A unique combination of nature, archeology and originality. The Natural Reservation from “Chernelka” is one of the favorite places for visiting by the nature lovers. The natural landmark “Chernelka” is a karstic picturesque canyon, in the central part of the valley of the Danube between the villages Gortalovo and Kartozhabene, at approximately 12 km from Pleven.
Alongside the Chernelka river on 7 kilometers, there was formed the phenomenal canyon, with a width of 60 up to 200 meters and the height of the stone from 10 to 30 meters. In the year 2001, with a project of the Pleven Municipality there was built a raceway, and they placed a bridge. The principal objective of the eco-path was the one of raising the degree of acknowledgement for the conservation of the environment by the visitors and for the direct interaction with the natural resources.
The extraordinary richness of rock formations, the specific and diverse avifauna, the area was going to be declared a natural landmark in 1969. Here there are the representation of more than 200 species of bird, 9 species of fish, 5 species of amphibians and 11 species of reptiles.
More than that, the landmark point “Chernelka” has a rich historical past, which is formed from the antique and late medieval castes, the rupestral early Christianity, the carstu fountain Baba Raditsa, the Monastery “Provartenika” and others.
The cave the “Tcareva Whole” is sculpted in rocks over Chernelka at a height of approximately 10 meters. The local legend says the fact that the asylum was built by the tsar Ivan Shishman, who participated in the fight against the Turks in this place.
The eco-path is known especially for the “Broken Stone”, situated in the proximity of the village Gortalovo. The rumors say the fact that the king Marko fought a harsh fight with Musa Kesedzhiya three days and three nights. When he saw the fact that the he couldn’t defeat the courageous hero, he ran away. Not succeeding in catching him, the king Marko broke with his sword the stone.
The eco-path can be reached with the car alongside the road from the village Gortalovo de Pleven or from Kartozhabene, or lower, coming from other villages.