Ovchartzi, Rila

Last Saturday, a sunny and very hot day, husband and I decided to repeat a hike we did three years ago almost to the date - to climb peak Big Rock (Golemiya kamuk) in Rila over the village of Ovchartzi and to visit the ecotrail to the Goritza waterfall. The trail to the Big Rock is rocky, very steep, bare and open most of the way and the climb up was sticky and sweaty. The rewards - strawberry patches with ripe wild strawberries and panoramic views to the Goritza cascades and the entire valley between Rila and Verila mountains. And the most delicious spring water I've drank, I regret we didn't bring home some.

: Peak Big Rock (1284 m)

: Goritza cascades

: Gourmet snack on the way up

: Mountain rose

: The village of Ovchartzi from the top

: Lilium martagon (Петров кръст)

: Goritza waterfall from the ecotrail in the village

In Rila Mountains - Ovchartzi

Pictures from today's hike in the Rila Mountains. We were in the village of Ovchartzi and visited two eco-trails - a very short one, which goes to the foot of the waterfall of the Goritza river and then a steep newly marked trail to a peak above the village - The Big Stone (Goliam kamak).

:: Goritza waterfall at the end of the short eco-trail

:: Along the path to the Big Stone

It was very hot and the entire trail smelled very strongly of pine trees

My most favourite part of the trail - the view to the cascades of Goritza river

 :: Wild strawberries - small but so aromatic and tasty!

:: The peak - Big Stone. The trail climbs up to the top of the stone

:: Alpine rose in bloom! Never seen one before

 :: The view from the top

:: The much higher other peaks of Rila behind

:: It's Google maps live! Villages, roads, mountains spread before one's eyes

 :: Our picnic area - a room with a view

 :: Two falcons

 :: And on the way back  - again a view to the cascades of Goritza