We got going soon after nine. The only other visitors last night were five Austrians dressed in black (bear watchers?). They have a separate room for meals - this morning we all enjoyed a sumptuous breakfast that would feed about 25 guests. It's quite a mysterious place, with just one small sign pointing visitors down a track with barriers.
We used a bridge to cross the river soon after setting off. Vehicles must ford it. That explains why the only vehicles outside Chalet Alpina were hefty Land Cruiser types.
Beyond some gypsy shacks we joined a road for a few metres before heading up to Cabane Padina. All rather desolate and in need of renovation up there.
We backtracked from this unwelcoming zone and soon found the correct path to Strunga Saddle. We were soon above the tree line and moving slowly forward on the 400 metre climb. The path was deeply rutted - more so when it started to rain and a careless slip left me scrabbling in a muddy rut.
Eventally we reached a plaque in memory of somebody's short life, next to a hut that may be available to walkers but which today was occupied by a shepherd and his dog.
Up at the saddle the rain stopped and we had fine views of the nearby cliffs as well as towards our destination and the Romanian villages beyond.
A couple of Romanian men proved good company for a while at the saddle. They had taken the day off work to go for a walk. Like our Romainian friend Daniella, they are dismayed by the illegal logging that is going on in Romania's largest forest, and the damage to the environment from hydroelectric schemes; and corruption is never far away. They warned us not to try to run away from the bears. We haven't seen one - the closest I can manage is a chamois yesterday, and Sue has seen a red squirrel. 8
The next few kilometres were most enjoyable. A good path led gently downhill just below the escarpment. There were good views to Romania's countryside and villages to the north, and back to Strunga Saddle.
Further on, the path wound in and out of woodland, where the Chaffinches were ardently arguing about the issues of the day, with noisy coal tits, lesser whitethroat, tree pipits, a lone dunnock, skylarks, chiffchaffs, water pipit and others, all making vocal contributions.
We passed the derelict remains of an old Forest Hut. We'll need to return here tomorrow.
Soon after the hut we turned left to descend to this pretty vilĺage via a steep forest path. My knees didn't appreciate that.
After confusion about where we were staying, I took the next picture from the wrong guest house. Back up the road Adeline and Maya shepherded us into the correct accommodation where we were reunited with our 'big bags'.
We tried and failed to arrange for a very light supper. We are suffering from a bombardment of food.
Today's walk was advertised as being 16km with 400 metres ascent. I made it 13km. Perhaps the 16km included a lot of looking for the correct guest house. We are the only visitors, giving the children a chance to practice their hosting skills.
Here's Sue's take on the day.
Not a very good night’s sleep but the bed was comfy. The barking dog didn’t help.
A beautiful spread of meat, cheese, bread, liver pate, olives, tomatoes, pepper and cucumber at 8am. Water wasn’t hot enough for tea, so we ordered two coffees! After paying for dinner we left at 9.20am.
Humid again and mostly cloudy. A track in the woods between two rivers brought us to an open plateau with a camp. After crossing a river we turned right to climb up to Cabana Padina, another closed establishment. The path continued above it, in sparse pines at first, then out onto open meadow where cows with bells were grazing. Farmers were working around a wooden building, with big dogs that came up but didn’t bother us. They were herding pigs too. The path steadily climbed, and we were wearing waterproofs by now as rain had started. The visibility was okay though and we could see the saddle ahead.
Passed a large plaque to a 36-year old on the rock. A small cabin was passed, with a nearby information board about Gheorghe Eminescu, an anti communist in 1948-49, hiding in these mountains. We soon reached our high point of 1909m and took in the views of huge limestone cliffs and the wooded valley where we would stay tonight. Chatted to two English-speaking Romanians who advised us not to run if we encountered a bear.
The path slowly descended, with the cliffs above and lots of flowers around. A new one today was Scorzonarea rosea. Further down we were in and out of pine woods where one-flowered wintergreen were prolific. The chaffinches and coal tits were noisy but we also had a tree pipit and water pipit, as well as a lesser whitethroat. The route passed the ruin of a hut, then descended through woods, quite steeply at times, where a few species of fungi were lurking. One was a dotted stem bolete, with a velvety top and swollen reddish stem.
I was pleased to see a red squirrel high up in a pine, discarding his cone with a clatter.
Eventually we reached the river, crossing it to reach a large national park sign and a track. From here it wasn’t far into the village of Moieciu de Sus, a quiet place with houses lining the road and barns dotted over the hillside above, where sythes were being used to cut the hay on the steep ground.
Arrived at Pensiunea Rodica around 3.15, after going to the wrong accommodation first, as our notes listed two! We were greeted by Adeline and Maya, young girls with good English, who showed us to our room.
Two mugs of tea was our priority (no flask today) and we enjoyed the cool air on our balcony.
