|
|
The Bucegi Natural
Park Romania's Mountain
Wonderland
|
|
In
Counties:
Prahova,
Dâmboviţa,
Braşov, and
Argeş |
|
 The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest
Romania SRL, All rights reserved.
Photo:
© REST ROMÂNIA
|
The Bucegi mountains, from Gura Diham
|
|
Americans have their Yosemite, and Australians
their Cradle Mountain, both famous parks of iconic national pride.
In Romania, it is the Bucegi Mountains which takes the prize
as the signature park encompassing the best of the great Carpathian
Mountains.
Expectations are met and exceeded in the Bucegi Natural Park, with
8 special protected reserve areas, huge cable cars effortlessly floating
up the massive Bucegi escarpment, and all the bears, wolves and mountain
cats to make you feel like you’re in the Canadian Rockies, except it’s
about 3 times cheaper here!
Ski, Hike, Camp, Fish, Love
Skiers and hikers both can find extended seasons here across a wide
range of difficulties, with numerous ski and hiking cabins dotted throughout
the area.
Anglers will delight in seven main river basins which drain the
huge horseshoe shaped crest, including lake fishing in several locations.
Bushwalkers in particular will enjoy the Romanian fanaticism for well-marked
trails, and the booking system and cheap rates at the well-appointed
hiking cabins – more like chalets than a simple cabin – will make your
Bucegi mountain trekking pleasant and quite affordable.
 The
Karst Factor
Most Americans have heard of the caves at
Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico, and Down Under,
the Jenolan Caves
are similarly well-known.
But for Romanians, their entire arc of the Carpathian Mountains
are dotted with caves, making Romania the first country to formalise
the science of speleology (studying caves).
Karst is the term for what happens when water
seeps down into soft limestone, forming a geological wonderland of ravines,
chasms, caves, sinks and underground streams.
The central basin of the Bucegi Mountains, ringed by the horseshoe
of the surrounding massif, is home to some of Europe's most interesting
caves and gorges, most of which are strictly protected in one of
the dozen Natural Reserves (listed below).
If you’re only in the area for a morning and afternoon, perhaps
travelling on over the pass to Braşov, your main aim to get a good feel
for this area is by taking the cable car up from Buşteni or Sinaia.
Sinaia does have the Royal Peleş Domain, with it’s castles and parkland,
so you could combine that with a gondola ride. You can stop on the way
at Cota 1400 for a lunch and look around the Prahova Valley from the
vantage point there.
Some may choose to take a trail back down through the Royal
Fields and down into the Royal Domain and Castle Peleş.
If you continue on up to the top, you’re sure to enjoy the views
with Ant Mountain (Vârful Furnica) and Pining Peak (Vârful cu Dor) on
either side of the Little Lamb Cabin (Cabana Mioriţa).
Buşteni on the other hand, features a longer cable car ride, with
stops at the top for some interesting monument, both natural and man-made,
continuing on down into the central Ialomiţa river valley and the hotel
and monastery there (quite a remote location actually, and very picturesque!).
If you can spend a night in the area, you can enjoy a morning, afternoon
or full day up on the Massif, taking in the top sights and even a few
hours of hiking.
Walking around on the top of the massif, or enjoying a leisurely
walking track down to either the Cave Monastery or Buşteni is positively
inspirational along the crests and down in the splendid meadows. Unless
you are in very good shape, taking the gondolas up to a point, and then
trekking along a trail down to a destination provides a good use of
your limited time, and just as many good photos opportunities.
Once you’re up on the plateau, be it by cable car or trail or car
(several forest roads are passable most of the spring and summer by
standard sized cars), three main trail routes allow level or downhill
access between the telecabina stations and destinations.
Coming up from Sinaia on the Prahova Valley floor and going all
the way to the Little Lamb Hut (Cabana Mioriţa), head north towards
the Burnt Rock Cabin (Cabana Piatra Arsă). From there, you can go right
to the east down the stairstepped trail to Buşteni (easy enough down
the Pine Valley), and to the left, west and down into the main Lake
Bolboci and Ialomiţa river basin, leading to the caves, Cave Monastery
and the hotel, where the cable car can return you back to Buşteni. If
you’re staying in Sinaia, maxi-taxis run regularly 10km to the south
from Buşteni, and if you schedule it right, you can catch one of the
local (Personal) trains.
Enjoying the Bucegi Mountains means that you enjoy the marvellous
convergence of sun, sky, forest and earth which combine so sumptuously
throughout the Carpathian mountains.
If camping by a babbling brook, hiking to a hidden hotel in the
middle of the park, or just sunning yourself while the wide Wallachian
plains unfold before you far below, then Bucegi has what you need.
Wildflowers abound in the spring and summer months, and the winter
snows turn the whole upper plateau into a wondrous winter fantasyland,
with inspiring peaks, fabulous formations dusted in white, and stately
forests brimming with bear, chamois (the black mountain goat), and possibly
a lynx (mountain cat) or two.
And a longer stay means that you can pick and choose the joys of
the Bucegi Massif you wish to see. From the Babele Sfinx to the Bear
Gorge, Mount Omu to Lake Bolboci, the trail network is extensive and
they start out from many different locations all around the park, except
possibly in the Leaota mountains to the far western reaches.
Listed below are some of the top features in the park area, as well
as a list of monuments, which accompanies the map further below.
If you have some information for us about the Bucegi Mountains or
County Prahova, please
Let us know about it now!
|
|
|
|
 The Cream of the Crop!
The Romanian approach to protecting and highlighting the wonders of
this extensive massif is to make a series of specially protected reserves
and some protected monuments as well.
These areas are especially reserved and activities of hikers are strictly
limited, so don't pick that flower and do NOT move a rock please!
Some of these areas date from as early as 1932, with others going under
protection in 1943, with a total area of
.
The Protected Areas in the Bucegi Natural Park include:
Combining three areas from the Bucşoiu cliffs and chasm reserve, the
Cornpone Horns of the Mălăieşti reserve, to the
Hole Valley (Valea Gaura) reserve, this is the only Natural
Reserve within County Braşov.
The Rezervaţia
Naturală Mixtă Bucegi (Abruptul Bucşoiu, Mălăeşti şi Gaura) lies in
the northern-most part of the mighty Bucegi massif, comprising of
of area.
The Mălăieşti
Cabin was first built a bit lower than it is now, inaugurated in 1898
and moved up to it's present location in the late 1930s. The
Mălăieşti Cabin website has some
nice photos of the cabin.
The
Bucşoiu
Valley is a gorgeous trek, with the Balaur
(like a dragon, see our
Folklore section) of Little Bucşoiu Peak overlooking the scenery,
and
Holey
Valley (Valea Gaura) holds some rather wonderful
views. In sum, these
three protected areas are one of
County Braşov's shining assets, and quite accessible to Braşov, Bran and of course,
Predeal.
Possibly the most well known area in the Bucegi Natural Park, the
Rezervaţia Naturală Abruptul Prahovean is home to the marvellously massive
escarpment which towers over Buşteni and
Sinaia
Just inside
the County Prahova borders in the
far north-west of the county, the Prahovan Escarpment Natural Reserve
features Europe's largest conglomerate
cliff system.
The easiest
ways of course to get a good view of the massive escarpment is on the
huge cable cars which ply the routes up and down from Sinaia and Buşteni.
The other main reserve on the County Prahova
side of the mountainous massif features some improbably looking crags,
a form so typical to this part of the Carpathians.
A bit more accessible than the other crags deeper in the park, the
Bearded Crags offer some excellent photo opportunities.
Known as the Rezervaţia Naturală Colţii lui Barbeş to the locals, this
spiky stone spine indeed looks a bit like a giant stone beard as it
marches off to the distance.
Welcome to the
Bucegi Natural Park!
This sign welcomes you to the natural reserve
areas of the park, with the usual prohibitions and info
|
|
The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest
Romania SRL, All rights reserved.
