Set off at 7am under grey skies. Pleasing country roads the whole way; farmland and woodland (including an oak forest planted about 20 years ago), climbing mercifully gradually.
By the side of the road, a collie was lying by a goat stuck trying to wriggle under a wire fence. I stopped to see if I could set it free - but it was long dead.
Bachkovo village perches on a steep hillside - and my bed for the night is at the highest point. Greeted warmly by the owner's mother - who had not a word of English (like my Bulgarian). Had a happy time stroking the owner's 3 month old kitten.
A two kilometre walk to Bachkovo Monastery, sitting in the foot of a glorious wooded steep-sided valley. House Martins swoop in the clear mountain air.
The monastery was founded in 1083 by the Georgian brothers, Grigoriy and Abasius Bakuriyani. Bachkovo was an important centre, sponsored by the Tsars, in the 12th to 15thC. It was looted and burned several times by the Ottomans - but kept going, and was then considerably rebuilt in the 17thC, with many murals added in the 19thC. Magnificent murals & icons - many rather guadily restored - but fabulous nonetheless - depict numerous (often royally-clad) saints, Gospel stories, and the Last Judgement and (graphically) the horrors of hell.
Nice short (29km) ride into Plovdiv tomorrow morning.