Adventures from Bulgaria: Summer in the Mountains – Days 6 & 7

Under the scorching sun

By Valeria Idakieva

[Sequel to “Days 4 & 5,” published on March 2.]

When I got up early in the morning and started walking, the sun was still hiding behind the grand ridges surrounding the gorge of the river I was following, and the fresh, cool air was sharpening my senses.

    As I made my way through boulders that had fallen onto the path, which had already been taken over by small bushes and grass, I admired the huge rocks hanging over the path.

    Little by little the river widened, as well as the path, and at about 11 o’clock I reached an asphalt road that I was going to follow for 14 km and that was going to take me to the village of Trigrad, where I intended to spend the night. Along the way, I had coffee and something to eat in one of the charming little cafes perched on the banks of another river, and I was gaining strength and the patience to walk under the hot sun along with many cars.

    The mighty rocks of the river gorge have left little space for the road to meander along with the river and it was difficult for the cars to follow it, not to mention the crazy hikers trying to squeeze between the cars and the rocks. My mind was divided between watching out for cars and marveling at the incredible rock formations. Still, the breathtaking views made me forget the scorching heat, the asphalt road, and the cars.

    In the early afternoon I reached Trigrad, only to find it packed with people who had come from the cities, at least for the weekend, to escape from the heat. Finding a bed for the night was a difficult task, but I finally succeeded and when I put my backpack down and sat on the bed I breathed a sigh of relief.

The next morning started with a steep path taking me out of the village. The sun was shining on the surrounding slopes, promising another hot day. Fortunately, I soon entered a pine forest and the green shadows offered me coolness and the opportunity to continue to enjoy the fresh morning air.
    After some time, the forest gave way to lush green meadows sprawling before my eyes and mountain ridges touching the horizon.

    Another steep path took me higher and led me to Chairski Lakes. Since lakes are not a common view in the Rhodope Mountains, I felt rewarded to be able to enjoy various landscape that day – mountain ridges surrounding green meadows, beautiful forests, and now lakes. That was more than enough to keep me walking under the hot sun.

    After the steep climbing up, a steep slope down to the village of Mugla was waiting for me. The village’s streets were empty and quiet since everyone was hiding inside from the heat, so I just crossed the village and continued climbing up again.

    Walking through green pastures and majestic pine forests,

I came to the lodge where I hoped to spend the night.
    I thought that the lodge was going to be overcrowded because it was Saturday, but to my surprise there were only a few people sitting at the tables in front of the lodge . But they informed me that the lodge was not operating because the person who took care of it was ill. They invited me to have some wine and food they had brought and then decide what to do. One of my options was to walk for another hour and spend the night in the village of Gela, but that would mean another hour of climbing the next day, because I would have to return to the lodge before continuing on my route.
    After some more wine and some more conversation, they offered to let me sleep in the back seat of one of their jeeps since they were going to sleep in their tents. It didn’t take them long to convince me to do that rather than walk to Gela and then back the next day. So the good people shared their food, their wine, and their good spirits with me and we spent a magic night around an open fire under three pine trees.

Copyright © 2018 by Valeria Idakieva