This is one of the best mountain biking routes near Varna. Of course, the concept of "best" for each person includes different things - some like to contemplate the views or feel the proximity of the sea (when we speak specifically about Varna), others may prefer shorter and lighter rides, for others technical complexity, or physical exertion play a leading role. And here all these components are well mixed and balanced. What's more - a huge part of the ride is on trails - both easier and more technical here and there, which makes mountain biking an even more fulfilling experience. There are also interesting places along the route - in addition to the several panoramic views and riding through the natural park "Golden Sands", the route passes by Aladzha Monastery - one of the main tourist attractions in the area. If you have the time and desire, you can stop by and see it.
The starting point is at the portal of the TV tower above Varna, which you can reach by car. There are some country roads around, where you can find a place for several cars. This saves 200-300 meters of climbing through urban areas and you can start riding the bikes on rough terrain earlier. If you want to start cycling from the city and climb the road with a big slope up to the TV tower, you can connect any of the three routes along it with the current one and you are ready.
In the other direction, the route reaches the outskirts of the village of Kranevo before returning to Varna. If you want to go to the beach, you can go down through the village to the shore, but this will add a few more kilometers of asphalt road and 100 meters of ascent. Otherwise, the return in some places is on the same main path through Golden Sands National Park, but in other places it is on alternative roads and paths, so you will not be bored in any case.
The elevation gain along the route is accumulated through many short ascents and descents. You can not sense it at the moment, but at the end of the ride there will be certainly a reason to have a slight heaviness in the legs.
Among other things, along this route you ride the bikes mainly in the shade. This makes it suitable even for summer, but is it still advisable to choose the morning hours. However, it is best in spring and autumn. Although in some places the soil is clayey, the paths are generally well trodden and you will rarely have a problem with mud, but after a heavy rainfall it is better to wait 1-2 days.
Starting point: Varna, the TV tower above the city
https://goo.gl/maps/FYP1ZNL3oN37ZYQR9
Length: 38.6 km
Ascent: 880 m
Level of technical difficulty: medium (R1, R2, T1, T2, T3)
Physical activity factor: medium (PAF =6)
Duration: 4-8 hours (depending on the velocity, breaks, etc.)
Water: 1-1.5 l , there are fountains at key locations along the route
Food: for the whole day
Terrain:
- asphalt road –7.2 km
- country roads – 14.7 km
- paths – 16.7 km
Description:
From the portal of the TV tower (point 01) we start on the narrow asphalt road, which connects it with the main road (point 02) and after a careful crossing we take it to the left. After 200 m in point 03 we turn right on a wide and flat country road past the villa zone Dobreva Cheshma (which is already more like a residential area). We follow only the main road between the field and the houses. In point 04 (2.3 km) the road turns slightly to the right and enters between the houses. In point 05 (4.2 km) the street becomes an asphalt road.
Watch out for point 06 (4.5 km), where we have to turn right on a country road between the yards of several houses. After 200 m with a slight ascent the road ends and turns into a path (point 07). Local children even use this path for making bicycle jumps on it. In about hundred meters 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 continue to keep to the left. The largest fork is in point 09 (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 (points 10, 5.7 km) we go out on the asphalt road from Vinitsa to Aladzha Monastery and Golden Sands. We take this road to the left in ascent mode. In point 11 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 continue on the road to point 13 (7.3 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 14), where another trail to the left takes us to country road (point 15, 8.2 km) and we descend slightly on. After 500 m (point 16) we continue slightly to the left on a wide and flat path in the forest. We move only on it, skipping various deviations - there are such in points 17 and 18, and in point 19 we reach Kovshak fountain - a popular place for picnics and rest among the people of Varna. From the fountain we ride straight along a country road, skipping the paths on the left and right - the clearer ones are in points 20 and 21. In point 22 (10.2 km) we reach the asphalt road between Aladzha Monastery and Golden Sands. We take it upwards to the left and after 300 m we reach the parking lot of the monastery (point 23), where there is a nice fountain.
