Urvich 2018

It was an absolutely glorious sunny winter day today and we had to get out in the open. We chose a very familiar easy route near Sofia - the ruins of the medieval fortress Urvich and the trail that runs around the hill near it by the river Iskar. We've been here many times before, last time about two years ago and to my unpleasant surprise the city authorities (or whoever's responsible) still haven't cleared the path, which was blocked by fallen trees after a big storm two years ago.

The first third of the trail up to the detour to the monastery was nice and clear, such a pleasure to walk along it under the warm sun and on the crisp snow.

The birch trees are preparing their blooms:

After the detour for the monastery the path was more often than not blocked and we had to find alternative ways to the left or the right to pass through. Ours were the only human steps on the snow ...

The fortress of Urvich

The monastery, where we had our lunch in the open - it was so warm and sunny that I even took off my jacket.

We went up the hill to visit the restoration and digging works at the fortress - once an important military point for the protection of Sofia on the pass between the three mountains - Vitosha, Plana and Lozen.

Some of the ruins of the fortress walls:

And back to the river Iskar:

An unexpected pop of color: