Here's another view from the same spot.
After a bit of faffing arising from differences between Collett's route and Katerina's route, we chose the latter, as Katerina (who appears to be the boss here) was on hand to point us in the right direction past some nice flowers.
All paths lead to the valley bottom, where the river is crossed by either a shallow paddle or the remnants of a corrugated roof.
After a bit of faffing arising from differences between Collett's route and Katerina's route, we chose the latter, as Katerina (who appears to be the boss here) was on hand to point us in the right direction past some nice flowers.
Peach-leaved Bellflowers
Lesser Butterfly Orchid
There are numerous information boards including several showing the named climbs up the faces that hem in ordinary pedestrians such as ourselves.
A signpost indicated our preferred route to Cabane Curmatura, following yellow circles painted on rocks and trees.
Continuing in and out of the welcome shade of the trees, we reached the cabane after rather more ascent than I'd expected.
A nutcracker hopped around nearby, seemingly oblivious to our presence.
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Sue nipped up to a nearby saddle whilst I chilled for 40 minutes at the hut.
I'd hoped for an easy day today but it turned out to be about 20km with 1300 metres ascent, thankfully all at a very gentle pace.
Now enjoying a last evening in the hills, with whistling swifts and alpenrose clad mountains turning pink in the distance.
Sue's diary:
26 June
Woke at 7.30 to the peace of Magura. Breakfast about 8.20am with a large flask of coffee and the usual meats and cheeses. Lunch was made from these.
After a false start (too far down the dirt road) we checked with Katherina and took the 2nd left turn on a dirt road, from left out of the villa. After 280m, we turned right after Casa Dobra and descended down a narrow path, then a sunken lane,past a meadow, to drop through the woods to the gorge. There were Lesser Butterfly orchids here. We’d joined a marked (blue triangle) trail. Here we turned left and followed the track as it gently climbed beside a shallow river.
The gorge was cool and shady, and the limestone cliffs impressive. Boards described various aspects of the Piatre Craiului National Park, including that it has around 25 bears, and 5-6 lynx (Martin spotted one on our drive up the valley to see the bears yesterday).
We stopped for a cup of tea at the Mountain Rescue post, where there was a bench and two climbers were preparing their equipment.
Soon after, a Romanian asked where we were from. He was a climber, turned walker due to carrying a small child! He warned us about bears, saying there were 16,000 in Romania! According to Katherina, the DNA profiling that’s been done showed there are 10 to 13,000. He has a holiday home in Magura.
We did see three piles of bear poo today though!
We continued up the track until a right turn took us into the woods on a narrow path marked with yellow circles. The sign stated that it was 2.00 to 2.30 hours to Curmatura Hut. The path was lovely and shady and followed a stream, crossing it part-way up. A nutcracker hopped on the path in front of us, unwilling to fly off.
The path reached a meadow that has been grazed over many years, losing the flowers that are present in the hay meadows lower down. Cow bells could be heard.
The final pull to the hut was up a steep grass slope and we arrived about 1.30pm. There were a good number of people spread over the tables and under the eaves and the views over the forest were wide, with the limestone ridge above.
We bought cokes and ate our sandwiches, and Katherina’s recommended chocolate slices.
Reluctantly Martin let me climb for 20 minutes to a saddle, that gave magnificent views to the valley and up to the higher limestone summit. A columbine and alpine clematis were seen on the way up. A ring ouzel sang from a nearby tree, next to one with a woodpecker sitting on it!
It was half an hour there and back, so we started our descent about 2.15pm, following the vertical yellow stripe path, back in the woods once again.
After 30 minutes we entered a meadow, where cows were grazing with their bells ringing. The views to the Bucegi range from here were lovely. We then (gratefully) plunged back into the dark forest, stopping for the rest of the tea and cake at a bench (3.20) before the gradient steepened.
We lost the yellow stripes after zigzagging down through the woodland but the path followed a ridge steeply down, emerging at the car park at the gorge entrance and the other path that we’d inadvertently left.
