This post sees us drive from Sinaia & Busteni to Brasov along the Bucegi Mountains, a part of the Carpathian Mountain Range. In this post we visit the Old Town of Brasov and take two days trips from Brasov. The first to a gorge with caves followed by a volcanic lake and two fortified monasteries. The second back to Busteni to trek up to the Cross of Heroes, the best view I have seen in my life !!!
Brasov (Pop 253,200, Elev 538m, Founded 1235) is a mini version of Bucharest with classic buildings, big boulevards and set against Mt Tampa bearing its name like the Hollywood sign in LA. Brașov is located in the central part of the country, about 166 km (103 mi) north of Bucharest and 380 km (236 mi) from the Black Sea. It is surrounded by the Southern Carpathians and is part of the historical region of Transylvania. Historically, the city was the centre of the Burzenland, once dominated by the Transylvanian Saxons, and a significant commercial hub on the trade roads between Austria and Turkey. It is also where the national anthem of Romania was first sung. The Old Town is compact and colourful but sadly, many of its classical buildings and not well kept. The central walkway is very busy and bursting with cafes and restaurants.
The following day saw us take a huge 236km day trip to Varghis Village, Varghis Gorge with caves, Lake St Ann, Fortified Church in Premjer Village and a Fortified Evangelical Church in Harman Village. What a day. We left at 7am and the drive the gorge was covered in fog until it burnt off revealing flat fertile green farmland full of sunflowers and corn. The Varghis Gorge was a real surprise. It is over 5km long and follows the Varghis River with a trek involving 11 wobbly wooden foot bridges suspended on cables and 3 major caves with a total of 120 smaller ones. This is part of Transylvania and has 17 species of bat out of a total of 30 for the entire Romania. And no, we did not see Dracula but a lot of thick bush and 3 caves. In total Leo and I trekked 8km over 110min averaging 4.4km/h rising from 578m to 632m and back down the same way again. A very easy trek but with some very slippery bits with chains to help. The film will explain so please enjoy the photos in the meantime.
Our next stop was Lake St Ann. Disappointing since they will not let you swim here even though the water is a pleasant 20C and there is a 1.4km walk down a steep hill and then back up again. The Lake is the only extinct volcano crater lake in Romania with surface elevation of 946m, length 620m, width 460m, mean depth 6.4m and shore circumference of 1.617km.
Last but not least were the two fortified monasteries: one in Premjer Village and the other in Harman Village. Both are significant in that they began as single Orthodox Churches in the early 1200’s and then a monastery was added and then the whole thing fortified with walls when Byzantium fell and the Ottoman Turks invaded – any church or monastery of significance in Romania was fortified with walls (but no fire arms) to preserve the churches inside. Sadly, most were destroyed but some remained like these gems.
Enjoy our first day trip in images…
The second day trip involved just me going back to Busteni to trek to the Cross of Heroes that bad weather stopped me from doing two days ago. Paris and Leo opted out because of the heights involved and spent the day in the modern Brasov centre mall. Paris came back and Leo went back to the Old Town.
Today was incredible. The best view of my life. I left 7am to drive to Busteni where I was the first to board the Cable Car (Telecabina) up to Babele Station. This was the longest, highest and fastest cable car ride I have taken to date in all my travels. This marvel of engineering was first run in 1978 after 5 years of construction by an Italian company. It travels 4350m and rises 1235m from Busteni at 880m to Babele at 2290m at a speed of 21km/h taking only 12min to complete this awesome journey. Once at Babele I trekked 3.3km in 36min to reach CRUCEA CARAIMAN or “The Cross of Heroes of the Nation” at 2118m. My trek peaked at 2352m (Mount Kosciuszko is 2228m) and I climbed a total of 177m to reach the Cross. I was alone in my trek and alone at the Cross for 30min until the next lot of trekkers came by.
The Cross of Heroes of the Nation on Mount Caraiman is a historical monument in the shape of a Latin cross, with a height of 39.3 meters and was built between 1924 and 1928 near Caraiman Peak at an altitude of 2291 m, to honour the memory of the 30,000 Romanian soldiers who fell in the battles of in Valea Prahova, in the First World War. This monument was designated by Guinness World Records as the highest cross in the world placed on a mountain peak. It took me an hour at the cross to pick up my jaw from the ground as I marvelled at the greatest view from a peak that I have ever seen to date. I was so lucky that the clouds parted and the sun appeared while I was there. The Carpathians opened up in all directions and Busteni and Sinaia looked like specs beneath this mighty sight.
Only pictures can tell the story of what I saw and felt at that moment…
This Hotel Silva in Busteni featured in the Romanian film “The Father Who Moves Mountains” that I mentioned in my previous post.
I was thrilled with today - Crucea Caraiman (The Cross of Heroes of a Nation) was definitely the highlight so far for me...
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