High on the main ridge of the Balkan range, the Stara Planina, that runs across Bulgaria from west to east, the Kozya Stena reserve protects a wild landscape of limestone cliffs, beech forests and alpine meadows. Its name means goat wall, after the chamois that live on its crags. The reserve is part of Central Balkan National Park, one of the largest protected areas in Europe, and since 2017 its oldest beech stands have been inscribed alongside the primeval beech forests of the Carpathians and the rest of Europe. Wolves, bears and wild boar roam the forests, golden eagles soar over the ridges, and the meadows burst with wildflowers in early summer.
To the north lies Troyan, a town known for its plum brandy, Troyanska slivova, and its distinctive pottery with dripped glazes in green, brown and yellow. Troyan Monastery, a few kilometres east in the village of Oreshak, is the third largest in Bulgaria, with beautiful frescoes by Zahari Zograf, and it played an important role in the struggle against Ottoman rule; Vasil Levski, the national hero, used it as a base. To the south, across the mountains, the Rose Valley around Kazanlak and Karlovo is where most of the world's rose oil is produced, from roses harvested in May and June.
The Troyan Pass road, linking Troyan to the Rose Valley at Karnare, is one of the best riding roads in Bulgaria. It climbs through forests and meadows to the pass at about fifteen hundred metres, where a large monument called the Arch of Freedom stands on a summit near the road, with views over the whole range. The road is mostly well surfaced, with tight curves, hairpins and steep sections; the southern side is particularly dramatic. Weather changes quickly at the top, with fog, rain, wind and even snow out of season. In winter, the pass may be closed or require chains.
Troyan, nineteen kilometres away, is the obvious place for fuel, shops and restaurants; Klisura and Anton are small villages on the southern side with limited services. Try banitsa, cheese pastry, and kavarma, a meat stew, with a glass of local rakia in the evening. Mountain huts in the national park, reached on foot, offer simple food and beds for walkers. Bring warm clothes even in summer; at the top of the pass the temperature can be twenty degrees colder than in the valley.