Via Pontica - Part Two - Arkoutino

Along the Via Pontica (described in the link provided on bottom), South from Bourgas and Sozopol is the sandy strip of the Arkoutino protected area. The beach has the finest sand one could find on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.

And just a sling shot away from the waves are the dunes that define the desert type of ecosystem of a very small scale - you could encompass it all with a single glance from up the hill to the South. The dunes are home to the rare species of sand lilies which do not grow anywhere else in Bulgaria.

The part of the beach that is the closest to the main road, the parking and the hotels has a small dock for boats, a couple of bars, also showers, toilets...

... and shades you pay for, and lifeguard service. But that part ends near the middle of the strip. At the far south end of the beach you could find nudists and people who keep a closer to nature recreational style.

Mostly swallows and a few kinds of seagulls can be found on the premises...

... but if you continue past the dunes and climb the hill to the South you will be able to see the Ropotamo River and its valley full of other bird species.

I was able to spot them only at a distance. I recognized herons and cormorants. I tried to get closer once and make some good close up shots. I failed miserably that late afternoon. I found a path through bushes always scratching at my unprotected legs.

I reached the river bed or at least some part of it that still had the boggy feeling with its sticky black mud and the reeds obscuring all vision. I tried to find a clearing and walked upstream along the bank until I startled something with hooves and enough mass to be heard stomping even through the mud. It went away from me but that was the point I decided to go away from it. And I fell into a blackberry trap. Blackberry vines have pretty nasty thorns.

And the birds remained far out of reach. This is the best I could do back then:

So, back to the hill.

If you look North and out to sea, you will immediately spot the Snakes' island. Why would they call it so, I wonder...

Leaving the sea behind and heading back West to the main road, you walk on white boards like those:

And you will inevitably be halted by this guy:

If you can get past him, you are free to go. Back on your way or... if you prefer, you may go beyond the road, just a little bit more to the West to a small swamp with its own interesting flora and fauna. Don't miss it.

Link to Part One about the salt pans of Pomorie and Bourgas:

https://steemit.com/travelfeed/@manoldonchev/via-pontica-part-one

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