Every mountain has its own unique charm and that invisible, irresistible magnetic pull that attracts a climber. Some mountains more than others – once you set your glance upon the summit and the spell is cast, the drive that pushes you forward – and on occasion this drive can border on irrationality or even sheer lunacy. Of all Bulgarian mountains, for me personally, nothing rivals the lure of Vihren.

It is the second highest mountain in Bulgaria, at 2914m, only 11m shy of Musala, the tallest in the Balkan Peninsula - but the Pirin range as a whole is a lot higher than Rila - there are two summits above 2900m, Vihren and Kutelo; seven above 2800m; 17 above 2700m; 32 above 2600m and 40 above 2500m and the highest granite peak in the Balkans is the Banderishki Chukar (2732m).

Pirin Mountain is the most rugged, alpine and hostile in appearance of all the mountain ranges in the country. Rila, Vitosha and the Rhodopes would appear gentle, rolling and inviting by comparison. Pirin, on the other hand, has "warning – come at your own risk" written all over it. But when you set your gaze upon Vihren, you will feel that butterfly feeling in your stomach, that burning desire to scale it and stand on the summit. Even the easiest route up the mountain is significantly harder than climbing Musala – the route that originates from the Vihren lodge and assaults the summit from the south face.

The first time we climbed Vihren, however, we started from Bunderitsa Lodge, which eventually leads to the north face, or rather the north edge of the mountain – a substantially harder way of climbing it. Compared to that route, climbing Musala is nothing more than a determined tab in the park. For those who want to experience the beauty of the mountain, and climb Vihren, but want to do it the easy way, drive from Bansko up the twisting mountain road all the way up to Vihren lodge, about 16km away. If you get there early enough, you may scale the summit three-and-a-half hours away and return in time for dinner and a pint, drive back to Bansko or spend the night at the lodge for 14 leva.

Alternatively, you may crave a more extreme experience - to climb the epic Koncheto Ridge, a several hundred metres-long ridge, at times only 25cm wide, with vertical cliffs on one side of above 400m, and 800m cliffs on the other at about 45 degrees slope.  Then summit Vihren from the north face – if you contemplate taking this route, your starting point is Bunderitsa Lodge, in a valley of unparalleled beauty sliced by the Bunderitsa river, and flanked on either side by the rugged, hostile towering monsters of Todorka at 2746m and Vihren.

Accommodation at the lodge is cheap, and the lodge is decent, clean and the food is the best I have ever had on any mountain before, both quality and quantity wise. Make reservations or, alternatively, if you are kitted out, spread your tent and camp in the gorgeous valley – we asked for permission to set our tent, made a fire, a brew, got a sufficient supply of beer and rakiya, which helped wash down the delicious food to the tunes of Pink Floyd and Iron Maiden, and we spent an unforgettable evening under the stars.

Setting off from Bunderitsa lodge, laden with 20kg Bergens full of water, food, survival and a first aid kit, it dawned on us that this route would live up to its hard reputation. Almost immediately after we passed the lodge, not 30m into the thick pine forest, the path became alarmingly steep, and remained so, unrelenting all the way to the Kazana (the Kettle). Before reaching the sub-alpine line where the pine forest gradually recedes as the elevation increases, eventually giving way to scrub and then windswept grasslands and rocks, you will have to negotiate a narrow, twisting, steep path - hard tabbing which will necessitate about two hours’ climbing to Kazana.

Unlike Rila and Vitosha Mountain, which are bountiful in water supply, this particular route does not pass anywhere near a river or a lake. So carrying an ample supply of water is absolutely essential – it is tiring and will slow you down, but you MUST  hydrate. To give you an idea, you must carry water that will last the hike itself – about 12 hours, so you need water that would last for double that period of time, allowing for any unforeseen eventuality.

Once you leave the fir and pine forest behind you, you will find a steep slope awash with shattered rocks and boulders of every size and description, which has to be negotiated carefully because the slope is demanding and you don’t have a sound, stable footing. Because this route is unfrequented by hikers and tourists, the path at times disappears completely, so special attention must be paid to the horizontal marking.