Blaj – Secășel, Via Transilvanica

Terra Dacica – Day 3

Continuation

We continue the incursion from Terra Dacica on Via Transilvanica from the city of Blaj, where we stopped the previous afternoon after the experience described here https://mytravel.express/drumetii-mte/valea-lunga-blaj-via-transilvanica/.

About the route Blaj – Secășel

It’s an easy route, comparable to the previous day’s. It is the third stage in the segment called Terra Dacica. It covers an area of hills, the route alternating sections of forest with others of meadows and sunny fields.

Route Map

(click on objectives for extended version)

Technical Box

Distance / duration: 19 km / 5 hours

Difficulty: easy

Difference in level: 413 m

Minimum altitude: 250 m at Blaj

Maximum altitude: 424 m before reaching Deleni-Obârsie

Remarks: neither in Deleni-Obârsie nor in Secășel are there any shops

1. Blaj

We saw the Metropolitan Castle from the gate, took a picture of the statue of Pope John Paul II and had breakfast in the Avram Iancu Park. I couldn’t help but enter the Greek-Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Blaj for a few minutes, where the morning service was held, especially since we had rested overnight at its Theological Seminary. We exited to the left on Astra street and still ahead on Aron Pumnul street, alias DJ 107, on which we crossed the Târnava Mare river. IN the first roundabout, we followed the road forward on Gheorghe Lazăr street, then left on Eftimie Murgu street, which exits the city keeping the right bank of the Veza stream.

Metropolitan Castle

the statue of Pope John Paul II

Holy Trinity Greek Catholic Cathedral

Holy Trinity Greek Catholic Cathedral

we cross Târnava Mare

2. Blaj – Sanctuary of the Virgin of the Poor from Cărbunari

We carefully followed the VT signs from the various branches of the road, crossed the Veza stream and not long after we reach the entrance to the forest, where the Way of the Cross begins. This leads to the Sanctuary of the Virgin of the Poor from Cărbunari after passing about 14 crosses. The sanctuary is found at the exit of the forest, in a wide meadow, a good place to stop and pray.

our signs

Way of the Cross

icon

Sanctuary of the Virgin of the Poor from Cărbunari

Virgin of the Poor

3. Sanctuary of the Virgin of the Poor from Cărbunari – Deleni Obârşie

From now on, we spend time in the sun, in the forest, on smooth hills. We admire flowers, mushrooms, fields. At the highest point of the route we leave the forest. We continue forward on the paved road towards the village of Deleni-Obârsie, which we intuit from the silhouette of the village church.

landscape

flowers and colors

tractor for agricultural work

VT milestone

in the forest

4. Deleni-Obârșie – Secășel

Deleni-Obârsie is a depopulated village, with only a few permanent and a few temporary residents. We can tell by the totally abandoned houses and by the yards and gardens where something is grown. The Romanian church is abandoned. We travel along Obârsie street, which crosses the town along its length. The road is easy, but we walk a lot in the sun until we finally descend in Secășel. We turn left and immediately right over a county road, cross the bridge over a stream and on the first street to the left we stop at our next host, the parents of a lady with business in Alba Iulia. Here we will have dinner and have very interesting discussions with both the elders and the lady who came with the supplies from the town because there is no shop in the village. And the population of this village is in sharp decline, and those left behind are mostly elderly people.

abandoned house

the Romanian church from Deleni-Obârsie

Sunflower

in the distance the Western Mountains

Conclusion

The third day of Terra Dacica on Via Transilvanica was interesting with the discovery of the Sanctuary of the Poor Virgin at Cărbunari and the almost abandoned village of Deleni-Obârșie. In Secășel there is only one accommodation option in modest conditions and somewhat more expensive.

All the best!

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