You can go paragliding in Bansko for around 140 Lv. Just over £60. The prices do vary, but for the experience you get the prices are reasonable.

Below are some facts and pieces of advice if you are planning to go paragliding in Bansko.

• Take note of the weather conditions. Very harsh winds and fog are unlikely to be good flying conditions.
• Reassuringly, the fatality rate for paragliding is less than that of riding a motorbike. The overall fatalities for paragliding are also less than that of horseriding.
• If possible, check out the pilot’s credentials or qualifications.
• Have the pilot double check your harness so that you feel relaxed when it comes to taking off.
• Enjoy your new found extreme sport. You may even want to learn to paraglide yourself. Airsports as well as many other institutions in the UK offer paragliding coruses.

After researching about paragliding for this post, I really got exciting about the sport and started looking for videos. I found the following “extreme paragliding” film that is undoubtedly the best paragliding I’ve ever seen.

While Danny Macaskill’s footage on Youtube hits over 8.5million views (I just had to add this in – anyone, interested in bikes or not, must see it) we jet off to Bansko for the first ever Bansko mountain bike race – The Bansko Road to Nowhere.

The Road to Nowhere held two race events on Saturday 25th July and Sunday 26th July. It would be excellent to show photo upon photo of riders speeding through forests and across dusty tracks. But I was in fact racing, so I’ll give my first-hand experience of the race atmosphere and routes.

On the Saturday the sun was beating down on Bansko all day. Temperatures soared above 30 degrees which, having stared at English rain for days on end this summer, seemed another world away.

Competitors were crowded into shady patches outside the Holy Trinity Church – the centre of Bansko’s history, sitting upon the cobbled streets of the old part of town. We all sat in anticipation of the two lap loop which in total traveled 36km.

Once the starting gun was misfired, reloaded and eventually fired, we began. The route climbed from the Holy Trinity Church, up the winding mountain road into the evergreen forest at the base of the towering Pirin mountain (and were we glad to be off the seemingly endless, scorching tarmac road).

The forest was peaceful until the clattering of mountain bikes disturbed every forest-dwelling insect and mammal. After a gentle climb through the trees the downhill section began with natural berms and small rock drops, obscured beneath the dust, catching the odd rider out.

After the refreshing descent we clattered onto a wider but rockier track which led us down into town. Once in town it was back up the road and into the forest again. Repeat steps 2, 3 and 4. The route dived off a different track near the end to take us back to the park, where a final push took us to the finish – where all eyes of the timing guys (and gals) were on the sweaty, exhausted riders speeding to the finish, only to collapse.

26th July 2009: A 19km loop with fast singltrack through the forest, some technical climbs and a really enjoyable circuit. It’s called Perfect Day, aptly, since it was just that.

Again, we lined up outside the Holy Trinity. Again, the starting pistol misfired. One difference is that the clouds were gathered above and kept the temperature down slightly. Although partly exhausted from sprinting 36km the previous day, many riders were looking forward to the shorter loop of just 18km.

We shot off at a more relaxed pace than before, unfortunately with the knowledge that our old friend – the road section, which we had met twice the previous day – loomed ahead. However, once onto a lovely dusty mountain track we fell into our element, passing firstly over an old, wide wooden bridge; hardly noticing the rush of the Glasne river under our tyres.

The trail climbed through a forest section only to descend on a dusty track with stunning views. The trail then rose and dropped through many kilometers of woods – an excellent temperature due to the shade from the trees. Combined with breathtaking scenery and a spectacularly formed trail, the ride proved to be as good as it could possibly get.

Once out of the woods, the route was downhill all the way to the park in the centre of Bansko. This was where riders exerted their last reserves of energy on the long and enjoyable descent.

Racing again through the streets of Bansko, the race came to an end at the park. After following miles of tape, we’d reached the finish. All in all, the 2 days were fun, exhilerating and challenging. I’d like to thank the organisers and everyone who took part. Plus I’m looking forward to next year!

The trails we rode for the race were excellent. I strongly recommend heading out there with a bike. If you do, take a look at the mountain bike trail maps for Bansko.

