Rila, Bistritza 2019

March was amazing this year - sunny and warm and the mountains were so inviting - we didn't miss a Saturday this month, probably our longest streak of hiking weekends. Yesterday we drove to Rila again, to walk along a new to us eco-trail, starting at the foot of Rila and gradually climbing up for 9 km to a formation of moraine rocks, winding along the bed of Bistritza river. (This is a different Bistritza, in the Rila mountain and not the one near Sofia we often visit. Etymologically the name Bistritza comes from "clear waters", so no wonder there are quite a few rivers named Bistritza).
The attraction of the eco-trail is the waterfall on the river, which was full-watered and truly beautiful. We started from the green meadows of the village of Bistritza and gradually reached the still snow-covered parts of the mountain, though the altitude was fairly low for Rila - only 1350 m. Rila is the highest mountain on the Balkans, with peak Musala at 2925 m above sea level.

:The trail starts from the end of the village

:After the recent renovation of the trail, there are rest stops with benches and pavilions at beauty spots

: A view to the village of Bistritza and the valley between Rila and Vitosha

: A glimpse of the snow covered higher peaks of Rila in the distance

: The Bistritza waterfall

:The river Bistritza

: Our picnic area was abundant with the iconic Rila crocuses

: The moraines at the end of the trail

: Back to the village. The whole hike was about 18 km long