Belasica 1

Walking trail village of Bansko - locality "Djami Kran" – village of Bansko

This trail is very interesting to climb. Walking along, it can be seen unique and lush natural landscapes created by nature and extremely important buildings of the rich history and culture Strumica Region abounds with. The trail starts on the west side of the village of Bansko, and going through the village water supply catchment, ascending, it leads to the place called “Djami Kran”. This trail is also called “Dojran Way” because, passing through the entire Mountain of Belasica, it leads directly to the very Dojran Lake and in the past it was used by the population of both sides of the mountain much more intense. The trail is narrow and leads uphill passing by picturesque scenery, an old abandoned mill and a small meadow, rich with diverse flora and fauna throughout the year. From this point on, the trail becomes steeper and passes through an attractive rocky area where both sides have a lot of cliffs, and you can see a cave (gap), which is quite impressive for photographic recording. The trail goes alongside a small creek, and the locals narrate legends of old graves in these places, dating from the Roman era, and it makes this trail interesting for archaeological research and tourism. It is covered with rich and diverse deciduous and evergreen forests, diverse wildlife and has very convenient places for photographing.

The trail is designed for all visitors, particularly for professional climbers and those with good health and physical condition. The trail itself is circular and the way down leads again to the village of Bansko or to the starting point.

According to the place where it is located, this trail falls into the category of mountain paths, and according to the difficulty it falls into the category of heavy paths (intended only for climbers and professionals) and according to its substrate, it falls into the category of earth paths. It is over 5,000 meters long.

• Flora and fauna:

The walking trail is rich with diverse flora, fauna and fungi. The grass flora has numerous kinds of flowers, herbs and fruits as well as low-trunk plants: currants (Ribes ribrum), blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus), mint (Mentha piperita), rosehips (Rosa canina), blackberries (Rubus fructicosus) … etc., and many kinds of mushrooms the most famous of which are the mushrooms used in diet: chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius), parasol (Macrolepiota procera), slippery jacks (Suillus luteus) and other species.

In the lower parts of the trail there is mostly diverse deciduous forest and the most common trees are: birch (Betula alba), linden (Tilia), maple (Acer), and in the higher parts there is evergreen forest rich in: thuja (Thuja), Juniper (Juniperus), pine (Pinus) and others. The richness and heterogeneity of types of ecosystems are the result of favorable climate and specific geographical location.

Alongside the trail endemic plants can be found such as: royal fern (Osmunda regalis) and cedar (Cedrus).

The fauna is diverse and includes: doe (Cervus capreolus), wild rabbit (Cuniculus), wild cat (Felis silvestris), wild boar (Sus scrofa), squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) and others, and most typical birds are: mountain falcon (Falco biarmicus), rock partridge (Alectoris graeca), hawk (Accipiter gentilis), pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) and others, and there are also various types of insects.

• Additional opportunities for using the trail: eco - tourism, archaeological tourism, herbal tourism.

• The following rules should be observed when walking along the trail:
  • Never hike alone in the mountain. Four is the ideal figure for hiking.
  • Carefully choose your trail and stick to it. Give yourself enough time and set off at an early hour. Always inform someone about the trail you take and the time of your departure and arrival.
  • If you get lost, do not leave the group. Try to get back on trail repeating your steps.
  • Always wear waterproof clothing, even in summer, and wear comfortable shoes for walking. Wear a hat, sunglasses or a hat for sun protection. The weather in the mountains changes rapidly.
  • Never take any shortcuts, particularly do not wander around streams.
  • If you have lost or are forced to stop walking because of the bad weather, do not split, but stay together in one place. Find the nearest shelter.
  • In case of injury, take enough time to assess the current situation. Send two people to seek help, and the third person to stay with the injured.
  • Always keep with you enough water and food, particularly during summer, in case of delay. Always inform yourself about the time and go back if you set off later or bad weather is forecast.
  • Take a fully charged cell phone with you for any purpose and need.
  • Important! When walking along a mountain trail, you must always be guided by a professional hiking trail guide.