Photo Credit: Myself
Hello, guys!
Weekends are the best time to travel and explore nature. That's when most people are off from work, and looking for a nice and relaxing time. Following this thought, last Sunday I made a long walk on a new route in the Balkan Mountains and I'm eager to share my experience and impressions about it. My trip was planned one week upfront and it was not very far away so there was no unexpected stuff. The route I'm talking about is in the Nature Park Vrachanski Balkan, part of the Balkan Mountain range. It's a long path starting near the Vratsa town's exit and reaching as far as Ledenika Cave.
Photo Credit: Myself
To go from the start point to the end one, it is possible to use a car or a bus, and then the distance is about 18 kilometers. But using the path shortens a lot the distance and makes the trip steeper. To not mix and confuse myself I'll start from the very beginning.
The Beginning
Photo Credit: Myself
I woke up early this day especially for the trip as it's the first part of the summer here and it becomes really hot during the afternoon hours, and we were trying to avoid that. To save some of the distance, we took a taxi to a camp point somewhere in the first part of the route and started walking from there. All the way was hiking on a small path and around us was the view of the mountain hills and the forest. Beneath was laying one of the villages near that mountain - Zgorigrad.
Photo Credit: Myself
On every viewpoint, we stopped more and more details revealed in front of us, the rooftops, other paths on the hills nearby, routes, rivers, etc. Mountains are especially beautiful in spring because at this season everything is alive, the green of the trees and the grass, the birds, singing all kinds of songs, little creatures, and insects, frogs. Everything is celebrating the beginning of their lives.
Photo Credit: Myself
We even saw a little squirrel climbing and hiding on a tree, which is unusual for this part of the forest as it is really steep and the terrain is rocky. Along the path, many wooden benches and drinking water are available for the tourists, as well as maps of the area indicating the routes in the whole area. If you don't know where you're going, it's easy to get lost in the forest, as at some spots the path is going two different directions and you have to choose one.
Photo Credit: Myself
At the end, before reaching the top of the hill, the last part of the route is hard, but once this is behind you, the top is flat and there is a nice meadow. We even found some wild mushrooms and wild strawberries there. I am waiting for the season of the wild strawberries for some weeks now, as I love them, but they still need some time - they are usually ready by the middle of June.
On the Hill
Once we climbed on the top of the hills we were walking slowly and lazy, enjoying the view and looking for more mushrooms (unsuccessfully). Butterflies accompanied us and various wildflowers fascinated us on our way. I noticed there were even bees on such altitude, which was indeed strange. After spending some time at this location and a quick snack, it was time to go back.
Photo Credit: Myself
To make a shortcut and use the quickest paths we found a tiny winding trail in the forest and started moving down. This was the third part of our trip.
Going Back Home
Photo Credit: Myself
It was surprising how long it took us to go back to the city. Even if we found paths in the forest all the way and saved many meters road walk, it still seemed endless. Partially, because we were already tired after walking for 3 or 4 hours. And nobody felt like walking more. I can't say going down was easier than climbing. One still has to be careful not to slip and it requires its time to choose the best place for your steps.
Photo Credit: Myself
An old lady was also walking in our direction to the city with her dog, and the speed she was going was really impressive. We could hardly reach her. And we were not that slow, in my opinion, we were walking with a normal speed. I wish one day I have so much energy also. :)
Video Credit: Nina B via YouTube.com
While I was walking, I remembered I actually have been there before. But it was really long time ago, and I was with a big group of my friends. The weather was rainy back then and I recall I was all in dust and mud by the time I got home. That was one of the funniest trips I've made in the past, with lots of sliding in the mud and adventure on the way down.
This time we were lucky it was not rainy and not even wet because the sunny days have already taken care of that and dried the soil. But after we were already home, it started pouring, like heavy rain and I was so grateful we decided to leave earlier in the morning. So that we were home before the rain.
Well, we did save some of the kilometers in the end, because once we were near the city we called a taxi to take us back to the center. But I don't count this as it was a short drive anyway.
A funny thing was that this trail we were walking is long one - maybe 2 - 3 hours of walking from the beginning until the end, but there is not much information online about it. I tried to search for it before we went, with no luck. After I came back as I already knew where exactly is the place, I searched for it with different keywords. I did find it, but only short articles giving a general idea about the route - how hard it is, length, and other facts.
The reason for that is probably because the route was renovated not long ago - there were no maps and wooden benches before, and now that it's still new, not many people know about it. I believe even many locals don't know such route even exists. But I'm glad I did that trip, it's healthy and relaxing to participate in such walking experiences.
Video Credit: Nina B via YouTube.com
I spent most of the rest of the day sleeping to compensate for the early waking and to recover some of my energy. The total time walking was a little bit more than 5 hours, and to add to the exercise - it was hot and sunny in the open areas outside of the forest. It was a wonderful morning/afternoon close to nature and wildlife.
I surely recommend being active, walking, hiking, wherever it is, for improving health and keep your energy levels high. Especially in locations, where the air is cleaner and free of gas from the cars and dust. If you have time - grab your backpack, water, and snacks and enjoy the spring to the maximum. It certainly is rewarding.
I hope you enjoyed my blog!
Photo Credit: Myself
Thanks for reading! See you later!
- NinaB
