Aleko - Cherni vruh - Kupena 2021

The circuit trail from Aleko hut to Cherni vruh along "The Wall" - the steep path, which becomes a ski slope during winter, then through the plateau to peak Kupena and back to Aleko hut along the fairly even upper circular trail of Vitosha - this is probably one of my most preferred trails on Vitosha and it has become something of a tradition for us to hike it in late June or early July.

This year we happened upon the peak blooming time of some of the flowers, emblematic for Vitosha - the protected globeflower, mountain lilium and Aquilegia aurea.

:We started fairly early and around 11:00 we were already on Cherni vruh

Hike info:

Destination: round trail to Cherni vruh

Mountain: Vitosha

Total length: 12.4 km

Elevation gain: 500 m

Total duration (plus picnic and rests): 4 hours

Average difficulty: 5 / 10 

The plateau down the eastern slopes of Cherni vruh was covered with red avens (омайниче)

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxers

I: lingerie, Sabrina Slims, Starry Night Socks

: Skoparnika and other eastern Vitosha peaks

:Down the path to Kupena peak

 :I gasped when we came upon this garden with globeflowers. Here we call them Vitosha's tulips and they are the most known rare and protected Vitosha flowers. I had never seen so many at one place in full bloom.

:Wild orchids

:Back to Aleko hut along the upper circuit trail

:Aquilegia aurea (златиста кандилка), a Balkan endemism, protected species

:Mountain lilium (планински крем)

 

:Lilium martagon (Петров кръст)