Erma Ultra, 64 km

Course description

Тhe start/final point is in the centre of the village of Turokovtsi. The first part of the route is on an asphalt road towards the village of Zabel. After about 0.5 km the asphalt ends and the route continues as a dirt road, which after another 200 m leaves the village. The road then goes through open meadows on the border of the mountain and the field and reaches the village of Zabel 2.6 km after the start.

Here the route only crosses the asphalt road and continues to the village of Zelenigrad on a panoramic dirt road. The route reaches the village after 1.7 km and follows a turn to the right and up the asphalt road, which passes through the village and after 0.7 km passes again into a dirt road. The road goes under the rocks of the impressive rock massif Shili Kamik, then enters the forest. 1.9 km after the village the route exits the dirt road and goes to the right and up to Mount Ruy along a forest path. The first 1.5 km are sloping and easy to run, and the path passes near a small refreshing creek. The following part is 1 km (or slightly more) very steep climb through an impressive beech forest. After the forest, the route continues along the grassy ridge of Ruy Mountain. After about 1.4 km you reach the highest point of the route, namely Mount Ruy. The last section is a real delight for the senses, with amazing views in all directions. We recommend participants who do not chase rankings to take a few seconds from time to time and enjoy the 360-degree panoramas. From Mount Ruy follows the only very steep descent to Ruy hut, passing through the no less spectacular and beautiful peak Orlovets. After about 1.5 km you are at Ruy hut, where is the aid station.

Here the 23 km route and the long distances bifurcate. The Marathon route after exiting the courtyard of the hut starts to the left on a dirt road, and after about 600 m the road splits in two. The route continues slightly to the left and up again on a dirt road, following a slight climb up. There are light climbs and descents to reach a fence with a metal door and a mesh, where we go to the left and enter an old beech forest. The route passes by three huge centuries-old beech trees. The path is sloping, with slight descents and climbs for about half a kilometre, followed by a steep but short climb to the cherry on the cake, Mount Rakitski Kamik. The views from this peak are impressive and according to many tourists it is the peak with the best view in the Tran region. After reaching the top, we are immediately taken down through the beech forest to the valley of a small river. From the Rakitski Kamik to the Erma River Gorge follows a 7 km route descent only. The first 1.5 km are on a forest path, followed by 3.2 km on a black forest road, which runs parallel to a beautiful river with small waterfalls and the final part before the aid station Zhdreloto is 2.3 km of asphalt.

After the aid station, the route continues in the direction of the panoramic site of an old sanctuary Tzarkwishte, bypassing it. Shortly before it the path turns towards Bogoyna hamlet. The distance is about 2 km of smooth descent. In Bogoyna, the route crosses the Erma River on a metal bridge, then crosses the hamlet and after 0.5 km is already on the dirt road from the Erma River Gorge to the village of Bankya. To reach Bankya the path has slight ups and downs and after 2.5 km we are already in the village. There is another bridge, this time over the Yablanitsa River and the streets of Bankya represent an asphalt section of the route. When you reach a slightly larger part of the route, turn left and continue to the last houses of the village, where the asphalt ends. Then turn again to the left at 90-degrees and continue on a dirt road with a slight ascent. Half a kilometer further we leave the dirt road and follow a narrow forest path to the Vrabchanski waterfall. The route passes near the waterfall but does not reach it. It follows the road to the waterfall and reaches the asphalt road in Vrabcha.

After about 200 m of descent leave again the asphalt on a dirt road leading to the next aid station – „Guest Rooms Sheitanovi“. After the point, you go down the path to Mount Stakyov kamik, but at the fork for Dragovski kamik you go down the path to it without reaching Stakyov kamik. A slight descent follows and after about 700 m the route turns sharply to the right and down, following a path, then a dirt road to get to the asphalt again. Follows a short run to the Manish hamlet bus stop. Then turn at 90-degrees and a dirt road leads us to an exceptional panoramic meadow under the Garvanov Kamik peak. From the meadow begins a descent to the village of Bankya through a beautiful deciduous forest. A kilometer further the route joins the path from Bankya to Yablanitsa Gorge. It goes to the gorge, crosses again the Yablanitsa River on a wooden bridge, and shortly after it, instead of going towards the gorge itself, we take a steep dirt road to the right and up. After about 800 m the slope decreases, the dirt road only crosses the asphalt road and again on a dirt road goes to the Kitka area. After about 3 km it crosses again a nice panoramic meadow, followed by a descent through a deciduous forest to the Erma River Gorge.

The route then follows the road to Bogoyna shortly before the gorge itself and passes through the 200-meter-long tunnel in the rocks. There are no lights in the tunnel, the foreheads are strongly recommended, as there is no visibility in the middle of the tunnel, and the floor is covered with stones. Shortly after the tunnel, the route exits the Tran-Lomnitsa road and follows about 250 m of asphalt and a new deviation to the Zhdreloto point.

After the aid station, the route continues in the direction of the panoramic site of an old sanctuary Tzarkwishte, bypassing it. Shortly before it the path turns left and along a dirt road parallel to the asphalt road on which the descent was made, it returns to the centre of the village of Lomnitsa. Here do follow the marked path to the Ruy hut, but 1.7 km after the start turn left on another dirt road, and after 4.7 km you are back to the Ruy hut. The first kilometers of this road are slightly steeper, but the second half is sloping and there are several light descents.

After the second passing by the Ruy hut, follow the dirt road to the village of Zabel. The first 2 km are relatively flat, alternating light climbs and light descents. Continue along the dirt road another 1.5 km with a slight descent to the Piketa fork, where the route turns left. After the fork follows a short flat section, then a short descent to the next fork. Here the route continues steeply up to Mount Mali Ruy along a narrow path. This is the last steep part of the route, only half a kilometer long. From Mali Ruy starts the descent to the final, with the first 2.5 km on a pleasant grassy trail with incredible panoramic views. The last 2.5 km are on a dirt road and the final 300 m on an asphalt street in the village of Turokovtsi.

Technical Info

Map

Course profile

GPS track

The official and training tracks differ, as on the day of the race the route will pass through the Sheitanovi guesthouse, where a refreshment point will be located. The deviation is minimal, but for training purposes the dirt road under the guesthouse should be used.

Click here to download the TRAINING GPS track

Click here to download the GPS track

Registration for this course