Bulgarians love their traditional music . They have a TV channel devoted to it , and one show – a sort of Bulgaria ’ s Got Talent for folk acts – features people of all ages swaying in stately unison . Indeed , they are so proud of the music that when asked to include something in the capsule aboard the Voyager 2 space probe , they sent tracks from the album Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares , in the hope that aliens would like it too . Colourful outfits ! Villagers dressed in the traditional Bulgarian costume . I love this kind of folklore as long as it really is part of the local culture and not just put on for tourists . In Bulgaria it is genuine : practically every village in the mountains has at least one choir , and their own particular variation of traditional dress , and many hold festivals in the way that English villages stage fetes . When I decided to go to Bulgaria I looked for a holiday combining exploring the remote southern mountains with a festival . Despite much trawling on the internet , I couldn ’ t find a package on the right dates , so instead I combined a group walking tour with an independent excursion of my own . I began by joining a group of 11 other walkers , led by a guide who , it turned out , danced as naturally as she walked . We stayed in a village called Yagodina high in the remote Rodopi mountains . Golden wonder ! The autumnal colours shine on the Rodopi mountains in Bulgaria . Apart from the hotel , Yagodina was totally devoid of any tourist infrastructure . The hole in the wall was not a cash machine but a spring . For the people living there , the end of communism did not appear to have resulted in a dramatic increase in consumer choice – the only two shops sold the barest of necessities . Each morning we set off through pine forests and scrambled above the tree line to meadows so full of wild flowers that I counted 22 varieties in one square metre as I was having my picnic . We walked up to nine miles every day . The level of difficulty was described as ‘ moderate ’ but I found it quite challenging . Unlike most of the other members of the group , I didn ’ t have walking poles , so I picked up two sticks and tapped along until I got into a rhythm . Yagodina Cave in Rhodope Mountains in part of the Trigrad Gorge and was the result of an earthquake that made the huge cave in the marble bed of a river . On the way down , we walked past fields of potatoes – the staple diet in the mountains – and through Muslim villages , a legacy of the Ottoman empire . It was easy to see why folklore survived in these places as they are so cut off from the outside world . At the end of one walk we scrambled down to the Yagodina cave system , its luminescent stalactites and stalagmites dripping eerily as they have done for millions of years . Evidence of prehistoric man was displayed almost casually , including a mug with a handle that looks as if it could be used to served tea today . Picturesque scenery ! Old stone bridge and mountain stream near the cave of Yagodina . On my last evening , a group of villagers came to the hotel to entertain us . Rashly , some of us agreed to put on traditional costumes too and dance rather inelegantly with them . When I came to leave the group the next morning , I had to sign a release form saying I was responsible for my own actions , which made my trip to the festival seem more adventurous than it really was . I splashed out on a cheap taxi for the trip across the mountains to the ski resort of Bankso ( the one place I don ’ t want to go back to ) . Next morning , things became more difficult as the locals use the Cyrillic alphabet which I found impenetrable , so I couldn ’ t read the destination on the bus timetable . Trees covered in a fresh snowfall on Todorin Vrah , in the Pirin Mountains . Fortunately , a woman , who told me in broken English that her daughter was picking tomatoes in Chichester , spooned me on to a crowded minibus to the Pirin mountains . Through the trees came the sound of singing and the banging of drums . Each village had a stage of its own where its people performed their songs and were awarded certificates for participating . Traditionally , women aren ’ t allowed to play instruments so they sang while the men played flutes , fiddles and drums . Traditional Bulgarian national costume worn by villagers in the Pirin mountains . It was a joyous occasion , put on for their own pleasure , not for tourists . Once the certificates had been awarded , everyone joined in , regardless of whether they were wearing traditional costume or jeans . I resisted invitations to dance and just sat and watched . A young teacher said she ‘ revered ’ their customs . ‘ I hope you are getting a good impression of Bulgaria , ’ she said . I certainly was . Exodus ( exodus.co.uk , 0845 287 3752 ) offers a seven-night walking trip in the Rodopi mountains from £949pp including return flights , transfers , full-board accommodation , plus £100 single supplement . For further information visit bulgariatravel.org .
The stay occurred in the Bulgaria village in the remote Rodopi mountains . Walking up to nine miles every day there were many sights to be seen . Bulgaria Cave features stunning luminescent stalactites and stalagmites .