Rereading the guidebook last night I was alarmed that it claimed today was one of the most strenuous sections of the Kom-Emine trail. Yesterday I completed 7 kilometres of the 38 kilometres the guidebook suggested for today, but the most difficult parts of the trail were still waiting for me. Having read this and not wanting to arrive at the Varbiski hut too late, I started early, being away by 6 am. As sunrise was not until seven, this meant I began with the restricted area of light provided by my head torch. Fortunately the rain had stopped but there was a lot of mud on the tracks (as well as on my equipment as I packed up) which made them slippery, my trekking poles were invaluable to keep me from sliding over.
At first things went well but soon the route of the Kom-Emine turned south to join the alternate route I had found too slippery with mud yesterday. Unfortunately, the linking track no longer existed. I found where it once was, there was a waymark on a post a little way up it, but to go beyond this last hint of a path I had to force my way through saplings, fallen trees and other obstacles in the dark. Fortunately the distance I had to cover was not great, and although it took a lot of energy with much backtracking to find a way through, I did succeed.
There was then a well waymarked path through the trees which lead up to a ridge where the ground dropped away to the north. At a rare viewpoint I was given the present of seeing the sun rise over the mountains, its shafts of light painting patterns in pink light on the trees. A reward for my struggles with long departed paths. I also admired the many honesty plants in the area.
For most of the morning it was a mixture of passable and overgrown forest tracks. When walking through the latter, brambles grabbed at my trousers, branches brushed my bended head and my face tangled with surprisingly strong spiders' webs. I stumbled on hidden branches and on uneven ground dug up by some creature (wild boar maybe). There were also hills to climb; steep, pathless descents, and soft, soupy mud where forestry vehicles had churned up the tracks.
Conditions improved as I approached a group of forestry buildings. My hoped for picnic table was absent but a little after, leaving the main track for a little used one, a warm outcrop of rock was exposed where the track forded a shallow brook. I sat down there for a lunch snack, confident that no vehicle had come this way for many months. I was proved wrong, a forestry vehicle approached and I had to quickly move out of the way with all my stuff.
The track then climbed, gaining 200 metres in height. Just a few months ago, crossing the Alps on the GR5 I had managed this with, if not ease, without too much strain. However today it was a struggle, I was glad to reach the top and know I had a rest day after tomorrow's hike. Twice today I had passed small wooden boxes attached to trees marked "Aptechka", which means I think a First Aid Kit, and "Bulgarian Community Board". The boxes had a little roof with solar panels and a USB connection. Inside were a bottles and packets encased in cobwebs, as the writing on them was Bulgarian I was unsure their purpose.
A lengthy walk through attractive woods led me to the Varbiski area. Among a group of buildings that could do with renovation there was an unexpected "Bistro" with an "open" sign flashing red. It was empty but for the owner. I stopped for a Coke and an ice cream before starting up the two kilometres of traffic less road to the Varbiski Prohod Hut. Lyuben from Bulguides sent instructions as to which room to go to, where a plate of sandwiches awaited me for my tea. I was instructed to leave 50 BGN for the food and accommodation. As a special treat, I had a shower, my first in five days.
31.5 kilometres walked today with a 1300 metre ascent.
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