🫐🍓The Hike That Fed My Soul: A Berry-Filled Break from Beast Mode

This was supposed to be a casual hike. Just a gentle stroll up Cherni Vrah while visiting family in Sofia, nothing extreme, no Wainwrights to bag, no death-marches or self-imposed suffering. And yet... it turned out to be one of the most memorable hikes of my life. Not for the distance or elevation, but for what it gave me.

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👨‍👧‍👦 The Dream Team

For once, I wasn’t hiking solo. I roped in my brother and my girl for a slow-paced, no-pressure day out in Vitosha. Translation: there would be talking, meandering, and zero competitive summit racing.

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🫐 The Great Berry Crawl

I have never in my life eaten so many wild berries.

Raspberries, blueberries, entire bushes consumed with zero guilt. We didn’t just hike but we grazed our way up the mountain like delighted forest creatures. Every few steps someone would shout, "More over here!" and we’d swarm like berry-hungry hobbits. Hours passed. We barely noticed. Honestly, we could have stopped there and it would’ve been perfect.

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⛰️ Summit Feast, the Balkan Edition

We eventually made it to the summit shelter of Cherni Vrah (2,290 m), where I did not just sit down and inhale a sad oat bar like usual.

Nope.

I had a homemade bean soup with mushrooms because they were out of my favourite lentil soup (rude), and a glorious block of spiced cheese that I absolutely devoured.

And of course... 🍺 beer. Because what is a summit without a celebratory pint?

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🗺️ Mission: Struma Source

After our summit feast, we set off with purpose to find the source of the Struma River, located underneath a moraines field.

It wasn’t a random discovery, we wanted to find it, and we did. A tiny, serene stream just beginning its journey, tucked away beneath the massive moraines/moreni stone riverscape. It felt like uncovering a quiet secret of the mountain.

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🥞 Katma at Aleko, Because Why Stop Eating?

We descended to Aleko hut and shared a katma with cheese. It is a fluffy Bulgarian pancake of joy. It was delicious. It was perfect. I think by this point I was 50% berry, 50% cheese, and entirely content.

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🤔 Mira vs Mir, A Moment of Reflection

This is the kind of hike I never do. I usually push myself, hike solo, ration water like a dehydrated mule, and chase summits like they’re about to vanish. But this day? It was slow, meaningful, full of laughter, connection, and actual sitting down. I didn’t care about distance. I cared about the experience.

And it turns out, that’s okay. I can be different. I can let go of the stats. I can drink a beer, eat a katma, and just be.

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💚 Final Thoughts

I may return to beast mode soon, but I’ll always remember this: the hike that fed my soul, my face, and reminded me that sometimes... a slow berry-stained stroll with family is the summit that really matters.

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📅 Date - 2 August 2025

📊 Stats

Distance: 10.9 km

Ascent: 543 m

Moving Time: Leisurely berry-gathering pace 🍓

🗻 Peaks Bagged

Cherni Vrah (2,290 m)

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