Baylovo 2026

According to weather forecasts, Thursday was to be the only day of the week without rain or thunderstorms, so we decided to free it and have a nice trip in the Sofia valley. 

We drove to the village of Baylovo and hiked to Spasova mogila, along the country roads and field tracks, enjoying the strong sun and the solitude of the vast crop fields. 

The landscape around Baylovo is really amazing and totally worth the one hour drive, half of which takes us through busy city boulevards and heavy traffic - not a tiny price for the peace and quiet of Elin Pelin's native village.

Hike info:

Date: 14 May 2026 

Destination: St Spas Chapel

Mountain: Spasova Mogila

Total length: 12 km

Elevation gain: 80 m

Total duration (plus rest): 3 and a half hours

Average difficulty: 2 / 10 

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: men's boxers, Burda Cargo pants, Burda longsleeve

I:  lingerie, Burda blouse, legwarmers

The chapel on Spasova mogila

The wild lilacs are already in bloom

On a lazy sunny Thursday midday the fields and tracks were completely empty, but for a lonely tractor very far away in the fields and the birds, singing their small hearts out from the bushes and trees around the land.

We sat on the hill and spent at least an hour, basking in the sun, watching the fields and the mountains in the distance and enjoying our delicious tortillas. 

On the way back we went down Spasova mogila towards Golema Rakovitza and then returned to Baylovo along the country road between the two villages, thus making the hike circular.

Yellowhammer (жълта овесарка) - pity, that my phone can't take a better picture from afar

After returning to the village, we took a short walk along the streets - Elin Pelin's house

The village church, where Dobre Dobrev, called by some the Saint of Baylovo, was buried.

The museum of Elin Pelin

We returned through an alternative route by Ognyanovo Dam, making not only the hike, but the ride to Baylovo circular as well.

Baylovo 2025

Sunday was an amazing day amongst a series of rainy and cold April days - it was sunny, warm and calm and our hike in Baylovo was simply divine.

The fields with  autumn crops were already juicy green. The snow covered cap of Vitosha is peaking from the west.

And the fields, designated for spring crops, were prepared for the spring planting.

The village of Baylovo is situated in the Sofia valley, surrounded by high mountains on all sides.

Baylovo and the white cap of peak Murgash in the Balkan mountains

Rila to the south

Hike info:

Date: 13 April 2025

Destination: St Spas Chapel

Mountain: Spasova Mogila

Total length: 11.6 km

Elevation gain: 80 m

Total duration (plus rest): 3 and half hours

Average difficulty: 2 / 10 

St. Spas Chapel

We had a very long picnic on the top of Spasova mogila, with a view to the fields. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, the place was completely empty and we could have spent the entire afternoon there, basking in the warm sunshine.

Rila and Vitosha in one frame

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

 

Husband: men's boxers, Burda longsleeve, cargo pants

I: lingerie, ankle warmers, Hounds Tooth hoodie

My first stork for this spring. There were actually more than half a dozen storks we saw on our way back to Sofia.

As we've been doing lately, we took an alternative route back home, by the Ognyanovo dam, where we stopped for a short walk.

Baylovo 2024

I've been too busy these days with work and some traveling and I've been neglecting my blog.

A short reportage from our hike at the end of February in the grounds of the village of Baylovo, to Spasova mogila, Golema Rakovitza and back.

The day was absolutely glorious, sunny and warm, we couldn't have asked for better weather in February.

A bit unusual, the trail was dry and very pleasant to walk. This time of the year it might be muddy, but we've enjoyed dry and warm winter (not sure about the crops :).

Hike info:

Destination: St Spas Chapel

Mountain: Spasova Mogila

Total length: 11.6 km

Elevation gain: 80 m

Total duration (plus rest): 3 h

Average difficulty: 2 / 10 

We had a long and leisurely picnic on the hill by the chapel. I love the view from Spasova mogila, so peaceful and pastoral. It was very quiet, with only the birds chirping in the small pine grove, really idyllic :)

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: men's boxers, knitted socks, Knipmode Cargo pants

I:  lingerie, socks, Burda Raglan blouse, Houndstooth Hoodie, legwarmers

After our lunch, we went downhill to the next village - Golema Rakovitza and from there returned along the narrow road to Baylovo.

On the way back we took an alternative route and stopped to enjoy the waters of Ognyanovo reservoir. Baylovo is a bit far from home and the trail is fairly short and super easy, but the pleasure it gives is definitely worth the travel!