Beklemeto Pass

The weather forecast was good weather, sun and a little cloud, but dry.  Got up early and had a big breakfast, which I didn’t really want, but thought I should have as I had a lot to do today.  Whilst eating it started to rain, which somewhat spoiled the plan.  It stopped after a while and the sky looked low and grey, but anyway I thought it seemed OK so all systems go.

The plan was to ride to Beklemeto, most of the way up the pass and see how far I could get in the time I had.  The pass rises to almost 5000 feet from the valley below at about 1200 feet.

Roman Road

I have driven this way many times but this was the first by bike.  As I was riding along the very gently climbing road In the valley my legs didn’t feel much like cooperating, I wondered how I would go on the climb. 

At the very beginning I saw a sign by the side of the road which described the Roman Road which almost runs parallel with the modern road to the top of the pass.   I decided to take this route up the pass.  The track as basically a very steeply climbing track, wide enough for a tractor, very wet and very muddy.   Interesting to see in places the original roman stones placed there 2000 years ago.  In places the track was very dark, deep in the forest, almost expected to see a Roman Legion coming through the trees.   Had a scare near the start when up ahead I saw a large animal in the track, running away from me about 50 metres away.  Dark brown, large and running very heavily with its back to me.  It was definitely not a deer, it could have been a wild boar or even a bear, didn’t like this at all!

Click here for Video Roman Road

It was slow progress uphill, managed to ride almost all the way, didn’t want to foot down as it was so muddy.  It got more foggy the higher I went and darker under the trees, felt very remote indeed, but the GPS showed I was too far from the main road.  Finally got to the resort of Beklemto at around 4500 feet, a quick turnaround and headed back down the road all the way to Troyan, fast winding decent for about 10 kms, brilliant, but a little cool.

Beklemeto Hotel near the top of the Pass

So successful first attempt, but the next time I think best to do the climb on the road and the whole decent off road, also I want to the reach the very top of the pass next time.