Kokalyane Bachun

Spring in March is a strange animal - look at the weather forecast for the week at the end of this post :) Today was summer - hot, though quite windy and husband and I had a perfect long hike in the Lozen mountain. We started from Kokalyane, gradually climbed through forests and peaks to peak Bachun and then back to Pancharevo and from there to Kokalyane by the Pancharevo lake - a total of 18 km.

The trees need probably just a week to get into their spring mode, but the spring flowers are already here and in abundance of colors and species.

A view to Sofia - the strong wind blew the smog away and the air over the city is finally clear after a season of thick smog and clouds.

Hike info:

Date: 15 March 2025

Destination: peak Bachun

Mountain: Lozen

Total length: 18 km

Elevation gain: 550 m

Total duration (plus rest): 5 h

Average difficulty: 4.5 / 10

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

 

Husband: men's boxers, Burda cargo pants, Red Burda blouse

I: lingerie, Burda blouse, Sabrina Slims II

On the peak - the winds on the ridge were so strong, that I had to clutch at my hat to prevent it from being blown away. Luckily our route was through the forest, so we could hear the wind in the tops of the trees, but were completely protected from its powers.

We had our picnic on a meadow on the lee side of the peak, with the first beer for the hiking season :)

Vitosha's snowy peaks in the distance

Pancharevo lake

The first tree in bloom we've seen this year, adorned with plenty of martenitzi.

The forecast for the coming week - summer today, rain on Monday, snow on Tuesday with -6 during the night on Wednesday, gradually back to spring towards Friday :)

Kokalyane 2025

The weather during the first week of February has been unusually sunny, however very cold. In all frankness, probably normal cold for February, but lately we've gradually come to expect winters to be much warmer and temperatures below and just a degree or so above zero nowadays seem to me too cold, though it is mid-winter.

For today's hike we chose a trail we've hiked only once before, from the village of Kokalyane to Kokalyane Monastery and up to the ridge of the mountain. The trail is fairly short, but steep and a good exercise. The beginning of the trail was covered with frozen snow and we had some worries that the climb could be problematic, but luckily, the trail itself was completely free of snow and ice and quite easy to hike.

Hike info:

Destination: Kokalyane Monastery  (1060 m) round trail

Mountain: Plana

Total length: 8 km

Elevation gain: 430 m

Total duration (plus picnic): 3 h

Average difficulty: 4 / 10

Only half an hour quick paced hiking brought us in front of the doors of Kokalyane Monastery. From what I understood, the grounds of the monastery are closed for the public and only the church was open.

We had a quick glimpse and continued up along a steep side track. Next time we plan to explore the wider track behind the monastery, which, a bit longer, according to the map leads to the same place on the ridge of the mountain.

Lozen and the skirts of Rila on the horizon.

We had our picnic on a sunny meadow and home-made olives bread with cream cheese and ham has never tasted so delicious!

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxers, orange hat, Burda longsleeve, Burda Cargo pants

I: lingerie, Burda blouse, hat, gloves, scarf

The return trail was barely noticeable through the oak forest, more like a spring water gutter than a path, with lots of fallen trees and not a single person in sight. We should try this trail sometime in spring or summer, as I'm sure it looks much prettier in its green outfit :)

Summer in March. Bachun

We are enjoying absolutely amazing summer temperatures at the end of March. Even up in the mountain it was so hot, that in the afternoon I took off my blouse and put on a tank top! Two years ago this same mountain at this exact time of the year was covered in snow! March is such an unpredictable month :)

Yesterday we hiked from Kokalyane to peak Bachun and back along a round trail. The trail starts at the far end of the Pancharevo dam, next to the hydroelectric power station.

The Pancharevo lake, the village of Pancharevo and the snow covered cap of Vitosha

Despite the summer temperatures yesterday, spring in the Lozen mountain is still in the beginning. The plum trees and blackthorn bushes are just coming to bloom at the foot of the mountain, up near the top they were probably a week or two away from blooming.

Hike info:

Destination: peak Bachun

Mountain: Lozen

Total length: 13 km

Elevation gain: 550 m

Total duration (plus long rest): 4 h 15 min

Average difficulty: 4 / 10

The trail is very pleasant, but the elevation gain is constant and at places significant, it's not exactly a walk in the park :)

There was an abundance of all kinds of spring flowers

My favourites - hepatica

On the peak

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

 

Husband: men's boxers, Knip Mode cargo pants, Green Burda blouse

I: lingerie, Plantain blouse, Sabrina Slims III, Houndstooth hoodie in the backpack

We had our delicious picnic on a meadow, facing Vitosha and the entire skirts of the mountain with the various villages and Sofia residential quarters.

It was Friday, a work day, and so it was very peaceful and quiet, just us and a couple of small birds in the nearing trees, singing their little hearts out. We lay on the ground and basked in the sun until we risked sunburn :)

On the way back we chose a shorter and steeper alternative route, which took us back to Pancharevo dam and the car.