Photo:
© REST ROMÂNIA
|
Natural Monuments
In the Bucegi Natural Park
|
 The
Windswept Chasm
(Avenul Vânturis)
 The
Windswept Waterfall
(Cascada Vânturis)
 The
Bearded Teeth
(Coltii lui Barbes)
Big Claia
(Claia Mare)
The
Gate of Caraiman
(Portita Caraimanului)
The
Foamy Rapids
(Ogasul Spumos)
The
White Valley Walls
(Peretele Vaii Albe)
Miller's
Crag
(Coltii Morarului)
Stag
Valley Pavillion
(Ceardacul din Valea Cerbului)
Omu's
Rockpile
(Pietrele de la Omu)
The
Bucşoiu Chasm
(Avenul din Bucşoiu)
The
Little Turkish Mosque
(Mecetul Turcesc)
Cornpone
Horns
(Hornurile Malaiestilor)
The
Tiganeşti Glacial Cirque
(Circul Glaciar Tiganeşti)
The
Hole Valley Arch
(Arcada din Valea Gaura)
 Billygoat
Valley
(Valea Tapului)
Turners
Stop
(Popasul Strunga)
 Hole
Valley Fossil Field
(Punctul Fosilifer de pe Valea Gaura)
Lady
Falls
(Cascada Doamnei)
The
Sphinx
(Sfinxul)
The
Old Women
(Babele)
The
Chasm at the Old Women's Feet
(Avenul din Piciorul Babele)
The
Sandstone Mushroom Plateau
(Platoul cu ciuperci de gresie)
Horoaba's
Gorge
(Cheile Horoabei)
Horoaba's
Slope
(Ponorul din Horoaba)
Bear
Gorge
(Cheile Ursilor)
The
Ialomiţa Cave
(Pestera Ialomitei)
The
Little Turners Stone
(Calcarele de la Strungulita)
 The
Horoaba Spring
(Izbucul din Horoaba)
Seckler's
Tower
(Turnul Seciului)
Coteanu
Spring
(Izbucul Coteanu)
The
Tatar Gorge
(Cheile Tătarului)
Zănoaga
Gorge
(Cheile Zanoagei)
Orza
Gorge
(Cheile Orzei)
Karstic
Slab Plateau
(Platoul Carstic Lespezi)
Jib
River Gorge
(Cheile Brateiului)
The
Jib River Crag
(Coltii Brateiului)
Duck
Creek Gorge
(Cheile Rateiului)
Duck
Creek Cave
(Pestera Ratei)
|
| |
The Rezervaţia Naturală Peştera Cocora includes the Bear Gorge and Horoaba Valley
areas in this County Dâmboviţa Natural
Reserve.
This reserve
is made up mainly of the karst systems from the
Batrana
Range to the
Ialomiţa
Cave, including the Bear Gorge, the Chasm
of Caves, Ialomiţa Cave, and the Pustnic Cave
(a natural monument).
This area also
includes the Horoaba
Valley
system, with Iapiez, the
Horoaba
Canyon or Gorge, the Horoaba
Spring, and Seckler's Tower (also a natural monument).
The Ialomiţa
cave is buried deep in the Upper Jurassic limestone in the south east
of the Batrana Mountains,
at
it's a rather large cave, distributed across two main levels.
In total, there
are
of active and fossil galleries. The biggest part of the
reserve is covered by Norway spruce (Picea abies), along with quite
a few clusters of deciduous
larch on the rocky
slopes of the Ialomiţa
River gorge, firs are throughout,
and you'll find junipers in the Horoaba valley, along the Batrana and
Crane ranges.
There are also
isolated groups of the Swiss Pine (a white pine, Pinus cembra) throughout
the reserve.
Glacial tills
abound in the Lesniţa, Horoaba and Suchelniţa valleys and throughout
the Batrana and Crane (Cocora) ranges, and the area preserves karstic
relief in it's entirety.
Gorge-ous Flowers!
The Bear Gorge
area has some pleasingly diverse subalpine flora, and the grassland
of the valleys in the reserve are rife with blossoms after the snow
melts.
Found in the area are tracts of
fescue grasses (Festuca apennina, F. saxatilis), viola, pink and white
valarian, geraniums, and mountain saxifrage.
See the Flora section below
for more info.
The valleys
of the Horoaba massif and valleys carry masses of dianthus, draba and
saxifrage varieties, and fossicker and fossil-hounds alike will delight
in the fossil fields (puncte fosilifere) in the area.
In the southern
part of the Cave gorges, at the base of the limestone walls in the Horoaba
massif, on the banks of the Ialomiţa river appear a few species like
Holcophylloceras mediterraneum, Lissoceras psilodiscus (cephalopods),
and a few big echinoderms such as Rhabdocidaris copeoides and Sphenodus
teeth.
Also the
Horoabei massif are fossils of cephalopods,
lamellibranches (bivalve molluscs) with thin shells, echinoides
and crinoides, and in the immense Bear Cave (long,
wide and
tall) have been found relics of the cave bear, Ursus spelaeus (thusly,
the name of the cave).
