Dupevitza April 2026

Again on Dupevitza - mostly, because I wanted to fill our bottles with the delicious mineral water of Gorna Banya, but also, because the hike is lovely, the car ride is short and late April low mountains are gorgeous.

Based on weather forecast, we chose Saturday as the bast day for our hike - sunny, warm and low speed wind - perfect hiking spring weather.

The old barracks on the peak

Hike info:

Date: 25 April 2026

Destination: round trail to peak Dupevitza

Mountain: Lulin

Total length: 10 km

Elevation gain: 320 m

Total duration (plus picnic): 3 and half hours

Average difficulty: 3 / 10

We had our lunch on the tables on the peak, our tortillas and beer were tasty and scrumptious with the gorgeous views under the warm sun.

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

 

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

I: lingerie, Sinclair Lotte sweater, leg warmers

The forests in the low mountains are leafing out, the wild fruit trees and bushes are all in bloom, the grass is taking over the meadows and the carpet of old brown leaves is being replaced with greenery and flowers.

This trail is abundant with nettles and I picked a whole bag of young cuttings, which I intend to turn into nettles quiche and shakshuka.

All Saints chappel

St. Cyril and Methodius Monastery

Dupevitza 2026

Yesterday was a rare day of sunshine in Sofia, at least in the morning.  For our weekly hike, we set our sights on Lulin mountain, hoping for solid trails and a bit of Vitamin D.

The trail to the peak, starting from Bonsovi Polyani, was easy and fairly dry, the sun shone shyly and the air was warmish, we quickly stripped off our jackets.

Hike info:

Date: 14 February 2026

Destination: round trail to peak Dupevitza

Mountain: Lulin

Total length: 10.5 km

Elevation gain: 320 m

Total duration (plus picnic): 3 hours

Average difficulty: 3 / 10

About an hour in, we reached the summit. The jackets came right back on, plus everything else in our packs! The wind on the ridge was strong, cold, and frankly brutal. Still, we braved the chill for a picnic at the tables, overlooking the Sofia valley and the stunning, snow-covered ridges of Vitosha standing tall across from us.

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

 

Husband: men's boxers, socks, green Burda longsleeve, blue longsleeve, cargo pants

I: lingerie, Sinclair Lotte sweater, rib knit homemade hat, socks

After Dupevitza we continued west along the ridge. This section was a bit of a slog; the trails were "mighty muddy" and scarred by patches of snow. It was disappointing to see how much the ground had been disturbed by motorbikes and ATVs, despite the strict driving ban in the area. Deciding to bypass our usual route to peak Dobrinina Skala, we opted for an alternative track. It was a great call.

The track was in much better condition than the alternative towards Dobrinina skala, almost untouched by motor tires, and  and led us through beautiful stands of birch and pine, a refreshing change of scenery from the usual forests on Lulin.

It's clear that spring is taking its time this year, or rather it is not as early as in previous years, which is no surprise. Winter is still holding its ground with cold snaps, rain, and lingering snow.

By lunch, the sun had abandoned us, but the temperatures stayed comfortable enough. Despite the graying skies, the hike felt incredibly refreshing and invigorating.

I didn't fall; I just had a close contact with the terrain :)

Dupevitza 2025

This Saturday husband and I decided to check the wild strawberries and raspberries on Lulin. We've had luck some other years, picking the tiny but aromatic berries during our hikes there, but this year we returned empty-handed.

The day was hot, but most of the track was through the forest, so the hike felt pretty easy.

Hike info:

Date: 12 July 2025

Destination: round trail to peak Dupevitza

Mountain: Lulin

Total length: 10 km

Elevation gain: 320 m

Total duration (plus picnic): 3 hours

Average difficulty: 3 / 10

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

 

Husband: men's boxers, Burda T-shirt

I: lingerie, Burda blouse, Burda shorts

 

We debated having our picnic on Dobrinina skala, with a view to Sofia and Vitosha, but the sun was too strong and the peak is too open, with no suitable trees to throw some shadow, so in the end we chose a meadow on the way down, with some trees for shelter from the sun. It was nice, but nothing beats a lunch with a view :)

All in all, it was a nice leisurely hike, but in the hot summer days higher peaks are much more appealing to me, so we'll probably plan a climb on Rila or Pirin next week.

Dupevitza on a Foggy April Day

After a few weeks of perfect weather in March, the temperatures dropped and it has been cold and rainy for almost two weeks now. The forecasts for today envisioned more rain and clouds, but we decided to risk it and go climb peak Dupevitza on Lulin anyway, come rain or come sunshine :)

The day did start with a slight drizzle, but luckily it stopped before we got to the start of the trail and we enjoyed a cloudy and coldish, but calm and dry conditions.

The wild plum and apple trees were at the peak of their bloom

Hike info:

Date: 04 April 2025

Destination: round trail to peak Dupevitza

Mountain: Lulin

Total length: 10 km

Elevation gain: 320 m

Total duration (plus picnic): 3 hours

Average difficulty: 3 / 10

The view from the top was non-existent - we were in a cloud. We had our rather quick lunch on the benches there and expeditiously continued along the trail towards the next peak.

At Dobrinina skala

Despite the lack of sunshine, the hike was very pleasant - there was an abundance of spring flowers, quietude and solitude - we met no one along the trail the whole way over.

Even when it's cold, spring is colorful and green and this makes a world of difference for the hiking experience.

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

 

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

I: lingerie, Lotte blouse, ankle warmers

The All Saints chapel

The forests are getting slowly green

St. Cyril and Methodius Monastery