Lakatnik 2023

Another "traditional" hike - the March visit of the Lakatnik rocks in the gorge of the Iskar river. This is our third visit in a row and probably not the last, as the place is gorgeous, the trail is very scenic and the access by train makes it an interesting and different day trip. 

Another "tradition" - as the climate in Sofia is colder, we usually come to Lakatnik overdressed and spend the whole trip carrying our winter jackets and hoodies in the backpacks. This year was no exception - it was really cold in Sofia in the morning and we even put on our wool hats, but once we got out of the train in Lakatnik, we were greeted by a bright sun and temperatures quite above 10C, which, in combination with climbing, quickly made us undress down to T-shirts.

:The river Iskar, which runs through the Balkan mountain to inlet into the Danube

:A bat in the Temnata dupka cave. We went some 20 m into the cave with flashlights, just to get a feel of the place. We plan to take a guided tour deep into the cave next time we visit.

:Did you notice the long freight train?

Hike info:

Destination: Lakatnik Eco Trail

Mountain: the Balkans

Total length: 11 km

Elevation gain: 300 m

Total duration (plus rest): 3 h 20 min

Average difficulty: 3 / 10

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

 

Husband: men's boxers, Knip Mode cargo pants, Houndstooth hoodie and Orange hat in the backpack

I: lingerie, Burda striped blouse, Houndstooth hoodie and CC copycat hat in backpack

:The path spirals gradually to the top of the rocks

:A view to the gorge from the top of the rocks

:We had our picnic at a gorgeous spot on the rocks, over viewing the gorge and the village at the foot of the rocks

:And back down to the train station along an alternative path