I thought the day started well, a little rain overnight but not enough to cause problems. A mist gave the trees an ethereal charm. As I wanted a good wash I packed and walked to a "fountain" to brush my teeth and wash my face and underarms. Today's walk was among trees, the trail curved ahead of me, out of sight, a green corridor rising and falling across the terrain (but mostly going up it seemed to me). However I soon tired, the days of 30 kilometre walks taking their toll. My rucksack dug into my shoulders. Its weight was partly because I had packed for the cold, however so far it was unseasonably warm. I stopped at a sheltered picnic table for a rest, there are a few scattered along the trail. This one was a bit dilapidated. A old sign warned it was protected by CCTV which I doubted.
Early on I saw, on a distant patch of grass, two shepherds with a large flock and a barking dog. I thought this might be the only people I saw today, but was wrong. At midday I caught up with a large Bulgarian walking club out for a Sunday ramble. There was a Dutch man among them who spoke English. He was visiting a friend in Bulgaria and joined the outing. This first group were completing a shorter route, later I encountered the second part of the walking group completing a longer circuit. One of the ladies spoke to me at length in Bulgarian despite my making clear I could not understand her. She did however point out a fire salamander on the track.
About this time the forecast rain began. Accompanied by thunder, it was torrential at times. I stopped in "Hazim the Forester's Shelter" to have some lunch and wait for the rain to ease. The shelter had been kitted out with two layers of wooden sleeping platforms so you could stay the night there. A pile of dry wood was placed in front of the fire place ready to create a warm glow. It seemed attractive with the storm outside, but it would leave too far to walk to the hut I had booked tomorrow.
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| Inside "Hazim the Forester's Shelter", sleeping platforms on the right, fireplace on the left. |
After following a ravine, which I would have admired if it were not raining so hard, I had to walk up a road to Rishi Prohod Pass. Not a pleasant experience. Large lorries, some with trailers, were going up and down the road through multiple hairpin bends. I pressed myself into the crash barriers when they passed. At least they were moving slowly unlike the cars racing over the pass.
Finally, leaving the road I had two alternatives. I started up the first but the mud was extremely slippery in the rain. The second, longer route had a firmer surface. Although I was planning a few more kilometres I was tired, my shoulders ached, and I was wet. Excluding diversions I had only walked 22.3 kilometres today. Pitching my tent on a flattish patch among the trees, I had trouble getting the pegs to hold in the soft, wet earth beneath the leaf litter. I am hoping it is not windy tonight, especially as the rain is forecast to continue to the early hours. Everything is damp and muddy.
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