A Long Trip. But Still Unforgettable!

Hi folks!

Let me tell you about my most recent trip into the mountains. It happened at the beginning of this month and as in many other occasions it took place in the area of the Brasov county (namely in Bran, Romania).

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This time I only stayed two days in Bran, of which only one was dedicated to walking and travelling. For this reason I had to make best use of this time and see as many places as possible.

And this is what I did. First I climbed the mountain from Bran to the Magura peak. I already posted some pictures taken along this way in a previous trip here: A Trip to Magura.

From the peak I descended to Magura village and walked on the road to a place called Botorog’s Well (in Romanian: Fantana lui Botorog). The road was straight at the start but it then began to descend similar to a spiral through the forest. It was very warm outside which was ideal for a good walk. Another thing to mention is that this way is frequently used by many mountain bikers although it’s pretty challenging, especially when ascending back to Magura. Personally I prefer to use the bike on straight roads and my feet for mountain trips.

After reaching the well I had to options: one was to go to Zarnesti (a small but beautiful town), the other was to climb to Curmatura, a cabin belonging to Piatra Craiului National Park. As there was still plenty of time I chose the second option.

It took me only two hours to reach the cabin through the forest and the Zanoaga meadow. The weather was still ok although the sky got cloudy and a cool wind began to blow. I arrived at the cabin in less than two hours, which was pretty fast comparing to previous trips.

At Curmatura I took a short break and enjoyed a cold non-alcoholic beer while watching the fantastic landscapes. To be honest I’m not into alcohol and anyway it is not recommended at all to serve alcoholic drinks while climbing. The mind should be as clear as possible as any wrong step might lead to a disaster.

When the break was over I resumed my trip. I decided to return to Botorog’s Well, this time through a canyon called Prapastiile Zarnestilor (the Steeps of Zarnesti). I descended through the forest and when I reached the steeps I was simply charmed by the superb views. On both sides of the road huge cliffs of the most unusual shapes were heading to the skies. Incredible geological formations and even some small caves could be observed. Unfortunately I had to speed up my steps as the clouds grew larger and darker. And what I hadn’t even thought of in the morning happened: a heavy rain began. Along with water hail poured generously from the sky. I continued walking as I couldn’t afford to wait due to the fact that evening was approaching and I still had a long way ahead (the whole trip was on foot). I arrived back to Botorog’s Well and from there I chose the previously mentioned first option, namely going to Zarnesti. From Zarnesti I took the road to Bran (in the meanwhile the rain stopped and my clothes began to dry). After two more hours I reached Bran when the night had already begun to fall.

To conclude, it was a long trip. Usually I would walk this distance in a day and a half or two days. But it is still to remember after years. To be honest I wish I had taken more photographs. However this is not always possible when on a “tight” schedule. There is always a trade-off as the time is the most valuable resource. I hope the few snapshots I managed capturing will give you a glimpse of the beauty of these places and will inspire you to visit them as well. It is definitely worth doing it!

Take care.

PS. Check these posts too:

A Trip to Fundata

An Unforgetable Trip

An Unforgetable Trip (continued)

Another Unforgettable Trip

Piatra Craiului Mountains (as seen from Magura Peak)