The Popovo lake hike, Pirin
The Popovo lake hike is one of the most rewarding hikes in the Pirin. It is an easy, short hike that takes you through vast alpine landscapes to a gorgeous glacial lake enclosed by picturesque, rocky peaks.
The name of the lake in Bulgarian means “Priest’s lake”. Like most mountain landmarks in the country, there is a legend about how the lake got its name. Two legends actually, both ending with a priest’s hat emerging on the surface thus forming the little island in the middle of the lake. According to one legend, the priest threw himself in the lake because of what Ottoman Turks did to his daughter. I’ve read other versions of this legend where the pope accidentally fell in the lake. He did that while trying to catch up with the Turks who had his daughter and then she threw herself after him. I can’t imagine casually falling in the middle of the lake but what do I know?
The other legend suggests that the priest went there to get rid of Perun – the Slavic god of thunder. This was after Bulgaria was converted to Christianity in the 9th century. Obviously, that did not go well for the priest as Perun threw him in the lake in his rage.
A few technical details
The Popovo lake (41.709661, 23.507071) is the deepest at 29,5 meters and biggest in the Pirin mountain, and it’s the fourth biggest in the country. The lake itself is at 2233,5 meters altitude and is surrounded by five peaks – Kralev dvor, Dzhengal, Momini dvori, Sivria and Dzhano. There is only a small 181 meters elevation gain along the trail with 2377 meters at the highest point. This point is at about a third of the way and it’s mostly a descent afterwards. The trail is well marked – just follow the green stripe. The most important of all characteristics is the pain score – it actually ranks very well there as an easy, but very rewarding hike.
Getting there
This is a very easily accessible track making it the perfect short day hike. If you’re feeling adventurous you could make this a part of a multi-day hike, or just a stop on the way to other destinations in Pirin. The main point is to get to the Gotse Delchev hut. We chose to drive there which is the easiest way up. It is just about 18 kilometers from one of the famous ski resorts in Bulgaria – Bansko. The road took us through the tourist town of Dobrinishte renowned for its SPA resorts and thermal springs. After a small crossroads stand off where it took a while for us and 2 other cars to figure out who should go first, we were out of the town. From there until the Gotse Delchev hut the road was narrow, but still, it allowed for two cars to pass.
From the hut, there are two options to get to the trailhead. One option is to hike up. Another way is to drive off road via a service road – I don’t recommend this. The easiest, and most popular, way up is simply by taking the lift. That is what we did.
The trailhead
So, after a quiet ride on the lift where we enjoyed the views of the treetops around us we arrived at the Bezbog hut. There we spent a few minutes splashing sunscreen on our faces, shoulders, and any other spot of bare skin we had. Hats on, sunglasses on, a quick drink, a peek at the information displays, and we joined the stream of people heading up the trail.
The path follows the right shore of the Bezbog lake (Безбожко езеро) to its other side where we stopped for a few photos of the hut and lake behind us. The next bit was the hardest part of the track – a short but steep section over some rough terrain without a designated path through it. It was getting quite hot already and at these heights there is no shadow as the trees are all short. At the top of the steep section, we made another rest stop while taking photos of the view behind. Now the hut and lake were below us and the view was even better.
The pleasant hike to Popovo Lake
From then on, the trail took us over a series of short ascents and descents, though the terrain remained mostly flat which allowed us to maintain good speed without making many stops to rest. What was tiring was the heat and the lack of shadow along the way. Eventually, we got to an area with a bunch of mountain pines under which I could crawl to escape the sun for a few minutes and catch my breath.
The hut was no longer in sight. It was replaced by the view of rocky slopes and bare peaks that are typical for the Pirin. Occasionally, there were herds of sheep calmly chewing grass in the meadows.
About an hour into the hike, the trail split with the right path leading up towards the Bezbog and Polezhan peaks. This is the path we took initially but we quickly realized it was the wrong one as we could no longer see the green stripes marking the trail to the Popovo lake. So, we went back and took the other path leading southwest.
The Popovo lake
Another half an hour went by and we were traversing the last kilometre of the track. The peaks surrounding the lake were already in sight and the sun was high in the sky. One last short ascent and the lake came into view just before us. It was a breathtaking sight. A few clouds casting their shadows over the landscape, majestic peaks reflecting in the calm surface of the lake. Groups of people were scattered around resting, having coffee or a sandwich while enjoying the scenery.
We picked a more deserted spot away from the main path on the bank of the lake to rest, grab some food and dip our tired feet in the cold water. I read somewhere that there had been multiple attempts to populate the lake with fish, but they had all been unsuccessful and the lake remained lifeless. That is not what we saw, though. A bunch of small fish were visible in the clear water in the shallows and quite happily devoured the piece of bread that fell off my sandwich. We took the drone up for a while to see the magnificent views from above and got some nice panoramic photos.
The way back
While the view was amazing and it was only noon, it was too hot to stay there as there was no shadow. That meant it was time to head back. Oddly enough, the way back was a bit more difficult as most of the time we seemed to be climbing. Or maybe it was the heat that was making us feel tired. Back at the hut we got a refill of fresh ice-cold water, changed into dry clothes, and hopped on the lift.
At this point I realized I had made a huge mistake – I hadn’t been applying sunscreen on my legs often enough. It wasn’t until we got back home when I found out the extent of the damage. Though my legs were not burnt, I had acquired tan that made it look like I was wearing high socks. And that tan stuck with me for many months after. My friends and family, the good-hearted people they are, found this to be a great joke at my expense. Never again will I be wearing capris in the mountain.
Know before you go
- Don’t make the mistake I did – hats and sunscreen are important, Pirin is a bare, rocky mountain and the trails are very exposed
- There are plenty of blueberries on the way, so make sure to pick a few for a healthy snack
- The main trail can be very crowded. There is an alternative route used by farmers and cattle which can be used instead. Ask around the hut for directions and you might get a nice, private hike.
- The hike is suitable for children as it is relatively short and not demanding.
- From the lake you could head further to another gorgeous lake – the Tevno lake (Тевното езеро), head for the Pirin hut (хижа Пирин), or head back to the Bezbog hut (хижа Безбог) or the Bezbog summit.
- If you’re interested in other great hikes in Bulgaria, have a look at our post about the Bulgarian Mountains.
