Steneto is a deep, wild valley on the northern slopes of the Balkan range in central Bulgaria, enclosed by cliffs and covered in ancient beech forest, and it is one of the strict reserves of Central Balkan National Park, part of the Primeval Beech Forests World Heritage listing. Access is restricted, and nature is left to itself: old trees fall and rot, and the forest is home to bears, wolves, wild boar and a rich variety of birds, including several species of woodpecker and owl. The Cherni Osam river flows through the valley, and its clear waters are home to trout.
The nearest town on the northern side, Troyan, is famous for its monastery, the third largest in Bulgaria, with frescoes by Zahari Zograf, and for its ceramics, with their distinctive dripped and swirled glazes, and its plum brandy, Troyanska slivova. On the southern side of the range, Karlovo is the birthplace of Vasil Levski, the hero of the Bulgarian struggle for independence from the Ottomans, and the town sits at the western end of the Rose Valley, where roses are grown for their oil, used in perfumes around the world.
The road over the Troyan pass, linking Troyan and Karlovo across the Balkan range, is one of the best rides in Bulgaria, with long climbs, hairpins and views over the mountains, and at the top the Arch of Freedom monument stands on a ridge. The surface is variable, sometimes good, sometimes rough, and cloud can drop onto the pass in minutes, bringing fog and cold rain. The pass is usually closed in winter. The beech forests are an electric green in May and burnished gold by mid-October, either of which justifies the trip.
Troyan and Karlovo, at either end of the pass, both have fuel, shops and mehanas, the traditional Bulgarian taverns, so plan your fill-ups around them. Troyan monastery, with Zahari Zograf's colourful frescoes, deserves an hour, and the ceramics workshops in town sell the trademark swirled pottery. Shopska salad, banitsa pastry with white cheese and grilled meats are on every menu, and the local plum brandy, Troyanska slivova, is the obvious nightcap. The reserve itself is closed to visitors, so enjoy the forest from the marked trails of the park around it.