Transylvania Amphitheater, Bucegi Mountains

1. Moieciu de Sus (960 m) - belvedere point (1.190 m)

easy / 1 h / little orange man

Our route starts at 950 meters above sea level, crossing the stone bridge over the Bangaleasa River at the above-mentioned intersection, but not the road bridge, but the one next to it. From here a carriage road forms an ascending cart track on an earth, quite muddy when it rains or immediately after. We pass through the inholdings of the locals. This gives us the opportunity to meet livestock: dogs, cows. The higher we climb, the more we see borders, as the temporary houses are called in the area where people stay after a day's work in the fields, e.g. mowing. It is a beautiful, sunny day. The still predominantly green hills and forests show some signs of fall. The village spreads out in the blink of an eye at our feet, as does the meandering valley of Bangalese accompanied by asphalt tongue. A heron walks across the dirt track.

At a certain point the path forked and we took it cas, wandering on the most banal path! We had to follow the option below, which crossed on the contour a small alley full of garbage. Garbage, as big as a cart! Too bad! In this first part we followed orange man and red man.

We emerge above the mixed forest level faster than we imagined. The fat ground is full of mushrooms, some more edible, some less. After an hour of walking and picking and admiring, we were already up, at 1,199 meters above sea level, the maximum height of our tour.

2. Punct belvedere (1.190 m) - Transylvania Amphitheater (1.160 m)

easy / 15 min / little orange man

From here, just a stone's throw away, on a pasture with a wide view of the surrounding meadows, you can find Transylvania Amphitheater. That's the name of the place! It consists of a wide circle with a radius of several meters made of logs. In the center of the circle, there are two more logs stacked on top of each other, surrounded by a small circle squeezed around them. And an explanatory plaque, as we are at the place so temptingly named, but with no logic or connection to the meaning of the word amphitheater. In the distance we see some green-roofed buildings, some dirt roads, clouds of dust and dozens of cars.

I remembered the hideous picture of Susai. We look past the evidence of civilization that leaves traces of "uncivilization" and admire in the distance Piatra Craiului ridge at the foot of which are situated the houses in the villages of Magura and Pestera.

3. Transilvania Amphitheater (1.160 m) - Cheia village (890 m)

easy / 1 h / little orange man

We entered an overpopulated area near these "cabanas", where you can also eat. We passed them and continued following the directions on the online map towards the village of Cheia between Moieciu de Sus and Moieciu de Jos. The path is wide at the beginning and good to drive on it, then go down the little orange man and it's getting narrower.

Our large and beautiful group with representatives from 1 to 76 years of age, including many cheerful children, enjoying a run and playing in nature, is getting more and more refreshed. We regrouped as we were about to leave the ridge road and take an unmarked side trail down to the road. Good thing we looked at the maps and we still missed the branch at the first attempt (there are 2 ways down, which meet again).

The descent was a bit steeper, but not difficult. It was a challenge not only to catch the trail but also not to leave it. The last snowy slope took us behind the courtyard of a hostel near the branch to the 2 Cheile Gradistei complexes, in the village of Cheia.

4. Cheia village (890 m) - Moieciu de Sus (960 m)

easy / 45 min / by road

From the village of Cheia we can close the loop to the starting point following the paved road either on foot or by car, if we have organized to find cars in Cheia.

The road follows the river Bângăleasa upstream and passes by the The Chissel Waterfall, where we make a short stop and take pictures.