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Walk 4 The Peeshtite Skali and Sokolna Reserves

33km/3 Days

This beautiful walk explores the eastern part of the Central Balkan National Park, and offers a short section along the main ridge of the Stara Planina, as well as a wonderful wild traverse of the mighty Triglav massif. Not only does the walk include some of the most spectacular and rugged scenery that the national park has to offer, it also leads along the fringes of two of its most remote and fascinating nature reserves. During the first half of Day 2, you cross an array of jagged Jurassic limestone outcrops known as ‘the singing rocks’, which have given their name to the neighbouring Peeshtite Skali Reserve. Later in the day, while threading your way through the southeastern part of the Triglav massif, you will enter the Sokolna Reserve. This lies on the southern flank of the Stara Planina, encompassing the dramatically craggy gorges of the rivers Kuru Dere (Sokolna) and Kyui Dere (Selska Reka).

Getting to the Start

The starting point for this walk is the locality Lagat, which lies tucked into the northern folds of the Stara Planina some 36km south of Sevlievo. This is the site of the Rositsa State Game Breeding Centre, not only an internationally renowned hunting reserve, but also the source of game meat for many high-class restaurants around the country. For hikers, the only place to stay is pochiven dom Rositsa (067305-335), but be aware that this is often fully booked at weekends. Currently there are buses from the avtogara in Sevlievo (0675-33627) to Lagat at 6.50am and 3.30pm, but only on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Alternatively, you can easily find a taxi to drive you there instead. Sevlievo itself is served by nine buses each day from the centralna avtogara in Sofia.

Day 1 Lagat to Hizha Mazalat

Time    2hrs 15mins
Distance    8.5km
Ascent    +1075m
Descent    -75m
Highest point    1525m (hizha Mazalat)

This is a straightforward day that involves a long ascent up the northern flank of the Stara Planina. The trail starts along a dirt road, and then follows a zigzag path that climbs up through lovely beech forests before emerging into the open on the main ridge close to hizha Mazalat. Although the path is steep in places, it is mostly well graded, and not as demanding as one might expect.

From the front of pochiven dom Rositsa in Lagat (530m), set off south-southwest upstream along the main dirt road. Be aware that although marked as green on most maps, this trail has in fact been blazed in red! After 5mins, when the track splits, branch uphill left, climbing on upstream along the valley of the Rositsa into a water protection zone – just ignore the barrier and the sign telling you that entrance is forbidden!

Eventually, after less than 25mins, you reach the confluence of the Rositsa and Malka Bihalshtitsa. Here, ignore the minor track that heads straight on up the latter valley, and instead fork right along the main dirt road, still following the valley of the Rositsa at the very edge of the national park.

After 10mins the track hairpins left, but you break off right on a marked path that climbs directly up through the trees to cut off the bend. On rejoining the road a few minutes later, follow it on right until the point when, after a little over 10mins, it makes another big bend left. Here leave the forestry road behind, and head straight on along an older track marked with red/white/red blazes. This leads on upstream along the true right bank, before narrowing into a path after about 5mins. Some 5mins later, the trail then reaches the confluence of two streams. Here, fork right, crossing a broken wooden footbridge to reach some benches. This is a good place to pause before starting the steepest part of the climb.

Beyond the benches, the trail finally enters the national park, the path zigzagging southeast up a beech-clad spur. As you climb, you should keep a careful eye out for the blazes, as the path underfoot is not always clear, due to a thick covering of leaf litter. However, on the whole, given the altitude gained, the ascent is not difficult or unpleasant, and within 1hr you should emerge from the forest on a small grassy top situated on the main ridge of the Stara Planina to the southwest of Buhala (1528m). The hut is now close at hand to the west, so if the weather is good, this makes a lovely spot to lie back and enjoy the views and the tranquillity of the mountains.

To continue, drop gently down west-southwest from the peak to Lokvata where, having skirted a small pool, you join a track and follow it on right through the top edge of the beech forest to emerge after 15mins at hizha Mazalat (1525m).

Although hizha Mazalat is only a small hut, accommodating just over 30 people, it is very clean and comfortable, and a pleasant place to stay. You should, however, bring your own food.

Having secured a bed, it is well worth venturing out again to climb onto Korubashitsa (1660m; Valcha Glava), the rocky peak that rises up directly west of the hut. From the ridge crest there are expansive views west-northwest across the Peeshtite Skali Reserve, as well as an even more stunning panorama south across the deep defile of the Gabrovnitsa valley towards the mighty Triglav massif, your goal for the following day. While you are exploring, keep an eye open for butterflies such as Arran brown, large ringlet, Scotch argus, woodland ringlet and black ringlet.

Day 2 Hizha Mazalat to Hizha Sokolna

Time    5hrs 10mins
Distance    16.5km
Ascent    +1000m
Descent    -1250m
Highest point    2226m (Malak Kademliya)

Today’s stage is long and demanding, and the traverse of the Triglav massif should only be undertaken in fine, settled weather, as the terrain there is very exposed to the elements, and the path on the ground difficult to follow if visibility turns poor. However, in good weather it is a real delight, a perfect combination of expansive mountain landscapes, wonderful views and some great opportunities to observe interesting wildlife. The day begins by skirting the southern edge of the Peeshtite Skali Reserve, after which you climb over several of the highest peaks in the Triglav massif. Eventually, having crossed Zli Vrah (2197m), the trail drops down towards the Sokolna Reserve, where the limestone outcrops are home to a rich flora as well as the rare saker falcon. Make certain you carry plenty of water, as there are no reliable sources directly along the route, and sometimes the taps at hizha Sokolna run dry.

