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Rodopi Mountains
Once
the home of Orpheus, the Rodopi mountains are still a
haunting and mysterious place. They are one or Europe's lesser known
ranges which, although relatively low, possess their own distinctive
beauty and grandeur. The Rodopi are undoubtedly mountains for the
walking connoisseur; for the lover of nature and history rather than
for the peak-bagger. They are a place of solitude and simplicity,
where you are more likely to encounter wild animals than foreign
walkers.
History
Traveling through the Rodopi, the hiker constantly stumbles upon reminders of more distant eras Caves used by prehistoric man, Thracian tumuli, Roman roads, medieval forts and monasteries, all Bear testimony to the long-standing economic and strategic significance of these mountains. The Ottoman occupation has also left its mark. The range was settled by large numbers of Turks, and many Turkish settlements and communities still exist here today. Furthermore, during their occupation, the Turks frequently attempted to convert the Bulgarian inhabitants to Islam by force. Individuals or communities which refused to accept the new faith were persecuted, and many people were brutally killed. Those Bulgarians who did succumb were known as Pomatsi, and their descendants still inhabit the Rodopi mountains today. They are of great ethnographic interest, combining their Islamic beliefs and practices with older Bulgarian traditions and customs. During the 1876 April Rising, which was centered in the neighboring Sredna Gora, a number of Bulgarian settlements in the Rodopi also arose up against the occupying Turks. However, here too the rising was swiftly crushed with horrendous bloodshed and violence. /nowhere was the carnage greater then in the town of Batak, where the inhabitants were massacred in the church.
Vegetation
The lowest pans of the range typically have sub Meditenanean forests of Hungarian Oak{Queens frainetto) an.l White Oak (Q. pubcscens}. However, in many places these native woodlands have been senousSv degraded. Higher up. Sessile Oak (Q. petraea) becomes dominant, itself being repiaced by Beech (fagus sylvatica) above 1000 meters. In places this rows in association with Sliver Fir (Abies alba), or Silver Birch (Bctula pendida} and Aspen {Papulm trermla}. Norway Spruce {Picea abies) and Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestrs) are dominant in the coniferous zone, whilst above them, there are lush pastures with an interesting mix of Central European, Mediterranean and Balkan species. One species worth looking out for is Haherlea rhodopensis. an attractive rock plant with clusters of small, pale blue-violet trumpet-shaped flowers.
Fauna
The Rodopi boasts the richest and most varied fauna of all the Bulgarian mountains. This is not simply due to its vast area, but also because of the great variety of terrain, vegetation and climate. Brown Bear {Ursus arctos), Wolf (Canis lupus) and Wild Cat (Felis silvestris) all survive here in significant numbers, though the chances of seeing them are very slight. There are also many interesting birds. Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), Hazel Grouse (Tetrastes bonasia), and Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martins) can all be met along the trail, whilst in the eastern part of the range, along the Arda valley, you can see Griffon Vulture (Gyps falvus), Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterrus) and even Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus), a species which has recently re-established itself after a long absence.