I. BALKAN PASSES

Sector I. E

Sector I. E

     Sredna Gora Mountain is the one parallel to Balkans. It is not so high and not so long, here I will show appropriate roads to cross it on bicyclists planning to cross the country in the direction north - south, or back

it will be useful. Information concerning the mountain is here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sredna_Gora

The next photo is a typical view of Sredna Gora Mountain.

The routes in the sector I. E  are as follows:

      21.  From Kazanlak to Pavel Banya to Plovdiv(& to Parvomay and Dimitrovgrad);

      22.  From Kazanlak to Stara Zagora;

      23.  From Gurkovo to Nova Zagora;

      24.  From Tvarditsa to Nova Zagora.

21. From Kazanlak to Pavel Banya to Plovdiv (& to Parvomay and Dimitrovgrad)

Sector I. E - 21

Here I put a little more expanded map showing routes:

Route a

      From Kazanlak to Pavel Banya to Rozovets to Zelenikovo to Brezovo to Rakovski to Kalekovets to Voyvodino to Plovdiv (toward BG/Greece Border).

Route b

      From Kazanlak to Pavel Banya to Gorno Novo selo to Dolno Novo Selo to Golyam Dol to Bratya Daskalovi to Gorno Belovo to Partizanin to Chirpan (toward BG/Greece &Turkey borders).

Route c

From Kazanlak to Pavel Banya to Rozovets to Zelenikovo to Brezovo to Choba to

Tyurkmen to Granit to Orizovo to Plodovitovo to Gradina to Parvomay

(toward BG/Greece &Turkey borders).

      Kazanlak is a middle size town for us; in the fields near Kazanlak there are rose plantations - it is known as the "Rose's field", in the end of May when roses are flowering the fields are amazing. Unfortunately I have

never visit this area in the period rouses are flowering. Information about Kazanlak can be seen here:

https://bulgariatravel.org/en/the-town-of-kazanlak/

http://www.visitbulgaria.net/en/kazanlak/kazanlak.html

      There is an interesting Thracian tomb near Kazanlak, unique frescos can be seen in it, I think it is under UNESCO protection.

https://bulgariatravel.org/en/kazanlak-tomb/

      It is not possible to visit it, but just next to it there is a replica of it.  Several times I have mention Thracian in my Home Page, they were the ancient population living in the east part of Balkans, most of all they loved the war, wine and women. 

      It is interesting to visit and see Rose Museum:

 https://bulgariatravel.org/en/rose-museum-kazanlak/

and the Historic Museum as well:

 https://bulgariatravel.org/en/historical-museum-of-kazanlak/

Route a

From Kazanlak to Pavel Banya to Rakovski to Plovdiv

      The route includes crossing of Sredna Gora Mountain (placed between Brezovo and Pavel Banya), It is a very nice area for pedaling. You may experience a heavier traffic between Plovdiv and Rakovski (I do not

think it is dangerous). 

      This route is nice for bicyclists coming from Shipka Pass and intending to cross BG/Greece border at Border Checkpoint Zlatograd (or Makaza).

The road 871 from Kazanlak to the crossroad toward Pavel Banya is with more intensive traffic, I think it is not dangerous.

https://www.visitbulgaria.net/en/pavel

_banya/pavel_banya.html

http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SE/stara_zagora/pavel_banya/pavel_banya

     After Pavel Banya starts climbing of Sredna Gora Mountain. The hill is long almost 15 kilometers, which is relatively a lot of climbing; altitude gain more than 400 m. for this distance. The climbing after Turiya is

 a little harder.

      The goats in the left photo are just after Turiya. Although there is one spring of fresh water up the mountain, it would be nice to bring food and water with you.

      The next photos illustrate the route starting from Plovdiv. Starting from Plovdiv toward Rakovski and Brezovo, of first you have to head toward Voyvodinovo,

GPS here would be useful (look again sector I. E - 21). As I have mentioned, the traffic from Plovdiv toward Rakovski is more intensive, I think pedalling here is not dangerous.

      The countryside & link for Rakovski:

http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SC/plovdiv/rakovski

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rakovski_(town)

      Once leaving Rakovski the traffic disappears. The road is after reconstruction, it is a pleasure to pedal here.

      It is still the Thracian field. The photos illustrate the countryside toward Brezovo.

http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SC/plovdiv/brezovo/brezovo

Route b

From Pavel Banya to Chirpan to Dimitrovgrad

The several next photos illustrate the beautiful plain countryside from Bratya Daskalovi to Chirpan.

Chirpan is s small town, information for it and several photos.

http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SE/stara_zagora/chirpan/chirpan

      And the last town of the route is Dimitrovgrad.

      http://www.visitbulgaria.net/en/dimitrovgrad/dimitrovgrad.html

      Information concerning the routes toward BG/Greece & BG/Turkey borders south from Dimitrovgrad can be seen in:

      Chapter III. Crossing Bulgaria from north to south (from Romania to Turkey & Greece): 

      C. South - Central Region

Route c

From Pavel Banya to Brezovo to Parvomay

Photos from this beautiful countryside.