Immediately beyond hizha Mazalat (1525m), fork left on the red-blazed summer trail that heads west through the top edge of the beech forest on the southern flank of Korubashitsa (1660m; Valcha Glava). Cross a small stream and then make a steady looping climb on a narrow path to join, after about 35mins, with the pole-marked ridge route. This is then followed southwest, the path running gently on before dipping slightly into a shallow saddle after 15mins. 

You now climb up and over Peeshtite Skali, crossing the highpoint of these dramatic crags after about 15mins. As well as enjoying the stunning view south towards the imposing northern face of the mighty Triglav massif, keep an eye open for Balkan chamois and peregrine falcon as you thread your way over the so-called Singing Rocks, which do indeed moan and whistle in strong winds.

Continue west-southwest up an expansive grassy slope, before breaking away left from the poles to follow the red-blazed summer path as it skirts across the southern flank of Rosovatets (1971m), high above the headstreams of the River Gabrovnitsa. Finally, after about 25mins, you reach an important junction at the plateau-like ridge saddle Chim Koliba (1950m).

Saying goodbye to the main red-blazed ridge route, which continues south-southwest, bound for hizha Tazha, and break off south on a grassy track marked with winter-poles and faint blue blazes. After just under 10mins you intersect a dirt road near a small pool, but keep on climbing south just to the left of the road.

Some 10mins later you meet the dirt road again at a big bend, but immediately break off and continue very steeply south following the pole-markers. The path and blue summer blazes are very faint, and in places missing, so the simplest thing is just to keep straight on up the ridge, ascending along the line of winter-poles to arrive after 20mins on the summit of Malak Kademliya (2226m). Directly across the Groba saddle to the southwest is Golyam Kademliya (2275m; Triglav), the second highest peak in the Stara Planina.

Resuming east-southeast, drop down to a small col, then climb to reach the summit of the next peak, Pirgos (2195m), after about 15mins. You then make a long, grassy 15mins drop to the Gyola saddle, before beginning a steep climb up and over the northern shoulder of Zli Vrah (2197m; Mazalat). The actual summit of Zli Vrah lies about 10mins south, so it is worth making a short detour to the top.

From the shoulder, drop east, following the pole-markers and enjoying the wonderful view that opens up southeast into the head of the Kuru Dere, towered over by a dramatic array of bristling pinnacles and crags. The path levels off temporarily as it skirts Belite Kladentsi, a region usually frequented by a large herd of semi-wild horses. The horses are a rare primitive autochthonic breed known as the Karakachan horse (Karakachanski kon). Undulating on along a narrowing ridge studded with outcrops, and having skirted across the southern flank of a pair of rocky peaks, you then arrive after about 35mins from Zli Vrah at the saddle Kimincheto (1800m).

The saddle is an important junction. The green-blazed trail that breaks off left leads back to hizha Mazalat via the narrow side spur Tankata Ratlina and the deep valley of the Gabrovnitsa. As well as ignoring this, I also suggest you now temporarily abandon the blue-blazed summer trail for hizha Sokolna. This loops down right from the col, before skirting on southeast along the southern flank of the ridge. The problem is that almost no one uses this route, so there is little or no sign of a path on the ground, and the few blazes there are have almost faded away. Much simpler, therefore, is to keep straight on east, climbing steeply along the ridge following the line of pole-markers. The ascent is not as steep as it first looks, and it only takes about 10mins to reach the old metal rain gauge on the summit of Atanas Tepe (1875m; Tanastepe).

Bending south-southeast, you run on along the ridgeback, which for a short time becomes broader again, and after less than 10mins reach a small saddle, where you will see the blue blazes of the summer path cutting away diagonally left to contour across the northern flank of the ridge. However, once again it is just as easy to keep on along the crest, so simply follow the pole-markers over the next small top. Finally, after 10mins, you drop down towards an expansive plateau-like saddle area where you can pick up the summer trail once again.

Follow this blue-blazed summer trail as it runs on across the southwestern flank of the crest, skirting below Sahranka (1707m). After about 10mins you loop up to the ridge crest, before switching back and forth between both flanks. It is a spectacular route, but you will need to use your hands in places, as the trail starts to drop steeply, threading its way round and over a succession of limestone rocks and crags. Eventually, after about 15mins, you reach Portata, where you squeeze through a narrow cleft in a rock. Then, after another steep and rocky 10mins descent, you arrive at the raspberry-clad saddle Praznoto Myasto (‘the empty space’).

Keep straight on, crossing to the western flank of the ridge for a short time, before switching back to the eastern flank and running on through the top edge of the beech forest. After 15mins you reach the next saddle, where you ignore a path coming in on the left. Instead, keep straight on south-southeast, first along the grassy ridgeback, then along the eastern flank on a broad soft path through the beech forest.

After about 15mins you leave the trees, and passing through another large patch of raspberries, emerge on a wide, open pasture known as Paraardan. Then, picking up pole-markers once again, follow them on as they bend south, dropping steadily on and on down the back of the grassy spur to arrive after 20mins at hizha Sokolna (1300m).

Hizha Sokolna can accommodate about 40 people, and is beautifully situated on the southern flank of the mountains, gazing out across the Valley of Roses towards the Sredna Gora range, with the dark outline of the Rodopi Mountains rising up on the far horizon. Directly below to the southeast, the shimmering waters of the Koprinka reservoir catch the eye, occupying the valley between the towns of Pavel Banya and Kazanlak. Be aware that the hut’s water supply is unreliable, so make certain you still have some with you just in case. You will also need to bring your own food.

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