The Reserve Babele preserves the relief produced
by the erosion of conglomerate and limestone across a variety of formations,
from the iconic Old Women (Babele), to the mushrooms
(ciupercile) and the haunting Sphinx (sfinxul).
Being on the more bare exposed upper portion of the reserve, the
area is also home to alpine vegetation. Further to the north, Reserve
Omu protects associations of alpine tundra vegetation with endemic plants
of the Carpathians.
One of the most visited Natural Reserves in the central
Lake
Bolboci depression (thanks to a reasonable
forest road), the Tatar Gorge is where the Ialomiţa River
pours into the lake.
The Rezervaţia Naturală Cheile Tătarului features very photogenic
rock walls alongside the river's course, as it pours down from the high
mountains to the north and into the man-made Bolboci Lake.
Cheile Tătarului – mixed natural reserve .
The natural reserve Cheile Tătarului, along the rare elements
that it possesses and the beauty of the landscape it also represents
an interesting geological and paleonthological reserve, which is comprises
Tatar Karsts, Tătarului Mare gorges (natural monument) Bear’s Cave and
Little Cave (out of Tatarul Mare Gorges).
The most beautiful area of
Tatarul Mare Gorges
is at the foot of Lake
Bolboci and it
is about
long, in the spot where Ialomita got wider in the south- eastern part
of Mount Tataru
limestone mass.
Here, on the left side of Tătarului Valley, at
high, we are able to see to see the openings of the two caves – Bear’s
Cave and Little Cave – the highest Romanian
palaeolithic formations which served as a shelter for the humans
in the Wurmien ice melting period. And a good interest point represents
the fossils of Ursus spelaeus found in here.
On the both sides
of the valley, there can be seen white-grey limestones with a very rich
fossil fauna. And on the right wall of Ialomiţa can be observed yellow
and browny–red limestones mixed with alot of fossils.
This majestic valley under the
Horoaba
Peak is protected as
the Rezervaţia Naturală Valea Horoabei, with
subalpine valley floor species.
The reserve
protects flora typical of the upper subalpine floor (Festucetum rubrae
subalpinum) which contains alot of rarities such as Gentiana bulgarica.
The adjoining Cross Meadows section protects similar
topography and flora, again the Gentiana bulgarica, and Gentiana verna.
(R.N. Orzea-Zănoaga, R. N. Zănoaga-Lucăcila)
These twin scientific natural reserves span the Little and Big Zănoaga
Gorges (Zănoagei Mici şi Mari), the beautiful centuries-old spruce fir
forests, clusters of Larix decidua and a few specimens of Pinus cembra,
found of the right side of Ialomiţa.
The Zanoaga reserve includes the Zanoaga mountains and the Big Zanoaga
Gorge.
See the Flora section below
for more info.
Plants enjoying warmer conditions (various thermophillic species)
can be found at the foot of the southern walls of the Zanoaga limestone
mountain. This collosus slap of karstic fun is also named "The
bridge with the flowers” and flowers are also found at the Big Zănoaga
Gorges (Chiele Zănoagei Mare).
Species in these sweet spots include those adapted well to the combined
Mediterranean and Balkan growing conditions, from Iris Dacica, Sorbus
cretica, Carduus candicans (a rare Blakan species in Romania), to Phleum
montanum, Athamantha hungarica, Phleum montanum, Astragalus depressus
(also found on Domogled Mountain), Lonicera caerulea and Streptopus
amplexifolius, rare species in Romania.
|
|
|
The Rezervaţia Naturală Turbăria Lăptici ("Lăptici" is a little bit
of milk, like a child would ask for) covers the peat bog area surrounding
the Lăptici river, going from the peak of the same name down to Lake Bolboci,
between the Coteanu Gorges and tha Tatar Gorge.
If you like
taxonomy and finding a few rare examples, the highland moors of the
Milkdrop Peat bogs is the place for you! The Lăptici Reserve,
although small and geographically
isolated from the larger areas of Romanian highland moors, protects
a few rare Nordic flower species, some of which are almost genetic relics.
This truly special
extended bog has
a microfauna typical to the highland moors, very diverse and interesting.
Throughout the Bucegi Mountains you can
indeed find masses of sphagnum,
but the Milkdrop Moors is the only one where these elements are found
in a compact mass capable of forming thick peat deposits.
The surface
sphagnum moss itself retains a large quantity of
water which favours the development of a rich and varied microflora.
