Yantra River

bnr.bg, Veneta Nickolova, Daniela Konstantinova

The northern slopes of the Balkan Range where the brisk waters of the River Yantra make their way, offer enthralling nature sights. The river meanders at the foot of vertical stonewalls, cuts across lovely mountain meadows and heads south to Bulgaria’s medieval capital Veliko Tirnovo. In the recent years the region that boasts magnificent karst shapes and rare plant and animal species has earned itself a respectable place on the map of Bulgarian tourism.

This haven among Bulgaria’s breathtaking nature was until only recently little known to the fans of trekking and environmental tourism. In a bid to attract more visitors to the river’s middle reaches a few municipalities in the Tirnovo region have developed a project for the promotion of a regional tourist product backed with financing from the EU Phare Program. Seven eco-trails and recreation sites in wild nature will be created using funds to the tune of EUR 225,000. All sites are located in a 50 to 60 km radius from Veliko Tirnovo and are already included in the routes of Bulgarian and foreign tourists, explains Krassimir Vassilev from Strazhitsa municipality. One favorite sight with tourists is the canyon of the River Negovanka very close to the village of Emen where the first eco-trail in the region was built in 1997. The marked route provides access to the foot of stone verticals, rock wreaths and waterfalls. It is worth seeing the nearby Zarapovo geo-compound exhibiting lovely rock shapes and a splendid water cascade descending from a height of 15 m.
“People who love to have a shot of adrenalin now and then, will love it here, since the river is crossed at quite a good height, Krassimir Vassilev says. “To make beauty accessible, stairs have been cut into the rocks, and the bridges and railings are made of wood or stone. The Precipices geo-compound is in the territory of Pavlikeni municipality. It includes two precipices connected under the ground through a karst gallery. Special stairs take tourists down to the oozy bottom. It is presumed that the largest underground cave in Northern Bulgaria with no natural exit on the surface, starts from this geo-compound.”
The imagination of nature-lovers is stirred by another eco-trail. It goes through the cool canyon of the River Bohot, a Yantra tributary, and takes them to the Hotnitsa waterfall. Its crystal waters fall down from a height of 10 m to feed a small beautiful lake. Wild cyclamens generously adorn the place. There are special sites for recreation and BBQ. The most popular place to stop is The Small Bulgaria Park close to the highway connecting Sofia and Varna.
“The Small Bulgaria Park is a snapshot of Bulgaria. Its landscape is amazingly diverse – flat fields, hills, a river, natural and artificial lakes, fountains and alcoves. It is Bulgaria itself in a nutshell,” argues Krassimir Vassilev.
The Old River Eco-trail connecting the villages Stevrek and Bogomolsko is a 10-km route along the River Stara Reka, whose banks are dotted with rare plants. A Roman bridge comes as a surprise of visitors to suggest the region’s ancient history. The natural karst spring called Hunchback Fountain is by the Karadere River. The clean air, the exhilarating scent of wild flowers and the freshness coming from the nearby forest are truly tempting. Visitors can go either picnicking or fishing. They are welcome to a few family hotels and guesthouses, which have opened doors in the recent years. However if you are keen on natural splendor you’d better camp out by one of the River Yantra tributaries – alone under the skies dotted with billion stars and surrounded by audio of fine cricket tunes.