You can view the results for the Dead dog race (25th July) and the Perfect Day race (26th July) as well as photos of the Bansko mountain bike race.

Choose your ski clothing wisely to prevent blue lips or sweaty pits.

One of the most important factors when planning for the season is ski clothing. You may think “well it’s pretty much all the same, I’ll just pick up whatever I find”. But no. Ski clothing ranges from exquisite to functional just like any other type of clothing. With these tips I can help you prepare for as many eventualities as possible in this coming season.

1. Know your size. Yes, shops make all different sizes but a rough guide definitely helps speed up the shopping process. Those that hate shopping , this is the best advice I can give to shorten that agonizing time spent browsing a shop with hundreds of other people in the exact same, horrible situation.

2. Know the jargon. Ski-wear will be branded with all sorts of terms which may make no sense to most average people. Yes, breathable is a word but what does it mean in terms of my clothes, they have no lungs. Here are the most common terms you will come across:

• Breathable – This means that the item of clothing transfers moisture from the inside of the piece of clothing to the outside. Even in the cold you will still sweat under all those layers, dont take them off, breathable clothing makes sure that sweat doesn’t stay on the inside so that it is more comfortable to wear.
• Waterproofing rating – Some items come with a waterproof rating. This is the amount of water which can be loaded onto the jacket before it seeps through the material. It is measured in mm. Obviously, the higher the rating the more waterproof the jacket.
• Choose a jacket or a shell – Shells are used as an outer layer to protect from wind and rain. They have no insulating property and are often used in a layering system (see tip number 3). On the other hand, a jacket usually has similar wind and rain stopping features but the difference is that they are insulated for extra warmth.

3. Use a layering system – If you are someone who gets cold on winter days, you will benefit greatly from a decent layering system when it gets chilly. The system basically goes as follows, you may have personal preferences for some parts of it:

• The Base Layer – This layer is the closest to the skin. These layers tend to be tight fitting to maximise the potenital of moisture wicking (draws sweat away from the surface of the skin). The best fabric for base layers is polyester. This is a great moisture wicking fabric as opposed to cotton which absorbs sweat, which is uncomfortable and will decrease your body temperature in cold conditions.
• The Mid Layer – The most versatile piece of clothing you may buy. The mid layer is great while active on the slopes during the day and also a useful outer layer to head out on the town with on cold evenings. Many people use a fleecy garment in this layer. Its purpose is to insulate you by trapping warm air between the layers. Make sure also that this layer is breathable. This is so that all the hard work of removing sweat from you skin the base layer did is not wasted.
• The Outer Layer – Buy a Ski Jacket and Salopettes. A shell jacket could be used here for people who get overly warm doing exercise. The outer layer should be of a good waterproof rating. It should also be breathable to allow sweat to escape from your layering system. There are even more features for jackets so see the next tip.

4. What does your jacket need?

• A fixed or removable hood.
• Taped seams to waterproof stitching.
• Venting zips (usually under arms) to allow heat to escape from between your layers so that you can adjust your temperature.
• A snow skirt (extra elasticated piece of fabric around your waist) which stops snow going inside your jacket from underneath.
• A goggle/ski pass pocket for easy access to essentials.

They took part in the 10 hour endurance event against competitive riders from around the world and came out with 21st place out of 48 teams in their category.

With great riders like this appearing from Bulgaria, it’s possible that the mountain biking culture will evolve further on their shores.

The Bulgarian landscape provides breathtaking views and high mountains for challenging climbs and spectacular descents. This means excellent riding for all enthusiasts but only if Bulgarian developers can put together mountain a bike park as seen in Canada and Austria.

Mountain Biking trips are already available in the resort of Bansko but the trails arent in abundance and are, so far, nothing special. With a little help, Bulgaria could be put on the map of the mountain biking scene. With enough interest, a great destination for excellent riding could be produced.

Bansko hosts the Jazz Festival every year and you can find details on their website – http://www.banskojazz.com/en/

The festival is an extraordinary event and if you are thinking about going to Bulgaria in the summer months for the great weather, think about booking your holiday for this weekend and get a taste of some great music and a friendly vibe.

More Videos of the Bansko Jazz Festival 2008