Among the sphagnum are living a series of superior plants
such as Agrostis rupestris, Alchemilla alpestris, Caltha laeta,
as well as species of Eriophorum and Trifolium pratense genre.
Also in the
peat meadows can be found the more common spruce fir, pines, birches,
the dwarf juniper (called "Mugo pine" in America, sold for suburban
gardens), the wonderful little peat willow, and even a few blueberry
bushes.
The spruce fir
tree and the pine trees growing in the peat meadows are stunted, having
a dwarf aspect (small with dense branches and little leaves).
Also, this magical little reserve protects the peat meadow willow,
a glaciar relic which is actually of Nordic origin, found in Romania
only in this area. It is also the southern-most place in Europe
where it is found -- in fact, only in Korea and Manchuria is it found
in a more southerly range.
Encompassing part of the creek of the same name, the Duck Creek Cave Reserve (Rezervaţia Naturală Peştera
Răteiului) protects this cave, a favourite of spelunkers world-wide.
Duck Creek Cave is a mixed reserve with both geologic, geomorphological,
and spelean (cave) aspects preserved. It includes the karst system
along the Duck Valley, and encompasses the Duck Gorges (a natural monument),
and some rather fabulous twisted gorges with no less than 17 small-sized
caves, as well as the endokarstic system of Duck Cave (another
declared natural monument).
Duck Cave is formed of twisted galleries, on three levels (one active,
two fossilised) with a 800m in length and a leveling of +,
being a huge cave and also the most important endokartical phenomenon
in the Bucegi Massif.
It is one of the few caves in Romania where you
can find formations of
celcite and gypsum together. In several places of the cave you can photograph
some rather fun clumping stalagtites, excentric stalactites, columns,
domes and other formations. The cave is mostly formed out of limestone
from the Upper Jurassic period.
At their foot it is a jasp system which can be studied througohut
the active galleries (Medusa and The Grand Hall). Deep in Duck Cave
has been found a new species of
Parastenocaris (thanks to the work of Doina Zincenco, 1970) and
a few troglophilos (cave-loving)
subspecies.
The Thieves' Fossil Field Reserve (R.N. Plaiul Hoţilor)
is located in the County Dâmboviţa
part of the park.
The Thieves Fossil Field is a natural palaentological reserve. To
the east of the road as you come through the Thieves' Field, the keen
eye will notice the characteristic succession of distinctly cretic conglomerates,
crossing from the Hauterrivian to the Barremian epochs, in a wondrous
single upthrusting fold, which marches on to the end, reverting then
to inverse order, quite a cute little geomorphic trick.
To the west to east
can be observed yellowy-grey lime/marna stones, with remnants of carbonised
flowers on top. Looking further afield, you can easily find some
fossilised fauna, with more than 250 species of cephalopods, brahiopods,
and gasteropods found here, and small-sized fossils from the amonite
period and well preserved plants are easy enough to cleave. Do
get permission before any rummaging amongst the stones please.
The Royal Fields Paleontological Nature Reserve in the Bucegi mountains
was formed out of the Sinaia Layers, a well-contoured region of the
internal Carpaţii Orientali mountains, where almost all the limestone
is fossiliferous, making the place really special due to the rich fauna
they contain.
At the Royal Fossil Fields a bigger limestone massif combines with
quite a few smaller chunks, all distributed across the horizon of conglomerate
in this uppermost part of the Sinaia Layers.
The diversity of fauna of these limestones is very rich with more
than 250 recorded species, the most numerous being bivalve mollusks
(around 80 species) and gastropods (60 known species of gastropod
found so far).
This remarkable place has some excellent crustacean fossils too,
one of the richest beds in the world, containing around 40 species and
subspecies, with new forms for the science to anticipate coming up annually.
Next in frequency are the cephalopods (17 shapes) small sized ones,
then brachypods (15 shapes). The list is still being
compiled with numerous corals, sponges and hydras not studied or inventoried
yet. Many are new to science and many others can only be found in a
few places in Europe, such as in
France, Austria,
Slovakia
and
in Sicily. As an example,
the first sea snowdrops on earth appeared in the fossil records in Sicily
and in the Royal Fossil Fields in the Bucegi Mountains.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Approaching Mount Omu
|
 |
The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest
Romania SRL, All rights reserved.
