The Balkan range, the Stara Planina, runs across the middle of Bulgaria from the Serbian border to the Black Sea, and its central section is the wildest, highest and most heavily forested part. The Central Balkan National Park protects this area, and within it, the Boatin Reserve guards a stretch of ancient beech forest on the northern slopes, one of the components of the Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe, a UNESCO site that stretches across many countries.
The beech forests here are old and undisturbed, with giant trees, fallen trunks rotting slowly on the forest floor, and a rich community of fungi, insects and birds. Higher up, the forest gives way to alpine meadows and rocky peaks, with Botev, at 2,376 metres the highest point of the Balkan range, a little to the east. Bears, wolves, chamois and red deer live in the park, and the cliffs are home to birds of prey.
For riders, the central Balkan range offers some of the best roads in Bulgaria. The Troyan pass, the Beklemeto road, climbs from Troyan over the range to Karnare and the Rose Valley, with tight bends, good views and a monument at the top. To the east, the Shipka pass, scene of fierce fighting in the Russo-Turkish war of 1877–78, crosses the range with a winding road and a huge monument on a peak. Closer to Teteven, the road through the Vit valley and over the passes to the south is quieter and narrower, with forest and steep climbs. Weather can change quickly in the mountains, with fog, rain and cold even in summer.
Teteven is an old town in the valley of the Vit, surrounded by forested mountains, with a long history of crafts and trade. Nearby, the Troyan monastery, the third largest in Bulgaria, is famous for its frescoes and the plum brandy made there. Etropole and its monastery are also worth a detour.
Teteven, a town of over ten thousand people about thirteen kilometres away, has fuel, shops and restaurants; Pirdop and Anton are smaller. Try a plate of grilled meats with shopska salad, made with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and white cheese, and a glass of rakia, the fruit brandy of the Balkans. The best time to ride is from late spring to early autumn, when the passes are clear and the forests are green.