Hiking in the Cerna Mountains: Part Two

After I hiked up to the Cerna ridge from Cerna-Sat and survived my first three flocks of well-protected sheep, it was time to encounter… the next flock of sheep! It’s Day Three of my traverse of the Cerna ridge, and I wake up to very strong winds, and an equally strong awareness that I need to get going fast so as to beat ‘the flock with the bad shepherds and evil dogs’ to it. I’ve been warned against those by the previous shepherds, and I’m a little bit concerned. By ‘beating them to it’ I mean passing them before they get to the ridge; they will have to climb up from the valley several hundreds of metres below me, so I have an advantage. If I get going on time, that is.

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Hiking in the Buila-Vanturarita

It’s June, and summer is here! Hurray! Among my favourite mountains in Romania is the Buila-Vanturarita National Park. So when I saw my friend Alexandra Puscasu from bloguldecalatorii.ro was planning to go there, I dropped her a line to see if I could join in. Like me, she prefers to hike alone or just with her boyfriend most of the time, but during our joint venture at my book launch last year we had agreed we should hike together sometime. And so we did! Hiking in the Buila-Vanturarita is an absolute treat, especially at this time of year. Have a look!

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Gut feelings: what’s going on with me?

So I’ve been in Romania since mid April and I feel it’s confession time! I’ll start telling you what I’ve been up to so far this year. Heads up: this is going to be a highly personal post with fairly little hiking info – although I’ll pepper it with photos from my first hikes. I feel it’s important to take you with me on my sometimes difficult journey; I’m not just exploring Romania but also my self. I simply don’t want to leave you under the impression that everything is going swimmingly when it’s not. I’m building the life I want, but the process is far from smooth. I’m hoping that reading about my struggles will somehow resonate and support you on your own journey.

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Hiking in the Făgăraș Mountains in September: the west-east traverse (3)

For most people, traversing the Făgăraș Mountains is an achievement that takes about five, six days. This includes seasoned hikers. Yes, it’s possible to do it in less – I know trailrunners who’ve done the entire length of it (close to 100 km) in under 48 hours – but for most of us earthlings that is beyond our reach. In fact, it’s beyond my wish. Admittedly, I sometimes get slightly green with envy when I scroll through my social feed and see another feat that I know I will probably never achieve. But I also know that I thoroughly enjoy hiking at my own pace, with plenty of time for breaks and pictures. And for the Făgăraș that means I schedule five or six days, depending on where I end up everyday. Now on day two of our September traverse, we took it a bit far – so day three was definitely going to be an easy one. Join me from Călțun Lake to Capra Lake, via Bâlea Lake for a pit stop. If you need trail info, you can jump right to the end of the post here.

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Hiking in the Fagaras: the west-east traverse (1)

Ever since my first traverse of the Fagaras ridge in the summer of 2018 I’ve wanted to cross those majestic mountains again. And in September opportunity finally struck! There were a few major differences though: 1) I tackled it west to east; 2) I tackled it with Wilbert (hubby and best hiking buddy) and 3) I tackled it in autumn. All of these factors made this hike very different from the last one. Same mountains, same girl: familiar, yet new. Hiking in the Fagaras is always going to offer a surprise or two, that much is clear. Here’s part one – because I’m fairly sure I’m not going to manage to fit everything in one post! Off we go. If you’re in a hurry: trail info is at the bottom of the post.

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Hiking in Padis: the heart of the Apuseni

After my three-day hike through the Vladeasa Mountains I went straight on into the heart of the Apuseni Mountains: Zona Padis, as the Romanians call it. Padis is a green karst plateau full of surprises. Its mysterious forests hide many a cave (and possibly also many a bear); spectacular dolines connected by underground rivers make for challenging hikes. Overall, hiking in Padis is very easy, because most of Padis consists of large pastures, where you can camp with the cows if you like. It’s very suitable for day trips with children or for newbie hikers, but also for multi-day hikes, as you will see below.

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Hiking in the Vladeasa Mountains

Normally I try to squeeze an entire hike into one blog post, but my first multi-stage trek of the season was way too eventful to do that. So I’ve decided to split it up. So here’s Part One: hiking in the Vladeasa Mountains. Sprinkled with a good dose of snow and peppered with adventure and beauty!

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Hiking in the Ciucaș Mountains

One of the first places I want to revisit when I am allowed to travel to Romania again will be the Ciucaș Mountains: a small massif nestled in the Carpathians’ Bend, just southeast of Brașov. Although humble in size, the Ciucaș is generously endowed with natural beauty. Not only do the bujorile de munte – mountain rhododendrons – adorn the green slopes in May and June; the Ciucaș is also known for its vast collection of oddly shaped calcareous rocks, sculpted by wind and rain over time. I visited the Ciucaș mid-May in 2018, when the rhododendrons just started to bloom. And what I’ve seen has convinced me that I need to go back.

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An introduction to Montenegro (1): Kotor

Yes, I’m straying from my first love, finally: this is the first blog post that deals with hiking in another country than Romania! Last summer was my first chance to explore other territories after having done research for the guidebook for three years straight. We ended up picking Montenegro: humble in size but chock-full of mountains and with a stunning coastline to boot. Who said you can’t have it all? It definitely left an impression, and the only reason I haven’t written about it earlier is that other writings (the book) and tasks (the job) got in the way. But Montenegro is still there, and worth your attention, fellow-adventurers! Now that corona is here and the book is published I’ve got a little more time to idle away on the blog. In this post: the old town of Kotor.

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The Piatra Mica in winter

Last winter I was lucky enough to spend some time in Romania in winter – for the first time ever! After celebrating New Year’s Eve in the Buila-Vânturarița with friends and exploring the nearby Cozia Massif with Wilbert, I headed to Brașov to revisit the Piatra Craiului Mountains with some friends, old and new. Since the winds were too strong on the main ridge we restricted ourselves to do the Piatra Mica circuit. But as you will see, it was well worth it! So here it is: the Piatra Mica in winter.

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The Piatra Mica in summer

Yes, I am aware winter is encroaching on us in the northern hemisphere, but I still have summer stories to tell. Although I spent just over a month in Romania this summer it was crammed with adventures – and I still have many pictures to share. Time to catch up. Here is a photo journal of my hike to the Piatra Mica, the Piatra Craiului‘s smaller but no-less-gorgeous sister. I’ve added ‘in summer’ to the title as I did this hike in winter as well – so a winter version of this post is in the cards. At some point. Eventually.

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The Bucegi: the Mălăieşti approach

It’s 7:15. My alarm goes off. I snooze only twice, meaning I’m up, and proud, by 7:25. I do yoga, apply the finishing touches to my pack, have breakfast and call a taxi. It drops me off at Braşov station, where other taxi drivers line up to lure me into one of theirs – but alas, I’m getting on a train. To Râşnov, to be precise. After a short ride on the ridiculously cheap Regio Calatori train I briskly direct my steps towards the Bucegi. After about two kilometres I finally begin to wake up properly and realize I am still for an asphalt road, and that there are no signs of it ending anytime soon. I should definitely have taken a taxi for the first stretch to Cabana Mălăieşti. I could probably still call one, but instead I start flapping my hand up and down Romanian-style to find a ride. It doesn’t take long to take one: I end up in a car with a mountain guide, two Italian tourists and their driver. They are headed for Mălăieşti as well – lucky me. The ride probably saves me two hours of dull walking; as it turns out it’s almost 12km until the start of the trail. Sloppy slapdash planning on my part – I had a deadline to make the night before and didn’t mind the details.

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Update on my life and my book plus the Ceahlău Mountains

Hello dear people. It’s been a while. This blog is turning into more of a quarterly than, well, a blog. I’ve been wanting to write a post for a long, long time, but finishing the manuscript of my guidebook to the mountains of Romania and handling the feedback has swallowed me whole. It’s not that I didn’t have the time – but I’m feeling so depleted that I spend 12 hours out of every 24 sleeping and am so tired that I can’t handle much in terms of cognitive and creative effort. But I do want to write. I don’t imagine any one of you wakes up in the morning thinking ‘When is that girl finally going to post again’ but I do feel some sort of duty towards you, and myself – mostly myself perhaps. I want and need to write, and share. So here is a little update on how things are going and I’m going to treat you to some more Romanian mountains – the Ceahlau. So scroll down if you don’t want any of the personal dribble or read on if you do. (You’ve been warned.)

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Seven things I learned in Romania in 2018

Oh dear. It’s March. In fact, it’s spring! This means I’ve been back for over four months and still I haven’t written my reflective 2018-post. Of course it is a bit ridiculous to publish it this late but since I kept a things-I-learned-list I would like to share these insights with you. Also it is a good exercise for me to get back into writing blog posts. It’s not that I don’t write; in fact I do little else. The deadline for my guidebook to the mountains of Romania is end of April and I have no clue how I am going to finish it in time. But I will. Besides that, I’m working on lots of exciting new projects that I can’t quite talk about yet – but what I can say is that I never dreamed the Roamaniac adventure would roll on like this after the guidebook part! In short, I’m juggling a lot of balls at the moment, so here is a little distraction from all these frightful facts for myself, and for you from whatever it is you need distracting from.

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Călimani Take Two: Twelve Apostles & More

After my snowy venture into the Călimani during the first weekend of October I returned during the second half of the same month. I walked back up the red cross from Gura Haitii to Poiana Izvoarelui and saw a rare cocoș de munte (western capercaillie) on the way. My goal was to complete the circuit of the Călimani as I had planned to do earlier, so I continued towards the famed Twelve Apostles reserve.

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Snow, mud, rain and wind in the Călimani Mountains

Let’s just say I got more than I bargained for. More mud, more rain, more wind, more snow. The Călimani Mountains are giving me a hard time… First the dog bite, now this. (I haven’t written about the dog bite on here yet – full disclosure on facebook.) But admittely, they are beautiful enough to revisit. Which I plan to do soon. Here is a report of this week’s three-day endeavour.

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The Iezer-Păpușa and Făgăraș revisited

Just a few days after I had come back from my hike across the main ridge of the Făgăraș, I went back: I wasn’t quite done with these mountains yet. During an earlier hike into the Iezer-Păpușa, I had planned to cross over into the Făgăraș via a connecting spur, but was prevented by the weather. This time round the forecast didn’t look too favourable either; 5-10mm of rain or more was predicted for every afternoon, so I resolved to go on short hikes and pitch my tent before the rain. But I was fortunate: I was much faster than expected (I suppose I’m getting the hang of this hiking thing) and there was less rain than predicted.

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Hiking across the Făgăraş: Romania’s longest ridge

Oh Făgăraş. You kept me waiting for so long! But It Is Finished: I hiked across the entire length of the Făgăraş Mountains in less than a week! Five days and a rest day, to be precise. I still find it hard to believe that it went so well. But the pictures, the bruises on my legs and sores on my feet serve as good reminders that this actually happened: the longest hike is down! So, hiking in the Făgăraş: this is how you do it! more “Hiking across the Făgăraş: Romania’s longest ridge”

First three months: come rain, come shine

I intended to write a reflective post after my first month in Romania, but then all of a sudden two months had passed – and then three. This doesn’t mean time flew – it didn’t exactly. Last year’s start was tough – this one was tougher. When I look at my walks list I am not impressed – I only managed one three-day hike in June, for instance. In terms of kilometres it looks a little better – I did about 240km which is almost half of what I did in total last year and the year before – so it looks like I’m getting somewhere. Although that said, I have no idea how many kilometres I have ahead of me. I can only hope that I’m about half way, since in another three months winter will force me out of the country.

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A week in the Cozia and Buila-Vânturarița

After my hike in the Iezer-Păpușa was cut short by the rain I planned to return there, but the rain wouldn’t stop so I started looking around for alternatives – and settled for a hike in the Cozia and Buila-Vânturarița, after lengthy consultations with the 500th liker of my facebook page. So after two and a half months in and around Brașov I set off for Cârța, a lovely little village in between Brașov and Sibiu at the foot of the imposing Făgăraș mountains. Actually my host, Sorin, drove me there – he happened to have an appointment in Aiud that same day and Cârța was pretty much en route. So that saved me a lot of dragging and sweating.

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Two days in the Iezer-Păpușa Mountains

I just came back from a wonderful two-day circular hike in the Iezer-Păpușa Mountains. After even more torrential rain which flooded half the country and even brought down a railway bridge (wettest June in 40 years), I set off towards this beautiful cousin of the Făgăraș, the longest of all mountain ranges in Romania. It lies tucked away to the southeast of it, and west of the Piatra Craiului. I took a bus to the town of Câmpulung Muscel from Brașov over the Rucar-Bran Pass, which took me through the beautiful Țara Branului – the land of Bran. It was by no means a comfortable journey, but it was worth it for the views alone – the rolling hills around Bran, the Bucegi to the east and the Piatra Craiului to the west.

