Bistrița Gorges, Căpățânii Mountains

1. Bistrița Monastery (550 m) - Bistrița Gorges - Fata Pădurii Hut (670 m)

1.5 hours / blue triangle / easy

We get out of the yard Bistrița Monastery and turn 180 degrees around her fence. Bookmarked blue triangle leads us quickly to the Bistrita Gorges. Immediately at the entrance there is a signpost marking the entrance to the steep, parapet-lined path leading up to the Cave of the Bats or St. Gregory the Decapolite Cave. We continue along the first part of the impressive gorge. Still to the left we identify at a certain point the deviation from the marked path to the Cave of the Bears, whose cavity appears immediately. At the upstream end of the gorges we find hazelnut trees and a spring, just opposite Forest Fairy Cottage.

2. Fata Pădurii Hut (670 m) - branch (700 m) - branch (900 m) - branch in Costești Valley (880 m) - Constructorilor Spring (880 m)

1 hour / blue triangle, blue cross, yellow triangle / medium

The Forest Girl Chalet we change direction to the right, staying a little further along the Costești Valley and the blue triangle. Following a well signposted junction we start the climb through the dense forest on the signposts blue crossthrough blackberry and raspberry bushes. The climb ends where the path crosses the blue lane, which follows a secondary ridge to the Arnota Monastery. We descend short and fast in Costești Valleyturn right at the yellow trianglewe cross the bridge, cross a new fork and shortly we arrive near the Builders' Springwhere there are billboards informing of the existence rich snowdrops that bloom here in early spring.

3. Constructors Spring (880 m) - Costești Gorges - Pietreni Village (600 m)

1.5 hours / yellow triangle / easy

After Builders' Spring start Costești Gorges. The route marked with yellow triangle follows the forest road built much higher than the river valley. On the left flank there are 2 series of cliffs, called the Sacks of Wool and the Small Hooks respectively. Both are only visible once you get near the end of the gorge. To the right is the view towards the quarry. We enter Pietreni village.

4. Pietreni village (600 m) - Stone quarry - Bistrița Monastery (550 m)

1 hour / unmarked / easy

In Pietreni village we find the sign to the stone quarry. We enter the quarry on an obvious stone and dusty road. We pass a small lake and climb up a little and then descend. As in career there are many roads formed for trucks, we have to carefully follow the map to make our way through the shortcuts in Gypsyin the village of Bistrița. From here the paved road crosses the Bistrița river and reaches the entrance to the courtyard Bistrița Monastery.

5. Bistrița Monastery

Bistrița Monastery de Vâlcea was founded in 1492-1494 by the boyars Craiovești. It is located in Costești commune, on DJ646. St. Gregory the Decapolite is buried here. From the church courtyard there is a path with a signpost that takes you on a shortcut to the Cave of St. Gregory the Decapolite or the Cave of the Bats, which can also be accessed from the entrance to the Bistriței Gorges.