From here we take an asphalt road to the right and after 50 m turn right again (point 24). At point 25 (10.8 km) we reach a private property and continue along a paved pedestrian alley slightly to the right. After 50-60 m we leave the alley and continue on the path to the left - it is wide, with a variable slope and with green and yellow tourist markings. At point 27 (12.0 km) the trail forks - we move right along the yellow markings, preparing for slightly steeper and rocky sections. In points 28 and 29 we miss marked paths to the right, and at the first one there is a fountain. The slope turns upwards here. At point 30 (12.9 km) the trail meets again the other one we left on the left and we continue to the right along green and red tourist markings. After 400 m (point 31) the path widens to a country road, and in point 32 there is a fork where we turn right. It used to be a country road once, but now it's a great trail - relatively smooth and fast. In point 33 we are on the left and shortly after that we come out on a narrow asphalt road (point 34, 14.9 km), which we take to the left and upwards.
After 2-3 turns in point 35 (15.5 km) we reach again the main path with red and green markings. We take it to the right and follow it without deviating anywhere. The path goes now slightly up, now slightly down - at first it is wide, then it becomes narrower, passing over a rocky wreath, where some majestic views of the sea are revealed. You can also enjoy such a view in point 36 - I mention it because from here the path descends steeply. Ride your bikes with caution!
At the end of the descent (p.37, 20.1 km) we exit at the main road from Varna to the north, in the outskirts of the village of Kranevo. To the left there is a narrow asphalt road that climbs to an old military unit - we take it upwards. After 1 km in point 38 we leave the asphalt road and take to a country road to the right, which continues to climb with a smooth slope. Then the road narrows and looks more like a wide path. We ride the bikes only on this road - it climbs to the ridge and continues to follow it in a southwesterly direction. In several places on the left and right there are clearer or more neglected country roads (there are some in points 39-44) - skip them and follow the main road. At one time the slope turns down and in point 45 (25.3 km) we come out on a narrow asphalt road.
We turn to the left on this road and after 20-30 meters (point 46) we take a country road to the right, which is the main tourist marking (red and green). Here you can expect mud after heavy rain, there are tracks and in several places the road is divided into different paths - choose your line according to your preferences. At point 47 (26.4 km) we turn to the left on a country road and immediately afterwards turn right again (point 32) - here we reach this part of the path, which we have already passed in the direction of Kranevo. In point 30, however, we keep moving on the right aisle with green markings. We ride further southwards to Aladzha Monastery along the already known wide path, and in point 25 we turn to the left along the pedestrian alley. Along it we go out again to the parking lot and the fountain at Aladzha Monastery (point 23).
This time we continue a little up the asphalt road, and after 50-100 meters we look for a path with red tourist markings, turning to the left (point 48, 29.7 km). It used to be a pedestrian alley once, with tiles and steps, now it is broken and in some places it is quite an interesting and even technical path. On this path we go out on the country road before Kovshak fountain, in point 20. We continue southwards in the direction of Varna along the roads and paths we already know, but in point 16 we take a path to the left, which descends to the villa zone Dabravata/The oak grove/ in the form of a speed gutter. In point 49 (31.5 km) we join a wide and smooth country road (street) past the houses and on it, to the right (southwest) we go out on the road in point 12 (32.9 km).
After hundred meters to the right, at the entrance of the cemetery park "North 2" (point 50) we turn to the left on a very steep asphalt road, which takes us to the plateau near villa zone “The vines”. At the crossroads in point 51 we go straight on broken asphalt road and we enter the villa zone. We follow only the main street on which we came on our way to Ktanevo - this time, however, we are in the direction of the TV tower. By that time the road should be familiar to you, and the only difference is that shortly before the turnoff to it you can take a narrow path to the right in the woods (point 52), which will take you to a shop with a place to relax - a good place to refresh yourself with a fizzy drink or beer.