      Parvomay is little town appropriate to have a coffee relax in the hot summer days - the only photo I have of the town. Information for it:

http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SC/plovdiv/parvomay/parvomay

      Information concerning the routes toward BG/Greece & BG/Turkey borders south from Dimitrovgrad can be seen in:

      Chapter III. Crossing Bulgaria from north to south (from Romania to Turkey & Greece): 

      C. South - Central Region

      Chapter VI. Crossing Bulgaria from west to east. Routes:

       D. From Sofia to Plovdiv and Edirne (in Turkey)

22.  From Kazanlak to Stara Zagora

      This Map segment is intended to shows routes for bicyclist crossing Balkan via Shipka Pass and Trevnenski Pass toward/from Stara Zagora

      The road from Kazanlak to Stara Zagora (road N5) can have a lot of traffic, but is wide enough (2 strips in each direction) if you choose to pedal it.  Usually I avoid this road. I do not even have not photos of this area.

      To avoid it to some extent, use the route:

      From Kazanlak to Buzovgrad (road 608) to Rozovo to Kanchevo to Razhena to Yagoda to Zmeyovo (road 5) to Stara Zagora.

       In the fields near Kazanlak there are rose plantations - it is known as the "Rose's field", in the end of May when roses are flowering the fields are amazing. Unfortunately I have never visit this area in the period rouses are flowering.

      In the previous item I have given more information about Kazanlak, I will not repeat it here.

      Have in mind that Tulovo and Dabovo (pointed on the map above) are railway cross points where all the trains stop, you can use train in direction from Sofia to Burgas (west - east), or from Gorna Oryahovitsa to Stara Zagora (north - south).

      Left - our camp place next to Tulovo, right - our bikes are in the train toward Burgas.

      Yagoda is a bigger settlement here. Information about Yagoda:

http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/se/stara_zagora/maglij/yagoda

      Overnight accommodation is possible in it - there is in it a nice hotel and thermal water.

https://spahotelmineralyagoda.com/

Information about Stara Zagora:

https://bulgariatravel.org/en/stara-zagora/

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stara_Zagora

      Information concerning the routes toward BG/Greece & BG/Turkey borders south from Dimitrovgrad can be seen in:

Chapter III. Crossing Bulgaria from north to south (from Romania to Turkey & Greece):

C. South - Central Region

Sector I. E

23.  From Gurkovo to Nova Zagora

Road N55

      This is an easy area for bicycling, unfortunately the traffic here can be a challenge because it is a segment of international road from Turkey to North Europe. There a lot of heavy trucks, very often heavy accidents take place along this road.

      My suggestion is to avoid this route, the next three photos illustrate it. The last time I pedaled it was the middle of May 2008, I do not believe I will do it again some day.

      Here can be seen very little information for Gurkovo:

http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SE/stara_zagora/gurkovo/gurkovo

The next three photos are near Zhrebchevo Dam

Information for Nova Zagora is available here:

http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SE/sliven/nova_zagora/nova_zagora

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nova_Zagora

      Information concerning the routes toward BG/Greece & BG/Turkey borders south from Nova Zagora can be seen in: Chapter III. Crossing Bulgaria from north to south (from Romania to Turkey & Greece): D. South - East Region  

      If you are in Gurkovo and intend to pedal to south, maybe it would be better to head toward Tvarditsa and follow instruction in the next item.

      The next several photos are the road from Gurkovo to Tvarditsa.

24.  From Tvarditsa to Nova Zagora

road N662

      Comparing with the route in the previous item, situation here is much much better. There is not any traffic and I do recommend this route. The area is very scenic, and there is not any traffic along this road.

      The route from Tvarditsa to Nova Zagora is easy for pedaling. A longer hill is after crossing the Valley of Tundzha River after Banya.

      In the back direction the climbing north from Nova Zagora is a little bit longer, but it is still not hard.

      Food shop is available in Korten. A nice local type brandy is producing here.

       Overnight accommodation is available in Tvarditsa - you will see labels attached on the poles near the road for guests houses. I can not find any English language information for this little town.

      Information for Tvarditsa is available here:

 http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SE/sliven/tvarditsa/tvarditsa     

 http://www.bestbgproperties.com/bulgarian_districts/Tvarditsa.html

In the previous item is the information about Nova Zagora, I will not repeat it here again. Information concerning the routes toward BG/Greece & BG/Turkey

borders south from Nova Zagora can be seen in:

Chapter III. Crossing Bulgaria from north to south (from Romania to Turkey & Greece): D. South - East Region

      Several words for Shivachevo:

http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SE/sliven/tvarditsa/shivachevo