Predel hut to Yavorov hut on E4: Day 14

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!

Path up through dwarf pines

View from saddle

Macedonia hut to Predel hut on E4; Day 13

Today was one of two parts, a ridge walk over grassy summits followed by a long descent to the saddle between the Rila and Pirin hills.
Walking over the most southerly peaks of the Rila mountains today was less tiring than on previous days, the mountains being more rounded and grassy. Various layers of clothing, my "Buff" covering my ears plus gloves protected me from the cold wind which was bringing black clouds overhead obscuring the sun (more distant hills were in full sunshine, the mountain weather can be quite local). Birds (kestrels?) rose and fell on the fluctuations of the wind as they tried to keep position. Grasshoppers jumped out of my way. A few grazing horses looked up at me. As I progressed the low ground each side of the mountains gave hazy views of distant towns.
At length I reached the last summit and a steep descent began. The path was obscure and trail markers disappeared. I followed where a previous party had flattened the grass as I made my descent around rocks and trees to a clearing with a hunter's tower. From there a path off a dirt road went through wild raspberries, ripe and sweet. I would not have found it except that it had been recently used. Eventually I lost it and blundered through the undergrowth and rocks, among trees until I re-found a path and joined a dirt road. Later my GPS and guidebook said I should leave the dirt road but when I tried I was met with thick undergrowth after a short distance. So I followed the forestry road and making some choices at various junctions rejoined the correct route lower down the hillside.
Eventually the dirt track became an asphalt road beside which were various groups of holiday bungalows. I could not decide if they were abandoned or still available for use, no children or families were enjoying them.
Finally reaching a busy road with cars and lorries racing each way, I crossed with care and went up the lane to Predel hut. It is a grade up on the previous huts with rooms with en-suite bathrooms. They are barbecuing something for dinner it smells goooood.

Black clouds over the Rila mountains

Ribni Ezera hut to Macedonia hut on E4: Day 12

Today I climbed up and down a number of peaks including some scrambling over rocks.
After a good night's sleep I was away early, climbing up to the ridge that surrounds the Ribni lake. Then it was around a rocky peak and onto Mount Pavlev. Crossing Mount Pavlev involved climbing up a ridge with the ground steeply dropping on each side. A wire was staked into the rock to assist you in the climb. It helped a little but also got in the way. In today's dry conditions it was not difficult. On the other side of the summit there was an area of boulders to negotiate which took a bit more effort, both to avoid a twisted ankle and to work out where the path went. The following summits on the ridge involved some tiring climbs but no rocks to scramble over.
After early sunshine black clouds appeared. For the rest of the day sunshine and clouds alternated, windy at times, wisps of the clouds were caught in vortices, twisting and turning around the side of the mountain.
Unlike the Ribni Ezera lodge yesterday, which could be seen from many kilometres away, the Macedonia hut appeared suddenly at the end of a long descent, hidden by a convexity in the hillside. Some birds (buzzards?) were being held aloft by the wind rising up the hill.
When I arrived at the hut the people in the canteen had some fun with my inability to speak Bulgarian, but left me unsure as to what to do to secure my bed and get some food. After making some efforts I sat down and waited. Some soup appeared and after a further wait I was shown to one of the dormitories. In the evening I managed to get some food and a friendly Bulgarian who spoke English offered me some of his wine and brandy to try. The Merlot wine was very good, smooth and full bodied. His young nephew lived in England and was here on holiday, he had to learnt English at school very quickly and kindly helped me negotiate with the guy in charge.

Ridge up Mount Pavlev

The path follows the ridge ahead

Strashnoto hut to Ribni Ezera lodge on E4: Day 11

A day's walk through beautiful scenery.
I woke at 5:30 am and by 6 am I was on my way as the dawn was just breaking. The first climb took me over boulders and rocks to a saddle on the ridge. There had been some attempt to attach wires to the rocks to help you cross them but only one wire was still in place, not that you really needed them, main thing was to keep looking for the red and white waymarks to make sure you did not loose the way.
After the saddle it was downhill and up the side of a valley to cross over to the next ridge. After passing the small Kobilino Branishte hut it was a long climb to the top of Mount Vodni. The views along the following ridge were superb, on TV they would be accompanied by soaring violins with the horns coming in as they zoomed to a particularly attractive lake.
After the ridge it was downhill again and across a river to climb up to the Ribni lakes and the Ribni Ezera lodge. Tonight I have the luxury of a "bungalow" to myself. It has a naked bulb and chipboard walls but I am sure I will sleep better alone than in a dormitory of of several people who I am fearful of disturbing when I go for a nightly "wee".  They do have showers in a separate disused block, but the water was cold!!!

