Black Sea Trail

Project for an international coast trail around the Black Sea

Text and images by Frits Ahlefeldt, Hiking.org

The Black Sea coastal trail project is about connecting the coastal trails in Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, the Russian Federation, Turkey and Ukraine. The Black Sea Coast trail has the potential to become one of Earth’s most spectacular and do-able long distance trails. To hike around the Black Sea could an adventure of around the 5000 – 6000 km. ( 3000-4000 miles.) and might take around 8-10 months all in all. Most hikers would likely do the Black Sea Trail in sections

Today there is no overview of the coastal trails around the Black Sea, but it seems like there might already be a coastal trail, or it could be possible to create one in most places.

Read more about the Black Sea on Wikipedia

Benefits of a Coastal path around the Black Sea to the Black Sea region

Right now very few international hikers head to the Black Sea to hike, but if they did they could put the Black Sea on the map of hiking in ways that would benefit both the fast growing global community of long-distance hikers and the local communities.

The local communities in the Black Sea Region would benefit both from connecting to the hikers visiting, and also from becoming more known, more visible and more international in one of the most sustainable ways possible. At the same time would a hiking trail also strengthen the shared value of the Black Sea and better biodiversity.

Local guides, local companies and local products would gain a lot of benefits from such a trail. And also the trail might help the different countries around the Black Sea to have a common interest and goal. Connecting along the shores and waters of the Black Sea, that they all share.