The Karstic Canyon Chernelka is situated in the municipality Pleven. It is included on the list of the protected areas in 1969, and it is the departure point for the eco-path for the tourists. Gortalovo, which is situated at 16 kilometers south from the city Plevna and its final point is Kortazhabene, which is at 10 kilometers south – west from the city Pleven. The distance until Sofia is of approximately 152 kilometers south – west.
The canyon has a width of 60 up to 200 meters, and the area is of 300 hectares. This has been formed with million years ago, when in the inferior part it passed the river. Today karstic rocks grow as a crown of flowers at a height from 10 to 35 – 40 meters.
The road has a length of approximately 7 km and it is nice for walking by foot, without abrupt sections. You travel for approximately one hour and a half. The path passed through 17 bridges over the river, and it has places for resting and for barbecue. One of the biggest areas from there is as an American football field. The location is very adequate for travels in the nature. The journey is recommendable to be made during the spring and autumn, because, during the warm days of summer, the temperatures from the lower part of the canyon are quite big. The path can be passed in both the directions, but most frequently the departure point is the village Gortalovo.
The canyon is full with rare species of plants, birds and animals. Most of them are in the Red Book of Bulgaria – the European frog, the lizard from Crimeea, snakes. The life duration of the birds comprises over 200 species, including the hawk with long legs, small and big fasts, the Alpine falcon. There is a big colony of rock swallows. Among the specific vegetation we have the biggest regional population of snowdrops. Besides the richness of species and of plants there also is a multitude of ornito-fauna. The road amazes with the most natural phenomenon – the karstic river Baba Raditsa, and the cave Gaura Tcareva which was also used as a vigilance tower by the tsar Ivan Shishman, the cave Gura Lily and the whole Ivan Provartenik – formations of rocks in the shape of a ring which have a whole and has a depth of approximately 15 meters. There can be seen stone-glyphs, the ruins of the Roman roads. At the beginning on the eco-path there exists the separated or “truncated” rock, as it is, named the stone laid on the land, as it would have been cut by an immense knife.
With the car there can be reached very fast – from Plevna starting from the road towards Loveci, far away from the village Brestovetc at a few kilometers you turn right. It is passed through Todorovo and the following village is Gortalovo. Another option is by bus. Three times a day, there exist busses towards and from Gortalovo on the Pleven – Beglezh and Pleven – Dragana path.
In the middle of the eco-path it is situated the cabin for the water pump, which is currently under construction. In the village Gortalovo there is an accommodation home, with a capacity of 4 persons.