Dawn in the Mountains

I have put this blog post together primarily to share some of my favourite images of the valley of Leskovdol and the surrounding mountains. The photographs were taken on an early morning walk in early November 2014, when I walked the mountain tracks in the dark with the intention of being on the top at dawn. Oh so well worth the effort !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Climbed through the coniferous woodlands of the lower slopes that are interspersed with remnant beech and hornbeam pollards, coppice and coppards. On the mountain top I emerged just before dawn to find a fantastic ancient wood pasture, with beech and oak pollards spread across the rough pasture that is now maintained by herds of horses.

Looking down on the valleys filled with oceans of low cloud provided an incredible contrast to the trees in their resplendent autumn colour. The trees may not be huge by UK standards, but the altitude and exposure, harsh winters, etc, need to be considered as a significant influence. I need to do a little more digging for information locally to understand the history of the wood pasture systems around here.

Before the second world war and communism these mountains were intensively grazed and it looked more like the lake district in Cumbria (UK) does today. I have seen photographs of this and the only trees around are the old beech, hornbeam and oak pollards. Now it is just the semi-wild herds of horses that graze the pastures all year round. There are a few locals that can be bothered to walk their flocks of sheep up close to the top, but only during the summer when they are looking for cooler air.

The path across the mountain tops along the head of the Leskovdol valley is part of a ‘way-marked’ trail locally recognised as a route enjoyed by one of Bulgaria’s most famous poets and playwrights Ivan Vazov, who’s creative passion was inspired by this wild landscape. Walking the tracks under avenues of trees I need to be reminded that they are actually growing on a mountain top at over 1,200m above sea level.

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