Zelenika festival Strandja

Every year in May nature-lovers from all over Bulgaria gather in the Strandja mountains for the Zelenika festival. The festival is timed with the flowering period Strandja Zelenika (Странджанската зеленика) or Rhododendron ponticum. This plant is the official symbol of the park, and for good reason.

The vegetation in Strandja is very special, because many relict species from the Tertiary survive here, and the Rhododendron is the most characteristic and beautiful representative of these ancient plants. However, In the South-West of England, conservationists are fighting a hard and bitter war with this species. There it is a garden escape that is very invasive and forming a huge threat to native woodlands.

Festival for a controversial plant

Of course we could not miss out on a festival to celebrate the existence of a plant that brings out the best and worst in people.

On the 16th of May, we joined in with the festivities. Young and old nature supporters from all over Bulgaria gathered in Zvezdets, on a beautiful hill overlooking the surrounding mountains. Telescopes were set up and in the distance the minaret of a mosque in Turkey could be seen.

Women from many of the Strandja villages were dressed up beautifully in folklore costumes. They were singing and dancing to traditional Strandja songs. Bulgarians are very proud of their traditions and culture, and everybody, from the ones that still had to learn to walk to the ones that had forgotten it again, joined in with traditional circle dances. We stayed away from the action, because we have still not mastered the steps, and sampled the local honey instead.

Walking to Brushlian

The temperature was rising steadily, and it was getting quite warm now. Maybe time to find some shade we thought, but no, we were off for a walk now, that would last a good 5 hours. Gulp. Walking through this part of Strandja is extremely beautiful. We went down to the Veleka river valley, where we crossed by boat, car, foot, and cable-trolley.

After a break of about an hour we continued on through oak woodlands interspersed with flower-rich meadows and small brooks with refreshingly cool water. We saw loads of beautiful flowering plants such as various types of orchids and the Crimson-flowered Peony (Peoanio peregrina). The walk ended in the village of Brushlian.

Camping without sleeping

Afterwards, everybody headed to Gramatikovo, to the camping field that was set up for the festival. Here, the Bulgarians partied until late with very loud music making sleeping impossible for a long time. It didn’t help that we chose to make camp next to parked cars that were leaving. But waking up in the morning to Strandja birdsong and a beautiful sunrise made everything perfect.