Srebarna is a freshwater lake beside the Danube in the far northeast of Bulgaria, a few kilometres from the Romanian border, and it is one of the most important wetlands in Europe. The lake and its reed beds are separated from the river by a dyke, and in spring the water level is topped up by the Danube floods. UNESCO listed the reserve in 1983, and it is also a Ramsar wetland and a biosphere reserve.
Birds are the reason. More than a hundred species breed in the reeds, and many others pass through on migration, since the Danube valley is a major flyway between Europe and Africa. The most famous resident is the Dalmatian pelican, one of the largest flying birds in the world, and Srebarna has one of the few breeding colonies in Europe. You may also see pygmy cormorants, glossy ibis, spoonbills, herons and great white egrets. In spring the air is filled with calls, and the sight of pelicans gliding in over the reeds is memorable.
The landscape is the Dobrudzha plain, an open, rolling country of wheat, sunflowers and maize that stretches to the Black Sea. Roads are straight and quiet, often lined with poplars, and the surface can be patchy. Heat in summer is considerable, and the wind can sweep across the plain. The best time to ride is spring or early autumn, when the fields are fresh or the sunflowers are in bloom, and the light is soft. Mornings are best for birds.
Silistra, a larger town on the Danube a short way east, is the place for fuel, food and rooms, while the villages near the lake have small shops and a few guesthouses. A visitor centre and a boardwalk give access to the reserve, and a small museum explains the ecology. Bring binoculars if you have them, and a hat for the sun. The ride connects with the Thracian tomb at Sveshtari and the Madara Rider, and you could make a rich day of it. Srebarna is a quiet place, and quiet is the whole idea.