One Man in Europe

My trip to Rila, which should include Pirin as this mountain range surrounds the end of the line, terminated in Dobrinishte where I stayed for a few days. Most people refer to Bansko about 6km away but I found that Dobrinishte had more character and I was pleased that I chose it as my base for the visit. I was fortunate to meet a young student who was studying English and she gave me a tour around the town on the afternoon of the 29th September 2016. This gave me many insights into the history and customs of the town and introduced me to many local people. We would renew our friendship at the Pomorie Folk Dance Festival in June 2017 which I have also posted here.

We emerge from the car park and turn right? Ah, petrol is required for our journey. Pulling in to the modern service station about 500 metres down the road I observe the transfer of logs from a small lorry suitable for accessing the forest to a large road transporter which may whisk its load across the highways of the European Union. The disused flatbeds scattered along the once busy and prosperous narrow gauge railway reflect this change. It also goes to show that, whereas the logs would have been collected from local halts then transferred at the end of the line which kept the smaller stations and local support alive, the logs still have to be handled multiple times and many more trucks poured onto the roads. I hope that the tide is turning throughout the world, that rail and water will re-emerge as the sensible option. But onward to find our bears....

... or should I say "Where are the bears?" When I was young such TV programs as Lancelot, William Tell and similar movies along with a hit by Alan Price, funnily enough a member of the "Animals" pop group when not performing solo, titled "Simon Smith and his Amazing Dancing Bear" (see him perform it on YouTube)  released in 1968 glorified the life of the "dancing bear". In reality the truth was somewhat different in the majority of cases. Whilst perusing my DK travel guide on the journey from Septemvri to Dobrinishte I came across a reference to the "Dancing Bear Sanctuary". Accessible by taxi from the Relitsa station, all else left my thoughts, this was a "must see" journey, my first in the area. Relitsa is incorrect it is Belitsa, Relitsa is on the other side of the country.

The next stations we pass through reflect the former glory of the railway. Smolevo is the next halt along the line after departing Avramovo. The station sign has been removed as it is now a private house.  After a brief halt we journey on to Cherna Mesta, the old graffiti covered building here looks very sad indeed. I have the impression that it is a shelter for the railway staff rather than a thriving station. Non of this diminishes the journey itself, to my mind this second stage is even more picturesque than the first.

Back in England, stored in my brother's loft lies an N gauge model railway. The track is 9mm (slightly less that 3/8ths or 0.354") wide. It is 1:160 scale. The rolling stock is 1:148 scale so my largest engine is about 300mm long. This N gauge which we are now riding on has track which is 760mm wide and the engine is somewhat larger but what a marvellous train set which someone gets to control and others to work on. Yes; this is a Narrow Gauge railway and we are on our way from Septemvri to Dobrinishte exploring the full length of this 125 km run. To this end I have booked an hotel in Dobrinishte rather than the rather more popular Bansko summer and ski resort. Unfortunately the branch from Varvara to Pzardzik is now closed.

Breakfast over it was time for me to depart Cob Camp in time to purchase a ticket and catch the 10:53 train from Belovo back to Septemvri, arriving there at 11:05. Dessy was kind enough to drop me there and assist with the purchase of my ticket. You will be pleased to know that the UK railways are not the only ones who rely on buses. Issued with my rail ticket I was ushered outside and back onto the car park. A coach was waiting there. "Yes, give the driver my case and board." "No, wait there are two more coaches coming."  After a few minutes said coaches arrived. After much discussion between the drivers and railway staff I boarded the original coach which I had been directed to. The train might not be running but the guard would travel with us. Ten or so minutes later we turned of the A8 down the road into Septemvri. I couldn't help but noticed a huge car graveyard, there are lots of accidents in Bulgaria. The photo was, in fact taken later from the train bu