This makes a great walk spread over a day with a picnic break midway. The route takes you out of the east side of the village past a pink building which was once a munitions factory, before turning north up towards the forest at the top of the village. The track then turns east past some long stone water troughs (and, unfortunately, a rubbish dump). This path gives lovely views over towards the Stara Planina mountains, and both Buzluzha and the Shipka monument are visible. In summer you'll often see bee-eater birds perching in low trees on the ridge before swooping to catch an insect and then returning to their look-out point. Continue east for quite a while before then turning left onto a different track which leads quite steeply downhill for a long way through the trees. At the bottom of this hill the path splits left and right. Take the right turn, still going through trees before the path opens out into a big meadow. In summer you may find the grasses and flowers are waist high, but just head across to the far lower side of the field where you can see tall trees again. The path is clearer now as it curves round to the left back into forest. Here you will come across a stone bridge crossing the river. Once more coming into open meadowland, you turn left to begin the climb back up the valley. This is a long steady climb, but there's a refreshing stop halfway along where springwater gushes out into a stone trough. At the end of the valley the path starts to curve left to then head back up towards the Gostilitsa forest. (You can extend the route by taking the big loop (seen on the left side of the map) which is a longer but less steep stone track). Sometimes you may encounter a huge flock of goats and sheep up here being taken out to graze. Eventually you come to the outskirts of Gostilitsa by a small farm (home to the aforesaid animals) and as you begin to rejoin the tarmac road you can have another break by more springwater troughs before ending your walk back down in the village. Distance 11km.