The rocky path, note the waymark painted on the rock

A morning view across the mountains

My bungalow at Ribni Ezera Lodge

Lovna hut to Strashnoto Ezera hut on E4: Day 10

A long day as I stayed at Lovna hut rather then one of those further on which were full, and with a total ascent of over 2000 metres pretty challenging (even without diarrhoea). In compensation there were wonderful views and the opportunity to see the "white brotherhoods" circles.
Up at 6 am, trying not to disturb the many others in the dormitory, although I woke the guy in charge to pay my bill (I had offered to pay the night before so not my fault). I took the route from Lovna hut to the "Seven lakes" recommended in "Tourist Route E4 in Bulgaria". As promised it was a scenic route through large fir trees then dwarf conifers. It was also rather steep.
The Sedemte Ezera lodge on the edge of the first of the Seven Lakes was surrounded by tents of many colours and suddenly there were throngs of people, young and old, heading up to higher ground many dressed in white. One particularly old lady bent over a stick was walking slowly but unaided, I hope I am still climbing mountains at her age. Most of these people were of the White Brotherhood and later from the top of the ridge behind the lakes I saw them forming huge white circles on the hillside for their religious "dance". In addition to the White Brotherhood there were lots of people out hiking on this August Sunday.
The Seven Lakes are stacked one above the other so that there was a short climb between each one. After the seventh lake it was a steep climb up to the ridge behind and I looked back to the lake below, the white dancers and the ranges of mountains in the distance that I had crossed so far in my journey from Sofia. It helped that the tree line was at the level of the Seven Lakes so there was nothing to obstruct the view.
I followed the route along the ridge which included climbing up and down various peaks. Soon I was overlooking the cirque adjacent to the one with the seven lakes, it also had a few small lakes and such lakes seem typical of the area. In the opposite direction I had distant views of the Rila Monastery.
Mount Maliovitsa was the final peak and I descended steeply from there to reach the busy Maliovitsa lodge. Lots of people, a few with dogs or young children, were climbing up the mountain from the lodge. The lodge itself was very busy but I stopped for a Fanta and a Shopska salad.
Then it was a steep climb out of the valley through dwarf conifers and often across boulders, towards the Strashnoto hut. Painful after the climbs that I had already  completed today. Eventually the path levelled off and in one clearing I saw a small group of some sort of deer. After standing there for a while as I stood still, they wandered off. The dwarf trees thinned out and eventually it was just rocks, grass and lakes. By one of these lakes was the Strashnoto hut, which is unattended with few facilities. I camped by the stream below.
Although today I walked through beautiful scenery with interesting sights, it was rather spoilt by repeated diarrhoea. The number of people around made things particularly difficult when I really needed to "go" in a real hurry. Maybe something I ate at the lodge last night.

Sedemte Ezra lodge surrounded by tents as people rather for the celebrations of the White Brotherhood

The circular religious "dance" of the White Brotherhood photographed from the ridge I climbed. "White" refers to purity, it has no racial connotation.

One of the many lakes, formed as a result of glacial action in the past.

Klisura to Lovna hut on E4: Day 9

A shorter walk today through trees and meadows to the Lovna hut. I had wanted to walk further but the Sedemte Ezera and Rilski Ezera huts were full, I had apparently picked the busiest day of the year when a religious organisation called the White Brotherhood was congregating.
The first part of route was along a well used vehicle track up through trees to a meadow which stretched along a ridge. The meadows was being grazed by cows, their bells clanging as they bent down to eat the grass. Knowing that where there were animals being grazed, some aggressive dogs would be nearby I readied my walking stick. Sure enough three dogs raced towards me. Fortunately it was just for show, however the next group of dogs I encountered were more serious which jaws and teeth that looked like they could do some damage. Fortunately the cowherd appeared, told them off and threw a stone towards them and after a polite exchange I was on my way.
Coniferous trees followed as I climbed steadily onto progressively more scenic paths. By midday I reached the Lovna hut. The shower shared a small room with a WC and the floor was soon awash with water. Maybe I should have stood in the bowl that was in a corner? It was good to wash off the sweat of the last few days. The walls were partly papered with pages from climbing magazines and included some artistic photos of naked ladies climbing vertical rock faces.
Lunch was Shopska salad and meatballs. I spent the afternoon relaxing listening to classic hits being pumped out by the music system, Tom Jones and the like singing to the Bulgarian mountains.
Now, after a beer, bean soup and macaroni pie I am ready for bed, I need an early start tomorrow as it would be a long day.

The track to Lovna hut

Dormitory accommodation at Lovna hut, which was full (at night)

Smilio Hut to Klisura on E4: Day 8

Today's 29 kilometre walk was through grassy meadows and mixed forest in the Verila hills, a lower range between the Vitosha and Rila mountain ranges.
I left before my Dutch fellow campers were up enjoying an early start. I soon reached the Petrus hut, where there was a better spring to fill up with water. The one at Smilio Hut was muddy and unattractive. All of today's walk followed vehicle tracks through meadows and mixed woodland. Among the long grass of the meadows, summer flowers were scattered; yellow, blue, white, purple and shocking pink. The yarrow, cornflowers, dandelions and knapweed may not have looked as fresh as in spring but they gave the meadows a jolly air. In places flakes of mica reflected the sun, like sequins scattered among the dust. At one point the driver of a 4 wheel drive Lada stopped and suggested an alternative route where I could use a chair lift to reach the huts in the Rila mountains. I explained I was walking, no chair lifts allowed.
The Rila range rose above me, getting progressively closer, patches of snow still visible despite it being August. Due to the haze the jagged peaks proved difficult to photograph.
Although the total ascent today was only 690 metres, the last 9 kilometres into Klisura was rather tiring, maybe an after effect of the large climb yesterday.
I stopped at the village of Klisura for an early meal of Shopska salad (tomatoes, cucumber, sweet peppers and a mild sort of feta cheese) and a chicken breast, served with just a couple of slices of bread. As there was no accommodation in the village I was able to book, I walked a few more kilometres and picked a secluded spot in the woods to camp away from the main track that was well used by vehicles. The insects which had bothered me all day, whenever I stopped, continued to try to attack me, so I am now hiding from them in my tent.

Petrus shelter

The path through summer meadows