Photo:
© REST ROMÂNIA
|
Atop Mount Omu
Hikers rest on the highest Bucegi mountain
|
|
|
|
One of the more picturesque and accessible trails in the region,
this one starting at Predeal takes you through forest, meadows and grassy
slopes to the Seckler Meadows Cabin.
Taking around 90 minutes for most, this great little trail leaves
out of Predeal following the
markers, traipsing along the skirt of Fetifoi Peak. Coming out through
the fir and spruce forest, you traverse a few grassy fields and then
climb up a bit to the Three Arms Cabin (Trei Brazi) and from there on
to the Seckler Meadows Cabin (Poiana Secuilor).
It’s a great spot to picnic or stay overnight if you can, and you
can continue on to Postăvaru from there.
If you want to cheat a bit, you can just drive (if you’ve hired
a nice Romanian driver, or are renting your own) down the road to Azuga
and go up the Râşnov valley, or you can walk the same too for a bit
of extra mountain activity.
The goal is the Stag Cabin (Cabana Cerbului). Either way you go,
leave Predeal to the south along the main road towards Azuga, then head
west when the road to Râşnov takes off. Go up just beyond Şipote where,
close to the road, there is a fun little grassy field with the Coldbrook
(Pârâul Rece) Cabin.
From the Cabin, on the road, you can continue on to The Stag (Cerbul)
Cabin, and after
of mostly downhill trekking (if you are so inclined. Or declined in
this case), you’ll end up along the great fortress at Râşnov and down
to Râşnov town.
This is a bit of a cheat, since you can probably really drive and
park somewhere along the Râşnov road, but it will certainly deliver
you to the highest peak in the Bucegi mountains, Mount Omu, at
, after 7 – 8 hours.
Predeal is where the trail takes off, following the main north-south
highway in the Prahova Valley, then veering to the west to follow the
Râşnov Valley (Valea Râşnoavei). From here you can get to the Cabin,
through the Hell Valley on a
trail marker, or continuing on the road between Predeal and Râşnov,
then through Şipote on a
trail marker. From the Diham Cabin, on the road to Mălăieşti or Stag
Valley (Valea Cerbului), you can get to Omu Peak.
|
|
|
Trails heading from Buşteni
The Red Picket Meadow Loop (6 hours)
Starting out at at
, this loop excursion from Buşteni goes first up to Coştila Meadow (Poiana
Coştilei) at
on the
trail, then across to the Red Picket Meadows (Poiana Pichetul Roşu)
at
.
From there you change to the
trail to the Spring Meadows Cabana (Poiana Izvoarelor), and back down
to the Gura Diham Cabin at 987m. Buşteni is just down the sealed road
from Gura Diham along the river in the Stag Valley (Valea Cerbului).
The trail is accessible after the spring melt-off until the snows set
in during late autumn.
Babele Plateau
The Old Women cable car station, between
the two lines to Buşteni (the cables from the right side) and
Ialomiţa Cave and Pestera hotel (the cables from the left side).
|
|
The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest
Romania SRL, All rights reserved.
Photo:
© REST ROMÂNIA
|
A Typical Bucegi Trail Marker
Showing the way to Wailing Falls (Cascadă
Urlătoarea) and the White Pine Forestry Station and Burnt Rock
(Piatra Arsă)
|
|
The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest
Romania SRL, All rights reserved.
Photo:
© REST ROMÂNIA
|
The Verdant Expanse
The mountains and valleys seem to march on forever, here
near the main quarry with gorge below.
|
|
The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest
Romania SRL, All rights reserved.
Photo:
© REST ROMÂNIA
|
This excellent round-trip from Buşteni does take a full day, but
provides stunning views across a wide variety of Bucegi Terrain, including
the The Mountain Gate, Golden Valley, and the Millers Needles and Miller
Valley.
With an early start in Buşteni, you’ll follow White Valley (Valea
Albă) Street up to the Alpine Housemaster (Căminul Alpin) on the western
side of town. From here the trail climbs an initial incline coming out
into a clearing with an impressive view to the Caraiman and Coştila
mountains unveils.
The trail soon yields to the “The Mountain Gate” (“Poarta Munţilor”),
where the sparse trees perfectly frame the view of the magnificence
ahead.
From here the trail continues with a slight curve to the right and
then climbs to “Bears’ Lookout” (“Măsurătoarea Urşilor”), where the
trail splits off to the left, going to the ski shelter at White Valley
| |