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Crossing the Baiului and Grohotiș Mountains

This week I finally got to go on my first full-pack hike, after three frustrating weeks of waiting for the weather to clear up. There were thunderstorms and torrential rains almost every day, and I just couldn’t find a big enough gap to go hiking without risking getting absolutely drenched. Now I don’t mind a little rain – it’s part of the adventure – but I know three days of rain would mean misery. So I was overjoyed when the weather forecasts (I check multiple sources) ‘promised’ three days of reasonably favourable weather from Sunday to Tuesday. So on Saturday I took the train to Predeal so that I would be able to start early Sunday morning. Well, my early – I left at 9am.

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A very exciting day in the Piatra Craiului: the Lanțuri route and Southern Ridge

I’m back from a long weekend in the Netherlands – my sister got married, I got to spend some precious time with my husband, saw some friends, wandered around my lovely hometown, Leiden, and stocked up on cheese. And now I’m back in my little abode in Brașov. Time to rest and write. The week before last I completed a crazy hike in the Piatra Craiului mountains, as you may have noticed on facebook. It was definitely the most challenging one-day hike I have ever undertaken and is probably one of the most difficult hikes in all of Romania. I’m very proud that I managed to pull this one off so early on this year, and absolutely loved it so am going to give you a full description so that you can do this too, if you need an adrenaline shot. more “A very exciting day in the Piatra Craiului: the Lanțuri route and Southern Ridge”

First hike of the season: To Piatra Mare Peak via Șapte Scări Gorge

The first hike of the season is under the belt! I am so glad I made it to the start. Of the third leg of this Roamaniac project, I mean. I was far from sure I was up to it. But, as another hiker wisely wrote, nothing gets you fit for hiking like hiking. For starters, I picked an entry-level hike – and although my body protested a bit during the climb through the forest (and afterwards, i.e. now), it went well and I enjoyed it. Here is a description of a hike through the fabulous Șapte Scări Gorge – Șapte Scări meaning Seven Ladders. I combined it with a hike to Piatra Mare Peak and then walked back down an easy path. But the beauty of this hike is (amongst others) that it has something for everyone: you can keep it short by doing just the gorge part, make it longer by hiking up to Piatra Mare cabin or even longer by hiking up to Piatra Mare Peak.

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Poetry for travellers: ‘Der Fremde’ by Rainer Maria Rilke

I’ve recently taken up the habit of reading one poem before I go to sleep. I started this after I bought a volume of poetry by Rainer Maria Rilke – a selection of his so-called ‘New Poems’. Last night, I accidentally read three (to calm my raging mind). Der Fremde, ‘The Stranger’, was the last one. I found it so comforting, and so relevant to my roaming adventure, that I thought I should post it on here. It also made me wonder why I hadn’t shared any poetry before. I write poetry myself (when I am under its spell – it comes and it goes) so it makes sense to share some poetry on here, too. One possible problem: it’s in German and I haven’t found an adequate English translation. I tried my hands on it but soon realized I couldn’t do it justice. So I will just post the original and then highlight what struck me about it.

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Five more things I learned in Romania in 2017

When we grow up, we learn to walk – but I am walking to learn. I’m a perfectionist, so I always want to get things right the first time round. But there is no way to do that with an adventure like this: I have to learn on the go. About my surroundings, about myself. About my limits, my body, my fears; about techniques, gear, the weather. In fact, I no longer even want things to go perfectly right from the start; I love the everlasting learning process. I’d probably feel very bored without it. These are some of the things I learned throughout my second hiking season in Romania.

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Five things I learned in Romania in 2017

So, this is the post I intended to write before the end of last year – but although the clock doesn’t cheat, the way we experience time differs from time to time, person to person. Never mind –  January is still a fine month to do some reflecting. These are some of the things I learned in Romania last year. I haven’t read my notes for a while so I will probably do some re-learning while I write. 🙂

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The Retezat: Getting there & What not to miss

Let’s just be clear: the Retezat Mountains should be on top of your list if you want to explore the Romanian Carpathians. Many Romanians will agree with me that it is among the most beautiful mountain ranges in Romania, if not the single most beautiful. I can sum up the facts – like there are over 20 peaks over 2,000 metres, some eighty lakes that gleam like blue eyes – there are bears and marmots and chamois, ancient beech forests and rugged ridges, scrambling sections and lovely meadows. But you should really just go and immerse yourself.

