Day 25, from Dospat to Yagodina

September 24, 2019

Day 25, from Dospat to Yagodina

In the morning, we took a taxi for the first 10 kilometers to the coffee house in the village of Zmeitsa. From there, we followed an old trail through beautiful hilly meadows, groves, and forests. Later, we went to the entrance of the Devil's Path (which was blocked due to African swine fever). After a short consideration, we overcame the barricade and followed a few kilometers along an impressive landscape. Eventually, the valley turned into a gorge, becoming narrower and narrower. Then came the first wooden staircase - more longer and steeper wooden staircases followed, with some very dangerous passages without safety barriers, and the tension within us grew. It took us about 2.5 hours to cross the Devil's Path, which was also a unique experience for us. Such a hiking trail in the Alps is simply unthinkable, as all the ladder and bridge structures are made of wood, some are loose, and some are simply not there. I will definitely never forget this impressive hike! About 1 hour later, we reached the village of Yagodina where we checked into a hotel.