[1] The Cherni Lom takes its source at an altitude of 480 m on the southern foothills of the Lilyak Plateau, some 1.3 km northeast of the village of Aleksandrovo.

Downstream the river turns north and the valley becomes canyon-like, deeply cut in Aptian limestones and marls.

Due to the low gradient in that section the Cherni Lom forms meanders.

[1] The lower part of the river falls within the Rusenski Lom Nature Park, protecting the rich wildlife, rock formations and cave sanctuaries dated from the Second Bulgarian Empire of the 12th to 14th centuries.

[4][5] The ruins of the important medieval Bulgarian fortress of Cherven rise over a steep meander of the river near the homonymous village.