Читать книгу Walking in Bulgaria's National Parks. Pirin, Rila and Central Balkans National Parks онлайн

54 страница из 63

Crossing the Cherni Vit to enter the Boatin Reserve

The old forest path takes you in the footsteps of Georgi Benkovski (1843–76), a famous revolutionary leader who fled this way into the mountains after the collapse of the 1876 April Rising. The surrounding forests are full of birds, particularly woodpeckers, including middle spotted woodpecker, lesser spotted woodpecker, black woodpecker and white-backed woodpecker. It is also worth keeping an eye out for red-breasted flycatcher and semi-collared flycatcher.

The path leads on upstream along the true right bank, but soon becomes overgrown with brambles. Thankfully, it’s easy to skirt the obstruction, after which the trail becomes clearer once again. One important thing to be aware of is that although the official colour of the trail markings is yellow, as shown on maps, the path has been recently re-marked with green blazes, and these are what you should follow.

The trail now starts to climb, and after about 25mins you emerge into a glade that you head straight across east. On re-entering the forest, the path leads on via thinned beech wood, with small open areas covered with spike-heath, whortleberry, juniper and some thicker patches of bracken. After 20mins you emerge at a second glade, where you need to keep slightly left, heading on east back into the beech forest. Finally, after another 15mins, you emerge at the large open saddle Klimashka Prevlaka (1070m).