Adventures from Bulgaria: In the Rila Mountains with a 70+

By Valeria Idakieva

I have always thought of the mountains as the place where I feel free of all the worries of everyday life. My heart leaps with joy at all the beauty and serenity that fills my soul. That is why I usually spend the little free time I have in the mountains.
    I also have great respect for people who have been in the mountains a lot. Such is my friend Dimitrinka who has crisscrossed Bulgarian mountains for more than 30 years. Before starting a long-distance trail, I usually visit her to talk about it and weigh my backpack. On one occasion when I was going to hike along the longest trail in the Bulgarian mountains – about 720 km – she advised me to take a small bottle of rum because it was good to have some alcohol in the mountains.
    “Haven’t you seen that my backpack is 14 kilos without the water I intend to take?” I snapped. “So where will I put the rum?”
    “This is Cuban rum,” she said, “like the one that Hemingway drank, and it is older than you. You don’t have where to put it, put it in your bosom then, but you will take it.”
    And I, ashamed, took the bottle and thrust it into the backpack without another word.

Last summer Dimitrinka turned 77, and though she doesn’t go into the mountains often, she decided to join me on a trip into the Rila Mountains.
    We started early in the morning through a magnificent pine forest.

    The sun generously poured its light over the mountain and lifted our spirits.

    Going higher and higher,we had the beautiful pine forest behind us but the steep slopes of Kabul peak in front of us.

    It is a long way climbing to the peak, slope after slope. The first time I came on the top of one I was stunned by the breathtaking views in all directions. Sadly, I could not feel the same the next times. The time shown below, it was too windy and quite cold, despite the generous sun.

    We stayed a few minutes and continued to the next peak.

    From above we enjoyed watching the famous Seven Rila Lakes. Although there are about 230 lakes in the Rila Mountains, these seven are believed to have special energy, and they attract huge crowds in the summer. Since I have not felt the energy, probably it is not meant for me. Having been near them numerous times, we decided just to enjoy the view from above.

    It was late afternoon and we soon headed for the hut where we were going to spend the night.

The next morning, after a cup of fragrant tea made from mountain herbs, it was time to go down. The tranquility of the mountain settles mysteriously in the human soul.

    Some of the last autumn flowers were also enjoying the sun.

    And the mountain enchanted us with colorful views.

    Going down, we soon reached a pine forest again.

    Descending is always more tiring and difficult than ascending. This descent was long and steep, but finally we reached a river that was winding its way towards the next hut we were going to stay in.

    We were near a village and in the morning we had to say goodbye to the glorious mountain.

Copyright © 2017 by Valeria Idakieva