On this so sunny Sunday in the mid November we headed to Rila Mountains after more than a month at home. The walk was quite short and leisurely, to the Black Rock, but we still managed to see and feel the charm of the golden autumn. After a month of forced sitting, I felt free and at ease in the fresh embrace of the mountain. I wanted to absorb every sight, every smell, every breath that day.
The Black Rock is a natural landmark near the Borovets resort. A relatively short and easy path leads to the rock. The path is situated almost entirely in a forest. The route is generally quite shady and would be ideal for a walk in the summer heat. In the middle of the wonderful autumn, when we passed it, the landscapes were incredibly colorful, even in the shadows.
This Black Rock was in fact sinister in the past, because many people were thrown from it and killed after September 9, 1944 without trial or sentence, according to a commemorative plaque that can be seen on the spot. There is also a metal black cross in memory of the victims.
Travel resources
You can visit some of the most beautiful places in Bulgaria via organized daily tours. Have a look here for several options from the biggest Bulgarian provider for day tours from Sofia – Traventuria.
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How to get to the beginning of the route?
The route starts from the northeastern outskirts of the resort of Borovets, from a parking lot, which – if you come from Samokov – is located on the right of the road. Along the parking lot there are newly built buildings, some of them are abandoned though.
An information board with a map of Rila and drawn routes is placed in the parking lot. Several signs next to it – for Maritsa hut, Zavrachitsa hut, and the Black Rock – point to the dirt road up to the mountain, which you should take.
- Coordinates of the parking lot: 42.271888, 23.617426.
- The Black Rock’s coordinates: 42.260761, 23.642854.
On the route
The eco-trail is well marked with arrows and blue marks. Almost all the time you walk on a wide dirt road and generally on all its branches you should keep to the left. Just follow the main road.
After about 50 minutes of walking you reach a large widening of the road with tables and benches for relax. Just before them on the left is the path to the Black Rock. There is a sign to it.
FYI: the main road continues to the huts Maritsa and Zavrachitsa.
From the deviation to the Black Rock it takes about 5 minutes of walking.
At the top of the rock, and just before it, there are nice panoramic views to the northeast of the villages of Raduil and Maritsa. In the distance, further east, you can see the town of Dolna Banya. The place is secured with a stable metal railing.
The whole route is nearly 4 kilometers long and takes about an hour in one direction.
And more…
Some time ago a told you about other nice and pleasant walking route in the Rila Mountains near the city of Samokov – the Beli Iskar eco-trail.
