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Wow nearly a year and its gone so fast! Dealing with grief, illness and a completely new life has been hard, but I’m now coming out the other side with a lot of help from some very good friends and of course being in the mountains.

A season ski pass at Borovets resort has been great fun and a challenge, building fitness and new skills, by the season close daring to try black runs. When not on skis could be found walking in the hills and the valley around the village.

The House! Change of life have pushed a change of plans, so instead of working on the main house, new bathroom excreta, apart from safety stuff like new fuse board I decided to work on the outbuilding now called the ‘Sung’ to make it into a self contained Air B&B unit so that I can generate a little extra income and have a place for friends to stay away from the main house. The Sung is a proper project taking it right back to bare brick and bringing it to UK type standards and expectations of western guests with an ambition to create a mountain hideaway but with a little luxury and in nature. I’m planning to have it live by mid summer for testing ready for the winter season.

Me! Surviving and enjoying life’s new challenges both in the mountains and the city both in Bulgaria and the UK.

So why am I in Bulgaria?

Three years ago my path crossed with an amazing young lady, who although had been living in the UK for 25 years was Bulgarian. A lover of the outdoors, mountains and free living we quickly gelled. Summer arrived, a time when Galia and her Daughter up sticks to Sofia (Bulgaria’s Capital) to spend six weeks with her Father. I dropped them at airport while I stayed in UK to work. Two weeks passed and we started to miss each other, In a late night conversation Galia said “Come and see my Mountains”. A bit surprised I said OK and within a week I was on a plane and soon camping in the sunning Rila Seven Lakes. My love for Bulgarian was set. The countries beauty, lifestyle, people and cost of living was in my blood.

Over the next two years, many visits and recommendation from a mountain guide we drove in to Govedartsi, a mountain village, one and a half hours south of Sofia and fell in love with the place instantly, big enough so have atmosphere but higher than the summit of UK’s Snowdon mountain with mountains all around. After house hunting for a few days an offer was made hopefully on a forever home.

Life had other plans for Galia and in the Summer of 2023 Cancer took her and I lost my soulmate, lover, mountain guide and friend.

Hard decisions to make, what next for me. Well it has to be Bulgaria, the country is in my soul and after a very hard first visit on my own, the choice was clear. Now working towards residency and trying to learn the language.

Please raise your glass to Galia, an amazing spirit who’s candle burnt out far too soon.

Where do you start! I’m a mountain man by heart and happiest when up high. It’s the main reason for putting roots down in Govedartsi, the house is at 1200m, just higher than Snowdon in the UK and the hills rise above on three sides, Malyovitsa at 2729m is at the head of the valley. Situated in the Rila range of stunning ridges and lakes there’s always somewhere new to explore ether as a day tourist or a multi day hike with some great mountain huts to reside in. Rila’s main attraction is the Seven Rila Lakes, a glacial valley with ‘seven’ lakes, it can can be reached on foot or by chair lift but can be very busy in the summer months, the guest path can be walked in about three hours from the top of the lift but those wishing space can easily disappear in the the solitude of the surrounding hills.

To the south of Rila is the Pirin range, a more dramatic set of hills and ridges and more rugged than most of Rila the most infamous is the Koncheto (Horse) ridge. Bansko ski resort is a great base to explore from summer and winter.

The third area is the Rhodope Mountains, a more forested area with narrow valleys, rivers and waterfalls. South of Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s cultural city, it also steeped in history and well worth a visit.

Lastly the central range ‘Stara Planian’ cuts northern Bulgaria in half, running east to west, the hills have played a major part in the counties history with the Shipka and the Buzludja monuments sitting high on its summits, both not to be missed.

In all a fantastic location for mountain adventures in summer and winter and for all levels of fitness. Come and see, you will be pleasantly surprised and like me may never leave!

Bulgaria’s coast is on the Black Sea, It’s main resort is Sunny Beach which is very busy in summer and a built-up seaside resort with a great night life in season.

Next door is the historic town of Nessebar, full of archology, with a cafe culture, in summer is busy but relaxed.

It all started with Instagram and somewhere to post photos of my adventures but has grown faster than expected so this website pulls all aspects together and gives me more space to comment about Bulgarian life, culture and issues, as I slowly move from the UK to the dream I have always had to live in the Mountains. The link below takes you to the Insta feed

https://www.instagram.com/yorkshiremaninbulgaria/

In mid August the White Brotherhood meet in the Seven Rila Lakes, Bulgaria to celebrate the summer and dance the Paneurhtythmy. The Rila mountains are a very spiritual and beautiful place and once you leave the main tourist path around the lakes very peaceful. on a summer weekend the queue for the chair lift in and out can be very long.

Although harsh and with temperature often as low as -20 deg, it’s a stunningly beautiful place in the wintertime. Skiing and winter walking on the doorstep, adventure awaits.

When in Sofia the Metro underground is superb and very cheap, reliable and safe (55p a trip) and the tube goes directly to the airport if flying in and out of Sofia.

Car hire is very cheap out of holiday season, but expensive in the summer when most Bulgarian’s head for the black Sea coast.

Train and bus travel throughout Bulgaria is also very cheap, but only the main cities. Some of the main attractions are difficult to reach without going on an organised tour.

If you plan to live in the country used cars are expensive compared with the UK but running costs are low, if you buy or import a vehicle the registration process is slow so when at ‘KAT’ (police) I recommend using a ‘Fixer’ to do the paperwork while you relax and have a coffee it can take all day!

I went down the 4×4 route as I live in the mountains and have five months of snow each year, so an old but trusty Suzuki is is my car of choice.

Following the success of the Yorkshireman in Bulgaria Instagram feed, here’s a site for more information and photos for those not using social media

Based in the Rila mountains and the UK I travel to Bulgaria’s tourist spots and remote places both in the hills and cities to capture and essence of the country, traditions and people. Join me in a journey of history and adventure.