An Adventure in Bulgaria

Until my recent trip the only information I had about Bulgaria was from friends who had been there skiing.  There views were not always complimentary.  I had no idea that it had so much to offer for walkers.   The scenery is amazing, the walking varied - from easy to challenging - and it's well organised.  The mountain huts are generally excellent and finding your way is easy.  It's also incredibly good value and Bulgaria must be the cheapest place to go hiking in Europe.  If you want a specific recommendation than have a look at the Rila/Pirin traverse.  It's an epic 10 day walk and it's easily as good as better known trails such as the Haute Route or the GR20 in Corsica.

Rila Lakes

A Circular Walk via Lewes

If you live in Brighton Lewes is a great destination for a walk.  It's an absolute gem of a place, lots to see, home to Harveys the local brewery, and with plenty of places to eat. The public transport links between Lewes and Brighton are excellent, both train and bus, and there are lots of ways of creating a one way trip either to or from the town.

I've been trying to work out the best way to do a circular route for some time, particularly one which took me away from the beautiful but, in my case, overused route along the edge of the South Downs from the west via Ditchling Beacons.  The route I took was a long one, 20 miles, but it was easy walking, the weather was great and because it was a bank holiday there were lots of other walkers grabbing the chance to walk across the downs in the sunshine.

GR1 Sendero Histórico - a Review

Starting at the beginning of March 2013, I walked for five weeks along the GR1 Sendero Histórico. Apart from the weather, apparently the worst in Spain since 1947, I had a great month, - the GR1 is an amazing walk and deserves to be much better known internationally.

The GR1 is a 1,200 kilometre trail running across northern Spain from the Mediterranean to the Asturias.  As the name suggests, the route has a historical theme and was developed to take the walker along the boundary between Moorish and Christian Spain. Travelling along it, I visited some of the world's most important Romanesque sites (Sos del Rey Católico, Loare Castle, Besalú).

Day 37 GR1 L'Escala

Arrived in L'Escala, the end of the GR1 Sendero Historico on the Mediterranean, at about 5 o'clock. It was freezing cold with a biting north wind, almost as cold as when I started the trip at the beginning of March. Christine's swimming costume was staying put in her bag.

It wasn't nearly so cold when we rejoined the GR1 at Orriols after breakfast. I had anticipated an ugly walk across a coastal plain for the last day but it turned out to be nicer than that.
The countryside was rolling rather than flat, a mix of woodland and arable, very green, and reminded me of Christine's home county Suffolk.

Lush spring meadows

Day 36 GR1 Banyoles

Heading down on the final descent to the Mediterranean the weather is a real disappointment. Instead of the blue sky, sun and sea it's all cloud, rain and greyness. It's a shame and adds to the stew of mixed emotions inevitable at the end of a 37 day trip.

Misty morning in Oix

Day 35 GR1 to Oix

After complaints about yesterday's walk being too long it was essential to come up with something shorter today. The original idea was to take a taxi along the busy valley to the east of Ripoll and start at Sant Joan de les Abadesses but on a cold, drizzly day 33 kilometres seemed too long. Instead we asked the taxi to take us further to Sant Pau de Segúties, leaving a very manageable 20 kilometres.

When we arrived it was market day and the bar we dropped into for coffee was busy and full of men topping up their alcohol levels (about 9.30 in the morning). Apart from us, the only person not drinking was a young guy wearing the cyclist's uniform of baggy shorts and tights and he turned out to be a German reaching the end of his Berlin to Barcelona bike trip. Really nice guy, and great to share a bit of time with another long-distance travelling nutcase. He had hauled his 35 kg bike and gear over the Pyrenees in the frost last night and was now stopping at the bar to buy cigarettes! Apologies for the photo which seems to capture two drinkers emerging from the bar rather than the cyclist and his bike.

Day 34 GR1 to Ripoll

Normal service resumed, the walk was longer than expected and I was in trouble as we made the final, extra long approach to Ripoll. Not sure what the fuss was about, 38 kilometres instead of 33, but I was blamed for all sorts. Shame because I got everything else right, nice walk and near perfect weather.

Left the hostal, really a casa rural, at Lluçà at about 8.45. Great food last night (despite having forgotten we were coming, the owner produced a feast : a perfectly dressed salad, a bowl of puy lentils and vegetables, grilled chicken with wild rice and then strawberry fruit salad); and a lovely breakfast.

Llucà - Ermita de Santa Maria