Bulgarian Landscape - Pirin Mountains
Pirin Mountains 
The Pirin Mountains take their name from Perun, the Slavic thunder god, who was said to dwell on Mount Vihren, the highest summit of the range. It is a fitting title for the Pirin Mountains are the wildest and most rugged of all the Bulgarian mountain ranges the northern part having a truly alpine form, with jagged peaks, sharp crests and numerous glacially sculpted cirques and trough valleys. |
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Pirin Mountains Topography 
The Pirin Mountains are situated in the south-western corned of Bulgaria, extending south-east for 80 kilometres from their junction with the Rila Mountains at the Predel Pass (1140 metres) to their boundary with the Slavyanka Mountains at the Paril Saddle (1170 metres). To the west, the Pirin Mountains are bordered by the Struma valley and to the east by the valley of the river Mesta. Within these borders, the Pirin Mountains cover a total area of 2585 square kilometres. The average altitude of the range is only 1033 metres, but there are sixty peaks over 2500 metres, and three above 2900 metres. Topographically, the Pirin Mountains can be divided into three sections: the Northern Pirin, Central Pirin and Southern Pirin. |
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Pirin Mountains Geology 
When walking in the Pirin Mountains, you cannot help noticing the abrupt change between limestone and granite rocks that takes place beneath your boots. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Northern Pirin in the region of Mount Vihren where limestone suddenly gives way to granite. Another very obvious feature in northern parts of the Pirin Mountains is the influence of glaciation. The beautiful alpine form of the Pirin Mountains with their narrow crests, scooped-out cirques and deep trough valleys, is a legacy of this process. Today the glaciers may have gone from the Pirin Mountains, but evidence of their former presence is still very clear to see. In its south-western corner, around the town of Melnik, the Pirin Mountains have a very different appearance, a complex swathe of sharp sandstone ridges divided up by deep narrow gullies. |
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Pirin Mountains Weather 
Being positioned in the extreme south-western corner of Bulgaria, the Pirin Mountains are more influenced by Mediterranean air masses than many of the other Bulgarian mountains. However, even more important is the effect of altitude on the overall climate of the range, for almost one third of the total area are of the Pirin Mountains is above 1600 metres. Throughout the Pirin Mountains, the warmest months are July and August. However, at all times of the year, the peripheries of the Pirin Mountains are substantially warmer than the interior. Precipitation is also greatly influenced by altitude and location, the average annual total for Mount Vihren being more than double that for the surrounding plains and basins. August and September are the driest months, and November and December the wettest. Of course, within the heart of the Pirin Mountains themselves, most of the winter precipitation falls as snow, giving a covering that lasts from 5 to 8 months. Heaviest snowfalls occur in February and March. The prevailing winds in the Pirin Mountains tend to be from the north-west, though in winter south-westerlies are also common. Strongest winds usually occur in December and February. Luckily visibility is usually quite good during summer and autumn, but in spring and winter dense clouds can be a problem. On the whole, July and August are the most popular months for walking in the Pirin Mountains, but September and October can also be very good, providing that snow doesn’t come too early. |
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Pirin Mountains Vegetation 
Due to its location, geological structure and climate, the Pirin Mountains
have a very varied flora, a mix of Central European, Alpine and Mediterranean
species. Low down in the valleys forests of oak (Quercus
spp.) and hornbeam (Carpinus spp.) are dominant, whilst in
the middle mountain zone between 1400 to 1800 metres beech (Fagus
sylvatica) and silver fir (Abies alba) prevail. Higher
up, between 1800 to 2000 metres is the coniferous zone with with forests
of Norway spruce (Picea abies), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)
and Macedonian pine (Pinus peuce). Above 2000 metres, these
give way to dwarf mountain pine (Pinus mugo) and Siberian
juniper (Juniperus sibirica), and then sub-alpine and alpine
pastures with many rare or endemic species. |
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Pirin Mountains Fauna 
As with the vegetation, the location of the Pirin Mountains means
that it is home to both Central European and sub-Mediterranean species,
the latter predominantly encountered in the southern part of the range.
Not surprisingly, the rugged terrain of the Pirin Mountains is a refuge
for large carnivores and other elusive mammals such as brown bear
(Ursus arctos), wolf (Canis lupus) and wild cat
(Felis silvestris). These are rarely seen, but a glimpse
of a Balkan chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica) scampering
across the rocks and screes is not uncommon. Birds such as hazel grouse
(Bonasa bonasia) and capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus),
whilst above the tree-line you can see rock thrush (Monticola
saxatilis), alpine accentor (Prunella collaris), alpine
chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) and occasionally wallcreeper
(Tichodroma muraria). |
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Pirin Mountains Holidays 
The scope for walking and wildlife holidays in Bulgaria's Pirin Mountains is immense.
Balkan Trek organises a number of hotel-based walking and wildlife holidays in the Pirin Mountains,
offering something for every taste and ability.
Alternatively, for more adventurous naturalists and
independent walkers, the authorative new guidebook 'Walking in Bulgaria's National Parks' by Balkan Trek's
managing director Julian Parry, provides a detailed description of the best walking and wildlife watching opportunities
in the Pirin Mountains.
Walking & Willdife Holiday in the 'Pirin' & 'Rila' National Parks Butterfly Holiday in the Bulgarian Mountains Wildflower Holiday in the Bulgarian Mountains |