Day 16: the Sultans Trail from Belgrade to Sofia

#reflection September 20, 2025

silence by the river and a second breakfast

At 8 o’clock, I leave Sanja’s place, who doesn’t even come to wave me off. Her curtains are still tightly closed, but the town Pirot is already alive with activity. It’s bustling, and the shops are doing good business on Saturday morning.

The route starts along the Nisava river and becomes increasingly quiet. At first, I come across a few runners, but after a while, there’s no one else in sight except for a shepherd. After about an hour, I spot a table under a tree by the riverbank, where I have my second breakfast. I am already hungry again, which often happens when I walk a lot the day before, and it’s important to give in to that feeling of hunger. The fresh bread with typical Balkan spreads (kind of pâté) tastes wonderful. Meanwhile, I write my piece.

Today I have to climb a lot. Again and again, I have to stop, sweating profusely, cursing what I’m doing in this heat, and wondering why I put myself through this. I promised myself a break when I reach the highest point. The view isn’t as beautiful as I hoped, but there is a tree. The only one for miles around. In its shade, I sit happily and far too long.

Cooked grapes and an echo of happiness

In my bag, I discover a forgotten Snickers bar that I bought a few days ago, but I hadn’t thought of it since. I let out a euphoric shout that echoes through the mountains; this is pure happiness!

To stay well hydrated, I frequently snack on my now-cooked grapes. Even though they are warm, they still provide sugar and moisture. Additionally, I make an isotonic sports drink from my water with powder from Decathlon, which is really ideal in this heat. In any case, I never feel weak or shaky.

Into the pitch dark towards Dimitrovgrad

Then I make a huge mistake. I see a shorter route on my map and decide to take it. The climb is terribly steep and I almost give up. Upon reaching the top half-dead, I then encounter an impassable overgrown path. I have to go all the way back… I could really cry!

By now, it’s getting dark and my booked room cannot be canceled anymore. Therefore, I decide to just keep walking instead of camping. I never expected it to get this dark; I can’t see a hand in front of my face, but with my headlamp, I arrive safe and sound in Dimitrovgrad, located near the Bulgarian border.