Polovrak in September 2025

After the hot summer days around the Independence day, autumn came all of a sudden with clouds, some rain and temperatures in the 12-15C range. It took us a minute to adjust, but hiking in a cloudy day has its perks too - no need to apply sunscreen, less perspiration, more stamina.

Thus on Saturday, despite some forecasts for rain - in did rain in Sofia, we decided to continue our wanderings around the Lozen mountain and  climbed peak Polovrak - one of those trails, that we love and frequent at least twice a year.

The first stop along the trail - Lozen monastery. The grounds of the monastery are really well kept and get improved with every year, which makes me happy.

 

The view to Sofia valley from the wall of the monastery

Hike info:

Date: 27 September 2025

Destination: peak Polovrak (1182 m)

Mountain: Lozen

Total length: 10.5 km

Elevation gain: 420 m

Total duration (plus picnic and rests): 3 h 30 min

Average difficulty: 3 / 10

On peak Polovrak. Although it was Saturday, probably because of the gloomy weather and early hour, the peak was almost empty - we only met a couple, which was leaving as we came.

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxers, Burda cargo pants, Burda longsleeve

I: lingerie, Sinclair Lotte blouse

The view from the peak towards the huge Iskar reservoir

We had our picnic here, on the hillside, enjoying the calm panorama. Tortilla sandwiches and cold beer taste fantastic in the open :)

We returned to the car along a partially alternative trail. A young roe deer was standing on the trail as we approached, but it vanished in the forest, together with at least two other, as soon as I reached to my phone to take a picture.

Bachun and Lanina Mogila 2025

On our Independence Day Gaby, husband and I went for a hike in the nearby village of Lozen, to peak Bachun. 

The weather was absolutely brilliant, sunny and very warm for the second half of September.

The trail to Bachun from Lozen passes through thick beech forests along steep tracks, covered with dead leaves.

Engulfed in chatting with our daughter, we soon climbed to Bachun just in time for lunch.

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

 

Husband: men's boxers, Burda cargo pants

I: lingerie, Burda jeans pants

Gaby: lingerie 

For our picnic in the open we continued to the nearby Middle Bachun, where we enjoyed our tortillas with a view to the chains of peaks of Lozen, Plana and Rila in the distance.

As it was still quite early, we decided to continue our hike along the ridge to the next two peaks - Small lanina Mogila and Lanina Mogila.

Hike info:

Date: 21 September 2025 

Destination: peak Bachun (1150 m) and Lanina Mogila (1188 m)

Mountain: Lozen

Total length: 12.5 km

Elevation gain: 460 m

Total duration (plus picnic): 4 hours

Average difficulty: 4 / 10 

On Small Lanina Mogila

The ridge between the two peaks

On Lanina Mogila (1188 m)

The gorgeous view from the top towards Iskar reservoir to the east

and Vitosha and Sofia to the west

And back to the village of Lozen. It was a great and amusing hike, we like hiking with Gaby

Kominite - Kamen Del 2025

We are enjoying some gorgeous Indian summer weather this week, which is really great, as it coincides with the long weekend around our Independence day and Gaby's short visit to Sofia. 

On Friday, a day before her arrival, we chose to hike along a favourite trail on Vitosha - along the Kominite rock formation to peak Kamen Del and then back down to the car along an alternative trail.

The hike was almost an identical repetition from one we did last year with one major variance -  this year it was a work day and the usually crowded plateau and peak were almost empty and it made such a huge difference!

The weather was very sunny and warm, with very little wind, even on the ridge and at the plateau.

Despite the summer temperatures, autumn is definitely here - the grass is yellow and the berries, especially the raspberries, are all gone.

Peak Kamen Del, definitely one of the most frequented and the most panoramic peak on Vitosha

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxers, Burda cargo pants

I: lingerie, Sabrina Slims III, Central Park cardigan

We here lucky to be able to enjoy the peak for ourselves during our delicious lunch with a view to Sofia. One can never tire of the game Find the Sofia Landmarks, when snacking on Kamen Del - Sofia lies at one's feet like a real life Google map and it is so fun to locate the familiar places from above.

Hike info:

Date: 19 September 2025 

Destination: peak Kamen Del (1862 m) along circular trail

Mountain: Vitosha

Total length: 12.5 km

Elevation gain: 500 m

Total duration (plus picnic and rests): 4 hours

Average difficulty: 4 / 10

On the way to the car we hiked the middle altitude circuit from hut Tintyava to hut Sredetz and from there to Bay Krustyo place, where we had parked the car.

Dragalevska river

The beech forest is still very much green

Pink Flower Dress

This is my third and most probably last of the chiffon dresses, that I became so obsessed with this summer. I started it at the beginning of August, with the intention to finish it in a couple of days and wear it during the hot August days. 

Actually, the initial plan was to make another Burda pattern, one of my Make Nine plans. I printed the pattern and started with the lining. It turned to be a good idea, as it was soon evident, that the pattern did not fit me well and needed serious corrections and calculations - the upper part of the dress was too short. I abandoned the pattern and cut the upper part of Burda #104 from the remaining fabric.

After I assembled the lining,  I cut into the main fabric - cotton georgette with an interesting flower print. For this make of the pattern I decided to make a few changes, leading to a bit bigger ease at the waist - a mistake, in hindsight.

Once I had assembled the upper dress, I realized, that the lining should be a mirror image of the dress, and mine was the same as the dress. That meant, that I had to undo all the overlocking and stitching of the flimsy chiffon lining and I had neither the time, nor the patience with all the goings in the second half of August, before our sea vacation abroad. So I just abandoned the project for better days.

Pattern: Burda #104 02/2011 dress and Deniz skirt by Vikisews

Size: 17 Height: 154 - 160 cm

Fabric: pink chiffon, pink flower georgette

Time to make: one month

Once back from our Greek vacation, I decided, that it would be a shame to leave all the cut fabric lying around, so I gathered all of my inner strength, undid almost all the seams of the lining and some of the upper dress and finished the job. 

I am still not sure how to even these dresses with semicircle skirts - I let the dress hang on the tailor's dummy, measured and cut the hem and it is still uneven - but it is what it is. I'm glad it is finished and I even wore it a couple of times. Now I can move to new, probably more colder weather oriented projects. The summer seems to be over and autumn is already here.