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Hiking through Râmet Gorge: a very watery adventure

One of the hikes that I’ve most enjoyed so far led through Râmet Gorge, or Cheile Râmetului in Romanian. It is perhaps the most spectacular hike in the Trascău Mountains: walking this trail means actually having to wade through the river that streams through the gorge, for a distance of about two kilometres. The water streams pretty fast and can reach as high as your chest in some places – although in those cases you can always rely on cables and footholds in the wall of the gorge. This hike is absolutely delightful on a hot day and the scenery is stunning. If this sounds like fun, read on and find out more.

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First Month: Ups & Downs (and two routes to Scăriţa Belioara)

By now I’ve spent a month in Romania, so it’s time for a review – and a post. Things haven’t been easy, and I’ve spent a considerable amount of time pondering how I want to use this blog. I feel a strong urge to write Real Stories – as opposed to Smooth Stories that may make my adventure sound like a dream come true (which it is) and encourage you, my reader, to come visit Romania, but don’t reflect the hardships that are also part of my dream project and of my life. It’s a lot less scary to write up an attractive itinerary and a cheerful account of all the beautiful moments I go through here, but the truth is that Real Life comes with Rough Edges. more “First Month: Ups & Downs (and two routes to Scăriţa Belioara)”

Beautiful Bucegi: an itinerary

It’s about time I tried to lure you into visiting Romania again. For reasons outlined in my previous post, I haven’t been able to put much effort into writing lately. My silence definitely doesn’t mean I’ve run out of enthusiasm or destinations – far from it! So here, finally, is an itinerary again – through the Bucegi Mountains this time. If you’re still contemplating where to go this summer and would love to tackle some mountains, I hope with this post I can tempt you to honour the beautiful Bucegi with a visit.

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Five things I learned in Romania this year

It’s been a while since I last wrote. My computer had a breakdown and so did I. One word: depression. I’m still crawling out of the hole, shedding the lethargy, fear, fatigue and what else one layer at a time. Thought I’d gather some courage and write one last – and belated – post before we jump into 2017. Don’t expect anything profound – these are just some of the things I learned during those four months in Romania that kept me going.

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Hiking in the Munţii Maramureşului: Vinderel Lake and Farcău Peak

Want some alone time whilst enjoying splendid scenery? Then the Munţii Maramureşului were made just for you! You will have to make a bit of an effort to get there – but if you clicked on this post I trust you got triggered by the word ‘hiking’. Although there is a lot more to be explored in the Munţii Maramureşului, let’s get started with this beautiful hike from the village of Repedea to Vinderel Lake and Farcău Peak. It’s one of the most rewarding walks I’ve ever done.  more “Hiking in the Munţii Maramureşului: Vinderel Lake and Farcău Peak”

Hiking in the Rodna Mountains

If the Carpathians are wild, the Rodna Mountains (Munţii Rodnei in Romanian) are truly wild. In the mountains around Braşov, the Fagaraş for example, you will meet plenty of people and find many a cabana – but in the Rodna, you will have to be completely self-sufficient. There are no cabanas except for a (temporarily closed) inn at the Setref Pass in the west, Hanul Pintea, and a cabana at the easternmost end of the ridge, Cabana Rotunda. So pack your tent, food and water, and let’s go… more “Hiking in the Rodna Mountains”

Sounds of Romania: A Cowboy and his Trumpet

On day one of my hike into the Rodna Mountains last week, I thought I heard a trumpet or other brass instrument in the distance. Soon after, we saw a shelter appearing on the horizon, which turned out to belong to a cowboy and his son. They herded cows and horses; made cheese and kept a little lamb beside the fire in their very snug hut. The cowboy also turned out to be the trumpet player – or whatever it’s called.  more “Sounds of Romania: A Cowboy and his Trumpet”

Farmer Hoggett knew…

Why I keep returning to Romania

People often ask me why I keep returning to Romania. To which the short answer is that I have simply fallen in love with the country; but of course that still leaves a lot of explaining to do. So here is an attempt; which will hopefully convince you that you need to go there and fall in love yourself! more “Farmer Hoggett knew…”

So, who’s the Roamaniac?

Hi, I’m Janneke. I am a self-declared Roamaniac: I am utterly and completely in love with Romania, and I suffer from what the dictionary describes as ‘a strong desire for freedom’ (aptly called eleutheromania). Over the next couple of years, I will be hiking and trekking through Romania. I will focus on the various mountain ranges but will need to rest in between, so will also report on the joys of the Romanian countryside and its beautiful medieval towns. more “So, who’s the Roamaniac?”