🫐🍓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 — 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 — 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 favorite 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 — basically 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 Mira: 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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