Stob Earth Pyramids

Above the village of Stob, on the road that runs up to Rila Monastery, a hillside of soft sandstone and clay has been eroded by rain into a field of pillars and cones, some over ten metres high, coloured in reds, yellows and greys, with a number capped by a harder boulder that has protected the column beneath it and left a mushroom shape. A marked path climbs from the village through the formations and along a ridge above them, taking about an hour for the loop with viewpoints over the whole field and across the Rila valley. Local names are attached to individual groups. Erosion continues actively, so the shapes change over years, and heavy rain occasionally brings pillars down.

What you actually see

• Sandstone pillars over ten metres - columns eroded from the hillside.
• Boulder-capped mushrooms - hard stones protecting the columns beneath.
• Red, yellow and grey banding - the colour in the eroded clay.
• The ridge path above - viewpoints over the whole formation.

When to go

April to October; the path is slippery in wet weather and closed after heavy rain. Two hours for the loop. Morning and late light bring out the colour. It combines with Rila Monastery up the road.

Honest expectations

The path is steep with loose surfaces and drops. It closes after heavy rain because of rockfall. There is no shade. The site is small and an hour or two covers it. Facilities are in the village, not on the hill.

Nearby

Rila Monastery is up the valley; the Struma road runs below.