In the first two days of April we found ourselves cycling through the hills of Buzău, in Romania. We started from the town of Mizil and made our way to the Buzău river, then headed north to Bozioru and turned around south, stopping in Berca, near the city of Buzău.
The Subcarpathian region of Prahova and Buzău counties is a great destination for cyclists. Whether you just want to cruise on your road bike or travel with your loaded tourer, the vastness of the landscape and the hospitality of the people will make your trip memorable.
Piatra Tohani was the first important hill in our two-day trip. An interesting limestone rock, the climb is serious for any cycle tourist with a full rack. The weather was hotter than we expected, so, naturally, we struggled a bit uphill. I knew the region from my first trip here, and I knew that the way down is going to be delightful! Starting from Marginea Pădurii, you go for quite a few kilometers downhill and the sensation is just amazing!
On the other side of the hill, in the heart of the Subcarpathians, we stopped for a beer at a local bar. Passing the old Bradu Monastery, dating from the XVIIth century, we ate lunch before starting the climb to Ciolanu Monastery. The climb is famous for its beauty and difficulty.
On our way through the beautiful pine forest, Adelina heard a faint cry in the woods. At first, I dismissed it as a noisy bird, but it turned out to be a lone puppy, left in the forest by some horrible human being. He was so tiny and helpless! We couldn’t have possibly leave him there and took him along. He was so tiny and I fit him right in my handlebar bag. At the monastery, we were lucky enough to find a woman from Focșani willing to take him with her and raise him. We were thankful for her and content in our hearts!
From Ciolanu Monastery we went down to Măgura and crossed the Buzău river at sundown. We pitched our tent near the village, up on a hill where I saw four deer. Hence, the place was remote enough and I was positive were going to have a great sleep.
The morning was beautiful, but colder than expected. After a light breakfast, we were back in the saddle pedalling north, to the town of Bozioru. Soon after, the roads became very bad and we had a hard time climbing the hills to Lacu.
Even though we struggled uphill, we were blessed by the birth of spring. Every tree was full of perfume and young leaves on birch trees painted a beautiful picture before us.
From Șuchea, we slowly turned south and biked through dusty backroads and under a fierce sun. Growing more tired by the our, we finally stopped for good in Berca, on the shores of Buzău. Waited for the train to take us back home, we even caught a good nap on the grass!
More images from our trip can be seen here. Also, make sure you check the Adventures section for more images from my trips and inspiration!
