and throughout the mountains you will also come across drinking fountains (cheshmi), many of which flow throughout the summer, though some do dry up in August and September. In general, water from such sources is regarded as safe to drink. Those with more fragile constitutions should take with them a means of purification along with their other supplies.
Most basic food provisions (hranitelni stoki) can be purchased before setting off from the numerous little general stores (hranitelni magazini) that are found in towns and the majority of villages. However, be aware that you are extremely unlikely to find other more technical items, such as specialist clothing or other mountain equipment outside Sofia, and even there, such supplies are often extremely difficult and time-consuming to track down. The best advice is to bring everything you need from home, and be properly equipped to set off straight for the hills.
Maps
It is also a good idea to get hold of your maps before you go. Hiking maps at varying scales, and even more varying accuracy, have been produced for most of the major mountain ranges in Bulgaria, but it is often a rather hit-and-miss affair trying to obtain them. Your best first point of contact for maps is Balkan Trek (www.balkantrek.com), as they usually maintain a stock and sell them by mail order. Something to bear in mind is that these maps are nowhere near the same standard or accuracy of British Ordnance Survey or French IGN maps. They are not proper topographic maps, and even those at a scale of 1:50 000 should be treated as schematic, and not relied on for critical navigation with a compass.
Traditional costume from the Pirin region
Typical trail markings: winter poles and summer blazes (Walk 1)
Thankfully, the majority of hiking trails are very well marked. Summer routes are indicated with coloured blazes (usually red, green, yellow or blue) painted onto rocks or trees, while the safest winter routes are delineated by lines of tall metal poles.
One other thing to be aware of when studying Bulgarian maps is that over the years many of the peaks, passes and other important topographic points, have had their names changed, often more than once. In this guidebook I have tended to use the most traditional names as my preferred choice, and included any other widely used title in parenthesis.
Mountain Rescue
In the event of something going wrong, Bulgaria does have an efficient and effective mountain rescue service (planinska spasitelna sluzhba), which although underfunded does a great job assisting and rescuing injured walkers and climbers. Bear in mind that if you do need their help, you will be expected to pay for it in cash, and then claim the cost back later from your own travel insurance. Once in the country itself, it is possible to purchase specialist Bulgarian mountain rescue insurance from the main mountain rescue bases (www.pss.bg/base.html). It is very reasonably priced, and not only helps to simplify administrative procedures in the event of an accident, but also helps provide much-needed extra funds direct to the mountain rescue services. The emergency telephone number for mountain rescue is 02-9632000.
About this Guidebook
This guidebook focuses on walking in the Rila, Pirin and Central Balkan national parks. Each of these regions has its own section, which begins with a detailed overview of its geography, climate, flora and fauna. There then follow detailed descriptions of the walks themselves, including background information and trail notes, as well as a summary of walking time, distance, ascent, descent and the highest point of the day. Be aware that the walking times given in this book refer to ‘pure’ walking times, without pauses for rest, meals, or to enjoy the views and abundant wildlife.
For clarity and convenience each walk is broken down into separate daily stages, each stage finishing at either a mountain hut (hizha), or some other suitable source of accommodation. I have also set out to provide clear and concise details of how best to reach, and indeed leave, the mountains at the start and end of every walk.
The walks in this book are challenging, and aimed at fit, experienced mountain walkers. Trails are often physically demanding, with long steep ascents and descents, often over rocks and boulders. Furthermore, most of the ridge walks require a good head for heights – especially the exposed scramble along the Koncheto crest (Walk 12). Be sure to read the route description carefully before setting out.
Key Facts and Figures
| Country name | Republic of Bulgaria |
| Capital | Sofia |
| Surface area | 110,993.6km2 |
| Population (2007) | 7,640,238 |
| Ethnicity (2001) | Bulgarian 83.9%, Turkish 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% |
| Religion (2001) | Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other 5.2% |
| Language | Bulgarian 84.5%, other 15.5% |
| Alphabet | Cyrillic |
| Currency | lev |
| Time Zone | GMT + 2hrs |
| National day | 3 March (Liberation from the Ottoman Turks) |
| International Dialing Code | +359 |
| Mountain Rescue Telephone | 02-9632000 |
PART 1
THE CENTRAL BALKAN NATIONAL PARK
Cascade in valley of Kostina Reka along trail to Hizha Benkovski (Walk 1)
INTRODUCTION
With stern and frowning brow, behind a cloak of cloud, The Balkan Range arises in the distance, high and proud…
Pencho Slaveykov, The Song of Blood (1913)
Topography
Stretching right across Bulgaria for about 520km, from the Serbian border in the west to Cape Emine on the Black Sea coast in the east, the Stara Planina (meaning ‘old mountains’), or Balkan Mountains as they are often known, form the backbone of Bulgaria, both physically as well as in the nation’s psyche. The range as a whole covers an area of some 11,600km2, about one-tenth of Bulgaria’s total land mass, and has 29 peaks that top 2000m.
The Stara Planina comprises many individual massifs, which geographers group into three distinct sections. The Western Stara Planina extends for 190km between the Belogradchik pass and Zlatitsa pass and includes four peaks over 2000m, of which Midzhar (2168m) is the highest. Beyond the Zlatitsa pass begins the Central Stara Planina. This stretches for a distance of 185km, as far as the Vratnik pass, and boasts 25 peaks over 2000m, including Botev (2376m), the highest summit of the entire range. The final section is the Eastern Stara Planina, which runs for 155km between the Vratnik pass and Cape
