This is a nice and varied cross-country route north of Varna, which has everything - two main ascents and descents, quite a number of flat sections between them, a little wildness, a lot of shade and a nice final descent. It has many points of contact with the other similar route in the same area, but this one goes in the opposite direction and is generally easier as terrain - there are only 2-3 short steep sections down that could be difficult for beginner cyclists - everything else has a slight to moderate slope. As far as the ascents are concerned, the first one is steep and is worth it! The second is much easier and smoother – it goes along a broken asphalt road through a shady forest. As for the physical activity, it is also average - the route is long, but the total ascent is not great, and while for the better prepared crossing of the route would take 3 – 4 hours, the more leisurely ones can compact with it more hours of the day.
The best season for cycling on the route is autumn, but spring is also good, as long as it is not immediately after days with heavy rains. Due to the presence of a lot of shade, cycling is possible even in the summer heat. On the other hand, there is a lot of cycling on the open part of the plateau between farm fields, so it would be better to avoid the hottest days and hours. As I have already mentioned, avoid the days after heavy rains, because there may be mud both on the plateau between the fields and in the valley of the Batova River.
The beginning of the route is at the place where the boulevards "St. Helena" and "March 3" split up. If you are coming by car, you may not find a parking space right there, but if you continue on St. Elena Blvd., you will reach a section where there are properly marked parking spaces and there you can leave your car and return with the bikes back to the beginning. If you come by bicycle, you will not need that kind of logistics.
The end point is different - at the upper end of Vladislavovo, next to the turnoff of buses and trolleybuses. If you have to return to the starting point, or near it, go down Constantine and Fruzhin Blvd. (along the right lane there is also a bike lane) to the crossroads with St. Helena Blvd. and then left.
The description includes many forks and intersections, especially near the city. The easiest way is to navigate with the GPS on the handlebars, so you do not have to stop and read directions every 100-200 meters.
Starting point: The branch of Sveta Elena Blvd. from March 3 Blvd .; https://goo.gl/maps/PEbLV6CKR9Yz9uWR7
Length: 34.5 km
Ascent: 650 m
Distance: 590 m
Level of technical difficulty: low
Physical activity: medium
Duration: 3-6 hours (depending on the pace, breaks, etc.)
Water: 1-2 liters, in the middle of the route there is water
Food: For half a day; the route passes through the yard of a hotel complex with a restaurant
Terrain:
- asphalt - 4.6 km
- country roads - 26.9 km
- trails – 3.0 km
Description:
At the fork between St. Elena Blvd. and March 3 Blvd. - 01 (0.0 km), if you look west, a steep street starts on the right (i.e. on the north) - we start the ascent along it. After 250 m (point 02) there is a fork, where we continue to the right and after a while the broken asphalt road turns into a country road between villas and various farm buildings. We follow only the main "street" / a country road, which in point 03 (0.8 km) turns left and after another 200 m in point 04 we come to a wide intersection. Here we continue to the right on a country road to the north, missing a detour in point 05 to the left, and in point 06 another road to the right. Soon after that, we reach an old landfill that has been reclaimed. The road turns past the landfill site to the left and enters the forest, becoming a little steeper. In point 07 (2.1 km) we continue to the right and upwards - here the road is also a little steep. After 300 m in point 08 we leave the main road and turn left on another country road which is comparatively even. After a while on the right comes another country road (point 09) and we continue slightly to the left. There are also red tourist markings. In point 10 we are straight on.
In point 11 (2.6 km) we cross a narrow asphalt road and continue on the other side to the west, following the country road with red markings. After 200 m (point 12) we miss a turnoff to the left; in point 13 (3.5 km) we also move straight, as well as in point 14 (4.1 km).
In point 15 (4.4 km) we go out into the open and take a country road on the left between the forest and the farm fields on the right. We miss a few turns to the left, the clearest of which is in point 16. In point 17 (6.1 km) we turn to the right on a country road between the fields to get out on the road connecting Aksakovo with the village of Kumanovo. We cycle 400 m to the right on the asphalt to point 19, where a field road turns to the left to the village of Vaglen, and we take it in a northerly direction. The road is wide, straight and flat. In point 20 (8.6 km) we reach the outskirts of the village of Vaglen and enter it. In point 23 (9.1 km) we step on the main street and move right along it 300 m to point 24, where we turn left on the street and descend to a dirty creek. We cross it and continue on the country road on the other side, following the border between the forest and the fields. In point 27 we move straight, and in point 28 (10.7 km) we turn right. In point 29 we move straight again, and in points 30 and 31 (12.2 km) we turn to the right again. In this way we come out on a country road (point 32, 12.8 km) in the vicinity of the village of Yarebichna, which can be seen on the other side of the valley.
However, we continue to the left and down the country road - we have a long descent to the Batova River. For the most part, this country road has tourist markings in red and yellow. At all forks we keep to the left - in points 33, 34 and 35 (where the tourist markings go to the right). The end of the descent is steeper and takes us to the bridge over the river Batova (p. 36), which leads to the complex "Three Mills" (if you want, you can eat there). We climb several steps, pass through the yard of the complex and at its gate (point 37) we turn left and take the road along its fence.
The road enters the forest and runs parallel to the river. In point 38 (18.6 km) we take the right path. We move a few kilometers in the dense shade of the forest, and in point 39 we miss a turnoff to the left, while in point 40 we miss a country road to the right. The most important fork on the route is in point 41(24.3 km) - here begins the second main ascent on a country road to the left, which is initially steep, but then turns into an old asphalt road and the slope becomes more pleasant. The road takes us back to the plateau, and in point 42 we pass a turnoff to the right to one enterprise. In point 44 (27.3 km) we leave the asphalt road along the second country road on the left, climbing slightly between the fields. After 400 m in point 45 we turn right on another field road and cycle on it in a southerly direction, skipping 1-2 turns to the right until we reach the road between Aksakovo and the village of Kumanovo.
We cross carefully the asphalt road (points 47, 29.2 km) and continue on the main country road to the left. After 400 m there is a fork (p. 48) where we take the right road. Conditionally you could say that this is where the descent begins, although there are still a few kilometers of flat terrain before the slope really turns down. We follow the main country road through the plateau to the south - in many places it splits into sleeves, which reunite again later. During the transitional seasons, there are mud and tracks in many places - choose the more passable lines according to the conditions. In general the main road at most of the forks is the right one.
Point 53 (31.0 km) is located on a meadow and you should find a path through the grass to the left. There are also tourist markings in blue and green. It is a little bit difficult to notice the path through the meadows, while in the woods it is clearer, although slightly overgrown in some places. At point 54 (31.7 km) on the left comes another path with yellow markings. For a moment we turn right on it, but immediately after that we leave the path to the left (point 55), following the blue and green markings. In point 56 we cross an unmarked path, in point 57 we miss a turnoff to the left. In point 58 (33.2 km) we miss another path on the left (with red markings) and from here begins the real, final descent. The path is clear and comparatively wide, and on the left there are several other narrow paths that do not interest us (the clearest is in point 59). In point 60 (33.6 km) there is an important fork - we continue the descent on the path to the left. In point 60 (33.6 km) there is an important fork - we continue the descent on the path to the left. The trail widens further and in point 61 it turns rather into a country road. We cross another one in point 62 and in point 63 we reach the end of the route at the upper end of Vladislavovo, above the turnoff for buses and trolleybuses.