Turning right, we retraced our steps from this morning and slowly climbed back to Magura, reaching the villa at 5pm.
Tea in our room, with feet up after a 20km day, doing Squardle for an hour or so.
Showers and washing was next, with a few minutes on the terrace with a cold beer, before dinner at 7pm. This was self-service, sausages and other meat, salads, and oven-baked mash. It was extremely tasty. Papanasi (with jam and cream) for pudding.
We then sat back out on the terrace, to write diaries, watching as the mountains turned red (the pink slopes of Alpenrose were visible - this only occurs for a couple of weeks a year) and the moon brightened (9ish).
Woke at 7.30 to the peace of Magura. Breakfast about 8.20am with a large flask of coffee and the usual meats and cheeses. Lunch was made from these.
After a false start (too far down the dirt road) we checked with Katherina and took the 2nd left turn on a dirt road, from left out of the villa. After 280m, we turned right after Casa Dobra and descended down a narrow path, then a sunken lane,past a meadow, to drop through the woods to the gorge. There were Lesser Butterfly orchids here. We’d joined a marked (blue triangle) trail. Here we turned left and followed the track as it gently climbed beside a shallow river.
The gorge was cool and shady, and the limestone cliffs impressive. Boards described various aspects of the Piatre Craiului National Park, including that it has around 25 bears, and 5-6 lynx (Martin spotted one on our drive up the valley to see the bears yesterday).
We stopped for a cup of tea at the Mountain Rescue post, where there was a bench and two climbers were preparing their equipment.
Soon after, a Romanian asked where we were from. He was a climber, turned walker due to carrying a small child! He warned us about bears, saying there were 16,000 in Romania! According to Katherina, the DNA profiling that’s been done showed there are 10 to 13,000. He has a holiday home in Magura.
We did see three piles of bear poo today though!
We continued up the track until a right turn took us into the woods on a narrow path marked with yellow circles. The sign stated that it was 2.00 to 2.30 hours to Curmatura Hut. The path was lovely and shady and followed a stream, crossing it part-way up. A nutcracker hopped on the path in front of us, unwilling to fly off.
The path reached a meadow that has been grazed over many years, losing the flowers that are present in the hay meadows lower down. Cow bells could be heard.
The final pull to the hut was up a steep grass slope and we arrived about 1.30pm. There were a good number of people spread over the tables and under the eaves and the views over the forest were wide, with the limestone ridge above.
We bought cokes and ate our sandwiches, and Katherina’s recommended chocolate slices.
Reluctantly Martin let me climb for 20 minutes to a saddle, that gave magnificent views to the valley and up to the higher limestone summit. A columbine and alpine clematis were seen on the way up. A ring ouzel sang from a nearby tree, next to one with a woodpecker sitting on it!
It was half an hour there and back, so we started our descent about 2.15pm, following the vertical yellow stripe path, back in the woods once again.
After 30 minutes we entered a meadow, where cows were grazing with their bells ringing. The views to the Bucegi range from here were lovely. We then (gratefully) plunged back into the dark forest, stopping for the rest of the tea and cake at a bench (3.20) before the gradient steepened.
We lost the yellow stripes after zigzagging down through the woodland but the path followed a ridge steeply down, emerging at the car park at the gorge entrance and the other path that we’d inadvertently left.
Turning right, we retraced our steps from this morning and slowly climbed back to Magura, reaching the villa at 5pm.
Tea in our room, with feet up after a 20km day, doing Squardle for an hour or so.
Showers and washing was next, with a few minutes on the terrace with a cold beer, before dinner at 7pm. This was self-service, sausages and other meat, salads, and oven-baked mash. It was extremely tasty. Papanasi (with jam and cream) for pudding.
We then sat back out on the terrace, to write diaries, watching as the mountains turned red (the pink slopes of Alpenrose were visible - this only occurs for a couple of weeks a year) and the moon brightened (9ish).
The swifts are squealing as they swoop to and fro above.
Villa Hermani is at 1,020m.
Villa Hermani is at 1,020m.
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