Vazova Trail

2021-09-19

Ivan Vazov, also called "the Patriarch of Bulgarian literature", best known for his role in the Bulgarian national awakening and author of the book Under the Yoke [a] (Под игото [b], 1894), used to come here and hike. In particular he'd go to the Skaklya waterfall, where he wrote From Mala Stara Planina [c] and Grandfather Yotso is Watching [d] (Дядо Йоцо гледа [e], published 1901 in the collection Seen and Heard [f] / Видено и чуто [g])

The trail goes between the villages Gara Bov, deep in the Iskar gorge, in the south-east and Zasele, high on top of the surrounding plateau, in the north-west. It is about average difficulty, with most of the climb being between the waterfall and Zasele. There isn't much sky, so the GPS track below is anything but smooth. When you get to the waterfall you should go under it to proceed.

The waterfall was dry when we hiked the trail.

2021-08-16 15:10

Ivan Vazov

Bulgaria 2021, Vazova Trail, Vazova Trail

After the waterfall there are poems by Vazov affixed to the trees. This one is a verse from To Nature (Към природата) from the collection Fields and Forests (Поля и гори):

Поклон на теб, природо, създанье необятно
на твоя свод лазурен, на твойто слънце златно,
на твойта вечна младост и вечна красота,
на всичко, що е в тебе божествено и тайно,
невидимо, кат бога, велико и безкрайно
и равно с вечността;

— Към природата [h]

In English, with help from Google Translate:

A tribute to you, nature, boundless creation,
to your azure vault, to your golden sun,
to your eternal youth and eternal beauty,
to all that is in you divine and secret,
invisible, like God, great and infinite
and equal to eternity;

— To Nature [i]

2021-08-16 15:24

Ivan Vazov

Bulgaria 2021, Vazova Trail, Vazova Trail