line for some attention I was surprised to hear English voices behind me commenting on the rather raunchy pop video showing on the TV. They were a friendly family from Britain on holiday, the first British people I had met since arriving in Sofia a week ago. I bought some chips with cheese and joined them for a while. Later other English speaking groups arrived. The hut was bursting with people, my dormitory was full, evidently a very popular area.
The showers had a hot tap so I took the opportunity to have what I thought would be a hot shower. Sadly the hot tap only gave a bracing supply of cold water!
Tomorrow should be a high point of my trip through Bulgaria with a walk across the very narrow Koncheto ridge. Hoping I don't fall off!
After a good breakfast of yoghurt and eggy bread at Predel Lodge I headed off along the busy road, stopping to buy some snacks and toilet paper at a nearby restaurant. I don't think they actually sold toilet paper but when I indicated my supply, depleted by my earlier diarrhoea attack, the lady found a roll for me.
At a nearby drinking fountain and war memorial truck drivers were stopping to fill up bottles of water at the spring, maybe it's better than the tap water? An eagle sculpture stood guard opposite. It was here I turned off the main road and headed south up the beginning of the Pirin range. The ascent fell into two parts. A gradual climb along asphalt and dirt roads through mixed woodland followed by a much steeper path through pine trees and, higher up, dwarf pines. Ants crawled across the path among the pines, busy doing their allocated tasks.
At the top, a saddle between higher mountains, the steep ascent changed immediately into a steep descent. The path entered grassy meadows and then stands of tall, old pines. There was supposed to be a particularly outstanding group of pines called the candle stands. I found the path to them (marked by a red cross) but could not find them, or maybe I saw them but did not recognise them.
Not long before reaching the hut the route diverted off the forest track I was following, for an unexpectedly steep final climb along a small path giving a total ascent today of 1440 metres.
At the hut, while waiting in line for some attention I was surprised to hear English voices behind me commenting on the rather raunchy pop video showing on the TV. They were a friendly family from Britain on holiday, the first British people I had met since arriving in Sofia a week ago. I bought some chips with cheese and joined them for a while. Later other English speaking groups arrived. The hut was bursting with people, my dormitory was full, evidently a very popular area.
The showers had a hot tap so I took the opportunity to have what I thought would be a hot shower. Sadly the hot tap only gave a bracing supply of cold water!
Tomorrow should be a high point of my trip through Bulgaria with a walk across the very narrow Koncheto ridge. Hoping I don't fall off!
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| Path up through dwarf pines |
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| View from saddle |
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