Above the village of Madara, on a vertical cliff about a hundred metres up, a horseman is carved into the rock, thrusting a spear at a lion that lies under his horse, while a dog runs behind. The Madara Rider is the only relief of its kind in Europe, made in the early eighth century by the first Bulgarian state, probably to celebrate a victory by Khan Tervel, and it is a rare relic of the pre-Christian era of the country. UNESCO listed it in 1979. Beside it are Greek inscriptions recording the deeds of Bulgarian khans, among the oldest written documents in the country.
The figure is not easy to see, because it has weathered badly, and the best way to appreciate it is to climb the wooden staircase that rises up the cliff, with a couple of hundred steps through beech and oak, until you stand opposite the relief. From the plateau above, the views over the Shumen plateau and the plains toward the Black Sea are wide. Caves in the cliff held a shrine in earlier times, and the plateau was once the site of a Thracian sanctuary and a Roman and medieval fortress.
For the ride, this is the heart of north-eastern Bulgaria, with a gentle countryside of fields, sunflowers and low hills, and the roads are straightforward. The main highway, the A2, runs to Varna on the coast, while the older roads through Shumen and Novi Pazar offer more interest, with shady villages, orchards and small climbs. Surfaces are sometimes rough, with patches and potholes, and lorries can be slow, so it pays to ride with care. Summers are hot and dry, spring and early autumn are best, and in winter the plains can be icy.
Kaspichan, a short distance away, has fuel and shops, and the larger town of Novi Pazar, ten kilometres off, has more choice. Shumen, a bit farther, is home to a well-known brewery, and also to the huge monument to the founding of the Bulgarian state. Try a shopska salad, with tomato, cucumber and white cheese, and a meal of grilled meat in a village restaurant, and carry water for the climb to the rock.