Home to Teteven

Early to rise at 3am then a kindly lift to Manchester Airport from Julia. Which was heaving. Luckily checking bikes in was given priority.
Smooth flight to Sofia, met by Steve and Brian. Undamagedもっと詳しく
Trogging round Teteven

Morning walk to the Devils Tooth. Tricky in parts.
Big lunch - better than last nights meal.
Afternoon cycle to some dramatic waterfalls.
I led a trip to the local historical museum afterwards.もっと詳しく
Luxury in Lukovit

A decent ride, mostly on quiet mountain roads, arriving in Lukovit at 3:30pm.
A well earned lunch in Dobrevtsi, mostly delicious vegetarian. Lunches have so far been consistently more interestingもっと詳しく
Latent rain in Lukovit

A short uphill ride to Peshteren Dom, locked bikes and descended on foot to the “Eyes of God” cave. Screeching of nesting swifts.
French climbers inside ascending a sheer limestone wall.
Weもっと詳しく
Vratsa variations

A challenging day.
Light rain in the morning. Heavy rain from lunchtime onwards.
6km of off-road cycling through puddles axle deep. Punctures, mosquito bites and tumbles by the end.
Lunch inもっと詳しく
Mixed weather in Montana

We previously arranged a late start to avoid rain but timing was out and our carefully dried clothes were drenched in 10 mins of setting out.
Early lunch stop worked well - salad, lentil soup andもっと詳しく
Revitalised in Vidin

Weather slightly better than forecast. One shower and one thunderstorm.
88 km down to the Danube.
Our morning coffee stop allowed tv viewing of flooded villages we had visited two days before - aもっと詳しく
Chillin' in Vidin

A day off from compulsory anything. I have a head cold so was happy to mainly rest and try not to infect others. Very hot and dry so got up to date with hand washing which quickly dried in my room.もっと詳しく
Белоградчик (Belogradchik) day 1

Best day for cycle touring so far. Warm and dry, mostly decent roads and views over the Danube plain and western Balkans.
Slow start carrying bikes over the railway. Then the road was blocked -もっと詳しく
Belogradchik - day 2

Pre-breakfast view from my room.
Itso (our Bulgarian helper) and his son Nikolai who is stopping with us plus Itso’s wife for two days. They provide interpreting services today in addition toもっと詳しく
Belogradchik - day 3

Morning walk for most but three intrepid seniors set off for Serbia.
Walk up to Kaleto fortress originally built by the Romans in a natural vantage point in the Belogradchik rocks. Very humid.もっと詳しく
Stopover in Varshets (Вършец)

100km today.
Tipping up drinks bottles and getting shade at one of many “chesmi” (springs).
Abandoned / neglected monument complex to Communism.
Section of collapsed road.
Bonus pic ofもっと詳しく
Vratsa - again

We return to Hotel Hemus for a second time though the town has been transformed in our absence. Gone are the huge puddles and mist obscuring the mountain backdrop. Out has come the sunshine, the viewsもっと詳しく
Last day Vratsa & Bulgaria

Did not take the planned ride and lunch, preferring to visit museums and shops and generally mooch around.
Regional history museum excellent. So many treasures from Palaeolithic to Present.もっと詳しく