Биоразнообразието в Родопите

ROUTE 2

Hiking trail for the spring, summer and autumn seasons:

the village of Mogilitsa – Borikovska cave – Tipitseto cave – Sredok neighborhood of Gorna Arda village. Total length: 12.77 km

This is one of the most interesting trails in the region of the upper stream valley of the Arda River. Possible starting points for it are the villages of Smilyan, Arda or Mogilitsa. If you choose Mogilitsa village to start from visit the exposition center of Rhodopean crafts products, made of wood, metal and fabrics that are available for purchase. You can hire a mountain guide in the Center too. Take the direction to Borikovo village that is just 2 km from Mogilitsa. First you go upstream along Arda riverbed till reaching the fork to Borikovo – the trail continues on the asphalt road to the village of Borikovo. You pass through the village, named after fragrant Rhodopean pine trees, then cross the place of the old border fence that guarded the state border with Greece till 1989. Reaching the small shelter follow the direction signs that will lead you to rock arc at the entrance of Borikovska cave.

The cave is situated on the right slope from the Borikovska River, 1.5 km to the south-west of Borikovo village. The entrance is in a beech forest, on a steep slope. During the period of vegetation the grass cover is quite thin. The grass here is typical for this type of forest – Snicula europaea L., Orthilia secunda L. House, Paris quadrifolia L, Hedera helix L., Lilium martagon L., etc. On rocky places you can find Geranium Macrorrhizum L., Asplenium trichomanes L., Asplenium ruta-muraria L., Polypodium vulgare L.,

In spring there are different plant life could be seen – Primula veris L., Helleborus odorus W. et K. ex Willd., Galium odoratum L. Scop., Erythronium dens-canis L., Pulmonaria rubra Schott, Pulmonaria officinalis L., Scilla bifolia L., Anemone ranunculoides L., Corydalis sp. Div., Cardamine bulbifera L. Crantz., etc. The entrance of the cave is at the root of a small rock – 120 m. high (relatively), it is on the right slope of a mountain creak. The entrance is in a beech forest, on a steep slope. Particular bats use the cave as a shelter during the active period. At the innermost end secondary karst formations – stalactites and draperies of karst formations colored in white, grey and black. The total length of Borikovska cave is 470 m. It is a protected natural site since April 23rd,-1980. Access to it is allowed for scientific purposes. Tourists can visit the cave during the summer with a professional mountain guide only. In June the entrance arc is covered with the blossoms of Haberlea Rhodopensis, also know as the Orpheus flower.

From “Borikovska” cave the trail continues to the south and reaches to the ridge of the mountain. The views here are magnificent: to the North – towards the highest peak in the Rhodope Mountains – Golyam Perelik and Snejanka TV tower in Pamporovo winter resort; to the West – the Rhodopean peaks in the Greek part of the Mountain; to the South – Kom peak (an important Thracian sanctuary in Antiquity) and Ardin Peak (at the foot of which Arda river spring is found); to the East – the mountain tops at “Tzsigansko gradishte” countryside, located on the very border with Greece. Enjoying the views while following the trail you will reach the tourist shelter from where you will get to the entrance of the Tipitseto cave.

This cave though not rich in karst formations features beautiful marble walls. It was explored and mapped for a first time in 1978 by representatives of “Studenets” speleology club – Chepelare. In 1986 test paleontology researches are carried out and bones from cave bear – canine tooth, molar teeth, jaws, and fragments of lower jaws, thigh bone and below –thigh bone and other bone material - were found. The finds are preserved in the funds of Museum of the Rhodopean Karst in Chepelare. During the cave expedition in April 2007 Tipitseto cave was explored and mapped by a paleontologist and two archaeologists from Smolyan Regional History Museum. After the full exploration of the cave, it was adjusted to become an attractive tourist site with a variety of reconstructions and replicas of authentic objects: a replica of the skeleton of pre-historic cave bear (Ursus spaeleus) which authentically reminds of the proto-historical specie. Also replicas of ceramic vessels were prepared based on the finds of ceramic fragments, proving inhabitation of the area since 4000 B.C., are exposed in the cave at present. Depictions of hunting scenes and pre-historical animals on the cave walls contribute to bringing visitors closer to ambience of the past when the cave was inhabited.

The trail continues to south-west direction, passes north of the Thracian sanctuary at Rasilitsa peak on the north, then goes down to the south to Sredok neighbourhood of Gorna Arda village. Here you can stop for a while – there are nice places for picnics, barbeque – you may taste Rhodopean specialties (traditional dishes). You may stay for an overnight in some of the cosy guest-house in Arda or Gorna Arda. On the next day you may chose another trail and continue your discovery trip.