Wednesday 24 June 2026 - Moeclu de Sus to Bran

Pensiunea Rodica guesthouse was a lovely place to stay.

The two thirteen year old girls, Everline and Maya, served us with a lovely breakfast.

It's a shame that we were the only guests.

We soon entrusted our 'big bags' to a taxi driver who rolled up at about 9:15, just as we were leaving to retrace yesterday's steps for nearly an hour.

First landmark, a bridge over the river.

Then a steep 400 metre climb to a signpost.

Some interesting fungi were spotted.

Royal Fly Agaric

Peeling Paint Ringless Ammonita

Turning left here was a minor error that paid off. According to Collett's route guide we should have continued to the next junction  This 'error' left us on a lovely path, signed with a red stripe, all the way along a ridge to arrive in a strung out village called Simon.

Along the way we enjoyed good views from the belvedere path.

Our first orchid of the trip, a Common Spotted Orchid, was seen. There were also lots of Bird's Nest Orchids.

For a while we could hear the hiss of summer rain on the tree canopy above us, reminding me of a favourite Joni Mitchell album. Not many drops got through.

Hoary Plantain lined the verge at one point.

White Mullein competed with Sue for height.

Down in the valley, hay was drying on fences on the now sunny day.

After lunch on a bus stop bench we strolled into the small town of Bran, home of Bran Castle, aka Dracula's Castle.

We were soon installed in Casa din Bran in a nice room with two balconies and a view of the castle.

After some much needed cold drinks we rooted out the tickets that Collett's had provided for a tour of the castle.

This is apparently the busiest tourist trap in Romania, but apart from one coach load that was best avoided, it wasn't at all crowded and we could take our time studying the rooms and reading the comprehensive information boards. I'll just provide a few photos for now. All the postings from this trip will be edited when we get home, and many flower pictures will be added.

At the end of the visit, a final picture from ground level, a walk around the castle gardens and a welcome cold beer before adjourning to our balcony to finish our copious picnic lunch, washed down with lots of tea.

No need for a meal out tonight - we are stuffed with excesses from the past few days. 

Tuesday 23 June 2026 - Padina to Moeclu de Sus

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.

Monday 22 June 2026 - Sinaia to Padina (Chalet Alpina)

After abandoning most of our possessions for a couple of days, and an uncomfortable ride in a crowded T3 bus (we should have taken Collett's advice and got a taxi), we arrived at the Sinaia gondola station and the pleasure of a calm ride up to a welcome café at 2100 metres. 

On a cloudy day we did get some vìews from the gondola.

Up at the summit of Fernica Peak we were in a misty buttercup zone.

The hills were alive today, with the striking colour of alpenrose.

A walk along the undulating plateau followed, views coming and going whilst the cloud base fumbled with its decisions. 

We passed a sports ground where Romania's crack athletes get their altitude training, then we encountered a couple of Austrian motorcyclists on a tree lined path before we emerged from the tree line.

Up at the Babele hut we pressed on to some impressive rocks and enjoyed the picnic lunch provided by Sinaia Hotel. It was warm, but the cloud slowly enveloped us and the Sphinx rock disappeared. 

Continuing along the path towards the route to Omu, several snowfields were encountered. Progress was slow.

Looking back,  there was a good view to the Costila TV relay mast above cliffs that plunge down to the north of the plateau. 

Eventually we rounded a corner and got our first view of Omu Peak. After a tricky section of belvedere path I chose to stay on the col cleaning my fingernails while Sue nipped up the summit that lurked over 200 metres above us.

The views came and went.

Sue eventually turned up and after some faffing with the route we took a path to a water pipe beyond which we carefully and steeply descended to path number 2 that took all the way to Padina. It proved to be a lovely walk down.

Chalet Alpina took some finding. It turns out to be a smart place where the only English speaker is on the end of a phone. She's not phased by our late arrival (6:30) and reads out the English translation of the a la carte menu. We chose pork ribs followed by another version of papansi - this version being rather like profiteroles. We've no idea of the cost - that wasn't in the translation of the menu we never saw.

Today's exertions amounted to 22km with 1000+ metres ascent. Having missed out Peak Omu, I managed a mere 19km with 800 metres ascent.

Sue's hastily written diary is appended below:

Mon 22 June
7.30 wake. Breakfast. T3 bus at 9.40 to telegondola stop. Two gondolas to 1400 then cota 2000 for 10.30. Coffee. Cloud hovering. Walked to nearby summit then found the path north. Already surrounded by flowers, including swathes of pink Alpenrose. We soon lost the people who’d come up by gondola as we crossed the Bucegi plateau (skylarks). We descended a bit then rose again, before traversing across (Water pipit, linnet) to near a cablecar station. Around here were huge rocks, sculpted by wind and rain, into forms given names such as Babele, and the Sphinx. As we ate lunch overlooking them, it got suddenly colder and the cloud swirled around us. A flock of sheep below was being guarded by several large dogs, as we’d been warned.
Onwards north again, climbing slightly, with threats of rain and some rolls of thunder. One tricky snow patch to get round before we reached a junction where M stopped and I continued to Cabane Omu (closed) and a summit (2,500m). The cloud cleared and waterproofs came off.
I cut a bit off the descent, and, once I’d met up with M, after a false start (heading up again), we dropped past a water source, and a steep slope of Alpenrose, to join a descending path, marked with blue and white. This was a delightful valley, with slopes of Alpenrose, then a steep section down between rock cliffs, and then grassy slopes. Grey cloud hung around, giving some drizzle that was quite pleasant without waterproofs. A flock of sheep was uneventfully passed (no dogs) and we were now nearing Chalet Alpina. A section on tarmac road, then down a track past a small wooden church, down some steps, across a river, and along a track, and we were there! At around 6.15pm. It is a beautiful house, and staff don’t speak English so we had a telephone call followed by the menu in English on WhatsApp.
Getting out of sweaty clothes was nice and a shower.
Pork ribs with coleslaw and chips for dinner, followed by profiteroles. Very tasty but portions were large.