TREKKING INTRANSYLVANIA

“Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” However banal thisRomanian proverb sounds – in the end there really is nobetter reason for getting out and enjoying the outdoors. Ashort trekking tour in the Carpathian Mountains was plannedfrom the end of February to the beginning of March 2010.

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Transylvania

Legend:Ungarn = HungaryMarmarosch = MarmaroshBukowina = BukovinaRumänien = Romania

Piatra Craiului

garas Mountains

South Carpathians

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About

27%of Romania is forested

We ran into an old friend, Christoph Promberger, who is a wildlifebiologist. We get a bird’s eye view from the helicopter of the stateof the countryside. The forest is actually not so contiguous as firstimpressions led us to believe. Unfortunately, the money to be ear-ned from illegal lumbering is too good for people to bother aboutnature conservation. Trees are being chopped down even in thenational park.

Travelling through Transylvania or The Seven Castles, as theregion is also called.

Transylvania – it’s like a film set and the director has just called , “And action!“:snow-covered forests and mountain ridges, icy winds, horse-drawn carts andthe dark, tragic figure of Count Dracula. All this we can vouch for except forthe vampire, not even a close-up. Instead, we get wolves!

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Transylvania – it’s like a film set and the director has just called

>>And action!<<

The image transformation of the wolf is in no small measuredue to Christoph, who accompanied us part of the way on ourtrek. He knows the region like the back of his hand: after theSoviet era, this wildlife biologist managed one of the first natureconservation projects, the CLCP (Carpathian Large Carnivore Pro-ject) from 1993-2003. The result: the Carpathians are now hometo the highest concentration of carnivores living wild in Europe.

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We’re on our first trek which isreally just a warm-up. We neverlose sight of Piatra Craiului. Thismountain ridge, whose namemeans the Rock of the King, isabout 25 km long and runs atright angles to the main ridge ofthe Southern Carpathians. Thismountain range has been part ofthe Piatra Craiului National Parksince 1990, protecting an area of148 km2.

About 170 km from Bucharestbetween the Piatra Craiului andthe Fagaras Mountains, a hugenature conservation area is to becreated to preserve biodiversity.Romania’s highest mountain, theMoldoveanu (2544 m), also liesin the Fagaras Mountains. Up tillnow, the area here has been rela-tively inaccessible thus allowingflora and fauna to develop undis-turbed.

We drop in at the little farmhouse where we made friendswith the owners on our last trip two years ago. It’s been ahard winter, George tells us, and he’s looking forward to thespring. After a pleasant chat, we set off on our way again witha gift of some of their apples to keep us going.

The next day we are battered by icy winds as we startthe ascent – again with a view of Piatra Craiului.

Testing the temperature with gloves off:

-20°Cdefinitely

It will be a short break: it’s too cold to stop long

on the windy plateau.

Where should we make our camp, should we gofor protection or a view? In the end we get both:the tent is in an exposed position with a greatview of the ridge and we while away some timebuilding a protective wall out of blocks of snow.

After a quick warm-up in the sleeping bag, it’s time to cookour evening meal. We keep the pot-stirring down to the basicminimum while enjoying a view of the winter sun bravely peepingthrough the scudding clouds.

Next morning...

Snow galore for our early morning cuppa:

5 huge handfuls

After breakfast we pack up. The snow wall is still there. With a marvellousview of the Piatra Craiului we continue on our way.

Jackets and equipment fit for the Carpathian Mountains

KATMAI JACKET MEN:This has to be just about our war-mest JACK WOLFSKIN fleece jacket!The main fabric is long 300 High -loft fleece. It has 3 pockets and ahood.

LATITUDE JACKET MEN:Super-soft yet robust where it’sneeded: the all-weather shell hasspecially reinforced shoulders, theinner jacket is made of very warmHighloft fleece.

ROCK & ICE TEXAPORE:Warmly lined, waterproof trekkingboots with higher than normal up-pers and the tried and tested, sta-ble VIBRAM MOUNTAIN TREK sole.

DENALI:Everything you need in a trekkingrucksack: sensible sectioning fororganised packing, raincover, hydra -tion system compatibility, trekkingpole lashing options and of coursea carry system which transfers theweight to the hips.

CHILLOUT JACKET WOMEN:Windproof Highloft fleece – thiswas absolutely perfect in the Car-pathians. And the hood keeps yourears warm.

ARCTIC GATE WOMEN:Soft and warm to boot! All-weathershell and fleece inner jacket caneither be combined or worn sepa-rately. Both are made of speciallysoft fabrics. Details: venting pit zips,4 pockets, hood with stiffened peak.

Links:

www.clcp.ro (English website on the first

wolf project by Christoph Promberger)

www.equus-silvania.com(German/English website on the

ecologically-sustainable horse-riding facility and guesthouse of Christoph Promberger)

www.pcrai.ro (German/English/French website of

the Piatra Craiului National Park)

www.eco-romania.ro (English website on eco-tourism in Romania)

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