Peak Kecheko, Vitosha

A short reportage from our hike last Friday to peak Kecheko on Vitosha. The peak is just half a kilometer away from the Blue Arrow shelter, and though we hike there almost every year, we hadn't been to that peak.

The day was gorgeous, sunny and warm and the trail was completely devoid of people.

Hike info:

Date: 17 April 2026

Destination: peak Kecheko (1639)

Mountain: Vitosha

Total length: 12.5 km

Elevation gain: 550 m

Total duration (plus rest): 4 h

Average difficulty: 4 / 10

To make things more interesting, we tried a couple of new tracks, following the map on our app. This turned the hike a couple of kilometers longer and made the climb easier, stretching it over meandering paths, instead of straight up.

The higher we went, more back in season we got. The mountain flowers in bloom were hellebores, squills and crocuses and after the 1500 m altitude line the first snow patches appeared. The snow cap above the 2000 m is very significant this year and given the cold spring and the amount of snow, it will probably keep till the end of June, if not longer.

The trail is very nice and pleasant to hike, but the altitude gain is substantial for such a short hike, even with the longer route.

The Blue arrow shelter

On peak Kecheko, which is actually a few dozen meters lower than the shelter

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

 

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

I:  lingerie, Sinclair Lotte blouse, legwarmers

We had our tortillas, beers and hot coffee here, on a meadow under the peak, with a view to the villages in the valley, next to a big snow drift. The wind on the peak was strong and cold and the vibe was much more winter-y than spring-y.

Peak Kecheko, seen from the trail to Belchova skala

On the way back we took almost entirely alternative trails, to explore the region more fully. I picked a handful of young nettles, which I plan to cook with shakshuka tomorrow.

Very satisfying hike and definitely a good exercise :)

To the Blue Arrow 2025

After two days of rain and cold, the sun came out on Sunday and we packed  our backpacks with herbal tea and home-made tortillas and rushed to the outskirts of the village of Zeleznitza, to climb to the Blue Arrow shelter.

Although the trail is quite steep, it is scenic and short and there's a bus from Sofia, which stops right at the beginning of the trail, so it is fairly well frequented. As we live in a part of the city with easy access to Zeleznitza, we like the trail and climb it at least once a year.

Although the sun was quite strong, the air was still cold and there were clouds in the sky, so we kept our hoodies and winter hats on. But what a difference May makes, even when the temperatures are low - everything is luscious green, the meadows are covered with flowers in all the colors of the spectrum. One can simply not complain, even when the wind is strong and cold.

Hike info:

Date: 18 May 2025

Destination: Blue Arrow Shelter

Mountain: Vitosha

Total length: 10 km

Elevation gain: 550 m

Total duration (plus rest): 3 h

Average difficulty: 4 / 10

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

I:  lingerie, Lotte Sinclair blouse, Houndstooth Burda hoodie, knitted legwarmers

Husband: men's boxershorts, Burda cargo pants, Burda T-shirt

 

Today we chose to climb a little further to a smallish peak above the shelter and to have our picnic here, with a glorious view in all directions. Finding the perfect picnic place is one of the critical moments of a hike, for me, and I am happy, that today we accomplished the mission with flying colors.

On the way back we took an alternative, even steeper trail, which brought us back to Zeleznitza and the parked car.

The Blue Arrow Shelter 2024

On the last Sunday on April we chose to hike close to home, along a familiar fairly short, but very steep trail from the village of Zeleznitza to the Blue Arrow shelter and back along an even shorter and steeper alternative track.

The day was sunny and warm after a series of rainy days and the trail was packed with tourists - some aspiring to the shelter and even higher, others picnicking on the lower meadows.

 :A local orchid

 The highest part of Vitosha is still covered in snow

Hike info:

Date: 28 April 2024

Destination: Blue Arrow Shelter

Mountain: Vitosha

Total length: 10 km

Elevation gain: 530 m

Total duration (plus rest): 3 h

Average difficulty: 4 / 10

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

 

I: lingerie, Sabrina Slims III, Burda striped blouse

Husband: men's boxers, Knipmode cargo pants, colorblock Burda blouse 

We had out picnic at the shelter (1650 m) and then turned back down. Next time, however, we plan to have only a small snack around the shelter and continue to the nearest peak Belchova skala (1877 m)

On the way back we decided to take a detour and "climb" peak Bukite (1250 m)

To The Blue Arrow Shelter 2023

A brisk and steep climb to the Blue Arrow shelter on Vitosha on a cloudy day. The forecasts promised rain and thunderstorms in the afternoon, and there were showers in the distance, but we were spared the heavenly water and happened only upon a few scattered snowflakes at the altitude above the 1600 m line.

Although the trail is fairly short, the elevation gain is significant and the climb was a good exercise in expectation of the more interesting and extreme hikes we have planned for this year - it is high time we got out of the comfort zone of easy hikes we've been favouring recently.

Hike info:

Destination: Blue Arrow Shelter

Mountain: Vitosha

Total length: 9 km

Elevation gain: 530 m

Total duration (plus rest): less than 3 h

Average difficulty: 4 / 10

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

 

Husband: men's boxers, Knip Mode cargo pants, Blue henley blouse

I: lingerie, Sinclair Lotte blouse, Houndstooth hoodie

A beautiful find - a white crocus in a field of purple crocuses:

We had never climbed this path in late April and didn't know whether to expect snow at the end of the trail, but at this altitude the snow was gone, thankfully. Up above the 2000 m altitude it will keep at least for a month or longer.

While on the way up I was clad only in a blouse, I was so soaked in sweat and cold on top, that on the way down I put on all of the clothes I had in my backpack.

:Rain in the distance. While we were up, it had rained down in the village of Zeleznitza, where we had left the car.

:The peaks of Rila in the distance. The snow there will keep until June, at least.