This short and varied cycling route on the outskirts of Varna includes three trails and none of them will leave you indifferent! All three trails are part of other routes in the area, but here they are combined in such a way that provides you with a quick dose of adrenaline without too much spin. The trails are not very difficult, but they are not quite suitable for beginners, i.e. they include some more technical and / or steep sections. Anyone who already has some experience in off-road bike-riding will probably enjoy them as much as possible.
The starting point of this route is at the parking lot and the drinking fountain below Aladzha Monastery. In this way, riding becomes more convenient for people who rest in the resorts north of Varna and want to add a little mountain biking for variety from the beach. Of course, you can also come by car from Varna to the parking lot under the Monastery, but if you prefer to come on your own move, then try some of the long routes with a starting point in the city.
Unlike the routes, which are entirely in Golden Sands National Park, this one goes in a southwesterly direction and passes one or two villa zones and over the horse base in Vinitsa. Parts of it are in the shade, but the climbs are mostly in open areas, so in the summer it is good to avoid the hottest hours. Otherwise, the trails and roads in the area are suitable for cycling almost all year round.
Bike-riding can be combined with a sightseeing of the monastery. For this purpose, however, you must either have someone to guard the bikes, or get permission to tie them somewhere at the security booth.
Starting point: The fountain at the parking lot below Aladzha Monastery in Golden Sands National Park; https://goo.gl/maps/WuKeeFoaJdjY6ZJo7
Length: 10.6 km
Ascent: 285 m
Level of technical difficulty: medium (R1, R2, T1, T2, T3)
Physical activity factor: low (PAF =4)
Duration: 1-2 hours (depending on the speed, breaks, etc.)
Water: 1 l (there is at least one fountain along the route)
Food: not required
Terrain:
- asphalt road –3.1 km
- country roads –3.0 km
- paths – 4.5 km
Description:
From the fountain at the parking lot at Aladzha Monastery (point 01) we take the asphalt road upwards (on southwestern direction), looking after 50-100 meters for a path with red tourist markings, turning on the left (item 02). It used to be a pedestrian alley once with tiles and steps, but now it is a little broken and in some places it is a very interesting and even technical trail. On it we go out on a country road (point 03) and continue to the right along the same path to Kovshak fountain (point 04, 0.9 km), which is a popular place for picnics among Varna residents and guests of the city.
We drive straight past the fountain and the road turns into a wide path. In point 05 and point 06 we pass other paths, deviating to the left and to the right - we drive only on the main one with red tourist markings. At point 07 (1.8 km) we go out on a country road and a clearing for an electric power line - the red marking continues upwards, but we cross this road and take a path to the left (again with red marking), which takes us down in a dizzying descent to the villa zone Dabravata /The oak grove/. (p. 08). Then we continue along the street (country road) to the right and follow only it until we reach an asphalt road (point 09, 3.4 km).
We`re turning on the road to the right and after 150 m (point 10) we reach the entrance of the cemetery park "North 2". To the left begins a steep and narrow asphalt road through the forest – we`re taking it. In some places the slope is serious and you may have to push. The road takes us to the plateau and at the crossroads in point 11 (4.2 km) we continue straight and enter the villa zone Lozite/The vines/, moving on a potholed asphalt road.
In point 12 (4.6 km) there is a very important fork! We turn left on a country road to the left upwards past several houses. After 200 m the road ends and turns into a path (point 13). Local children even use this path for making bicycle jumps on it. After hundred meters (point 14) we turn sharply on the path to the left. At the beginning it is steeper, but after a while the slope decreases. There are a lot of forks – we still keep to the left. The largest fork is in point 15 (5.3 km). In general, the trail is not very difficult, but includes some technical stony sections. After halfway, the trail turns into a speed furrow, but not very wide, so be careful - in some places there may be stones.
At the end of the trail (p.16, 5.8 km) we go out on the road from Vinitsa to Aladzha Monastery and Golden Sands. We take it to the left and start another climb. In point 17 the road makes a sharp turn of 180 degrees - this place is called the "rubber turn" because of the frequent whistling / sliding of car tires. If you look to the left in the forest, you will see an interesting monument, which is like a small copy of the Monument of Freedom (Shipka). We pass the forks we already know in point 09 and point 10 and reach point 18 (7.4 km), where a narrow path in the forest deviates to the right - we take it. The path leads us to the periphery of the next villa zone (point 19), where another trail to the left takes us to country road (point 20) and we descend slightly on it.
Thus we reach point 07 again, i.e. the main path through Golden Sands National Park with the red markings. On this path we return back past Kovshak fountain to the parking lot under Aladzha monastery, but in point 03 (9.7 km) we do not climb the stony alley, but continue straight on the country road and join the road to the left in point 22.
