A Day Out - Lake Durankulak to Cape Kaliakra

Yesterday my partner, Andy and I decided to take a rare day off and head towards the coast. Of course, as estate agents, we are never completely “off duty” and we couldn’t resist looking for houses for sale as we passed through villages.

The sun was shining and the sky was such a deep blue, it was so beautiful. Some of the stork’s nests are already occupied, so Spring is definitely here. We headed north-east from Dobrich because we’ve never explored that area. We found some villages with great views over a valley. The river that once carved its way through the earth has long gone, but the trees have made full use of the space and spread along the entire valley.

We went to look at the famous Durankulak Lake– one of Bulgaria’s best wetlands and right on the coast.

The Wetlands of Lake Durankulak, Bulgaria

We walked down to the edge of the largest of the lakes. The calm water reflected the deep blue of the sky. Being Saturday, the locals were sitting along the side of the lake, fishing. We found a really nice restaurant with a view of the lake and had lunch. Of course, being in a lakeside restaurant, I had to have fish. It’s the first time I’ve tried Bulgarian carp and it was really tasty!

Fishing at Lake Durankulak, Bulgaria

After our little respite, Andy was eager to do bit of “off-roading”, so we drove along a track that ran alongside the edge of the beaches. The area between Durankulak and Cape Kaliakra is quite wild and rugged, with lots of rocks for kids to climb. The small resort town of Shabla seems to be thriving, despite the recession, and the huge town hall has gleaming new paint. There are lots of restaurants and bars there, and I expect it is quite busy in the summer.

The Coast at Shabla, Bulgaria, in Springtime

There are lots of wind turbines around this area of the coast and we couldn’t resist driving up to one of them. They are SO beautiful. Some people claim that wind farms are noisy, but we switched off the engine, got out of the car and listened. The wind turbines stretched out over several kilometers, all working in the wind, but all we could hear was a gentle and relaxing ‘swish, swish, swish’. It was hardly audible, but just loud enough to have the same calming effect as the sound of a stream. We gazed in awe at the vast tower and the slender arms of the turbine.

We ended our tour in the small resort of Rusalka.

Rusalka Bay, Bulgarian Black Sea Coast

It is a gated resort and is only open during the summer season. Andy and I had the place to ourselves. What bliss – it’s such a beautiful place and the gardens are neat and attractive. We just wandered around and admired the magnificent views. We’ll definitely go back there during the summer though. I want to try out the mineral-water Jacuzzis and relax by the pool with some Bulgarian wine.

Views of Rusalka Bay, Bulgaria

Nikki's British Pub in Slaveevo, Dobrich Municipality

Formerly known as King’s Bar, this comfortable British pub is situated on the main road from Dobrich to Albena resort. Liverpool supporters Nikki and Barry took over the lease of the pub in September 2009, after moving across to Bulgaria from Plymouth. Neither Nikki nor Barry has ever run a pub before but their friendly and relaxed approach should help them to make a success of the venture.

During the winter season Nikki’s Bar opened just once a month for a car boot sale. But from the 15th March 2010, the bar is open 6 days a week. Opening hours are:

• Monday 10:00 – 13:00 and 17:00 – 22:00
• Tuesday closed
• Wednesday 10:00 – 13:00 and 17:00 – 22:00
• Thursday 10:00 – 13:00 and 17:00 – 22:00
• Friday 10:00 – 13:00 and 17:00 – 22:00
• Saturday open all day
• Sunday open all day

Nikki and Barry offer a warm welcome, low-priced drinks and traditional British pub meals. Much of the food is imported from the UK so they will be a real winner with the ex-pats who crave their fish ‘n’ chips and bacon butties. Nikki and Barry hope that their Full English Breakfast will tempt passing motorists to stop for a bite to eat on their way to Albena. And of course they will still be holding the Sunday lunch-time car boot sale on the second Sunday of every month.

Typical prices of drinks:

• Bottle of beer 1 lev to 1.80 lev
• Glass of wine (small) 1.20 lev
• Soft drinks 1.50 lev per can

Dobrich, Bulgaria - a Quiet and Peaceful City

Dobrich is a small city in the north-east of Bulgaria. It lies between the “sea capital” of Varna and the Romanian border. Like most Bulgarian towns and cities, the residential areas of Dobrich are not as attractive as the city centre. The majority of residents still live in the old apartment buildings which were built with practicality in mind rather than beauty.

However, when you reach the centre of the city there are some pleasant surprises. The first is the huge and magnificent park which is well-maintained and is used extensively by the local people. Even during the colder weeks of the winter you will see the residents of Dobrich strolling around the many paths and tracks that twist and criss-cross through the gardens. There are two restaurants in the park, one overlooks the lake and one overlooks the tennis courts. There is a large children’s playground with swings, slides and other amusements.

The main shopping area in Dobrich is a pedestrian only zone. The wide walkways, dotted with trees and flower beds, also contain seating areas where you can sit and watch the people passing by. Near the Dobrudja Hotel the gentle buzz of conversation mingles with the relaxing sounds of the water features. Dobrich city centre is a delightful place to stroll. It is seldom crowded and there is always a sense of peace and tranquility.

South-west of Dobrich city is an area with gentle, rolling hills, forests, streams and lakes. This is an excellent area for walking and fishing. North of Dobrich is the Danube Valley – rich agricultural land which stretches up to meet the Danube River and the vast lakes near the town of Silistra. Here you will find Srebarna Nature Reserve, one of the most important nature reserves in Bulgaria and home to almost 100 species of bird.