Vlha pestrá 0515

Bee eaters on the Pouzdřany steppe.

Each spring a nesting colony of Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) comes alive with nesting birds. Moments I spent close to them are magical, never to be forgotten.
Here you are some images.

Ceahlău Pilgrimage

This is a story which might happen at about the year 3000 BC.  A sheepherder was moving his flock of sheep across a high plateau, from which rose here and there strange rock formations. At those times these rocks had no names, and a path leading along the plateau was freshly cleared in a sea of dwarf-pine groves. The sheepherder spent a lonely night under nearby rock and now at first light of the day he was headed toward the solitary high peak on north end of the plateau, which was guarded with rocky walls on each side, like a fortress. One of his sheep got lost in thick dwarf-pine grove and the man thought that from a high place he could see better his surroundings and thus had more chances to find the sheep with his sight alone, instead of scrambling through dwarf-pine thickets.

                                           Ceahlau Massif seen from Hasmas.

He left the sheep at the base of the peak. They would be safe there, because he left his fierce sheep dogs with them. The trail was slippery, because the rock which domain here in Ceahlău, is conglomerate and its fragments covered the steep trail which led in serpentines to the top. The last steep section before the top was bridged with a log with curved steps, which functioned as a ladder.

The sheepherder scrambled to the top, which is called Toaca today, at sunrise. He sat down the take a rest. The wind was blowing on the peak and he found a protection just under the margin of the top. The sun was rising approximately on east-northeast at the beginning of august. He looked in the direction of the sun. Skies were clear, though down below was sea of clouds in today Bistrița River valley. The sunrise was beautiful, though the sheepherder had not much occasion to contemplate over natural beauty. His job here was to find the lost sheep, so he moved slowly around the top, looking at every direction.

Meanwhile the sun rose higher in the sky, and the peak’s shadow was projected in the valley on western side of the mountain.  The shadow was immense, because the valley was very large and deep, and at this time of the year, the shadow of Toaca combines with shadow of its neighbour peak, today named Piatra Ciobanului, thus creating a three-dimensional shadow, which resembles Egyptian pyramid. The sheepherder looked at the immense hologram image in the valley speechless. Although he was accustomed to spend morning and evenings at high places, ne never saw something such imposing like this. The exceptional geographic position of the Toaca, towering about immense and deep valleys which surround it on every side, and the fact that shadow of its neighbour peak unite with its own shadow in the first decade of august is something unique in mountain geography.

The sheepherder never found his lost sheep, though he returned down to the valley with a story about supernatural phenomena he saw on that morning from high rocky peak. Since that time people come there to celebrate special natural event and a tradition of regular holy celebration was then established.

This table describing optical phenomena seen from Toaca attracted my attention during my first visit toe Ceahlau in 2012.

The Ceahlău Mountain is significant holy mountain massif in the Moldavian Carpathian Mountains. It is believed that it is Moldavian counterpart of Athos Mountain in Greece, which is Holly Mountain for Greeks. The tradition of ascending the massif was established long time before old Romans came into former Dacia, and well before Christianity itself was instituted.

The tourists, who are today’s pilgrim, continue to come regularly on this mountain to admire fabulous sunrises which are well known far and wide. A small monastery was built on west margin of the Ceahlău plateau, just below Toaca and later a tourist shelter, today named Cabana Dochia, was added. In these two places people can spend night in comfort, though the only access here is on foot. The pilgrim can come here by a steep trail, needed to say that from each side the mountain is very abrupt, with relative elevation difference between the valley and plateau over 1000 m.

The Ceahlău Mountain is often covered with the mist, floating in clouds through ages, passing from one generation to another. In last several thousand years underwent only a small amount of altering caused by humans, though what make this mountain so special are its topographic names, which are specific only to the Ceahlău Mountain. The old names are lost in prehistoric mist. Aged Thrakian and Dacian topographic names were replaced with new ones, while they were going through time, changing when passing from one generation to another one. The name Ceahlău was first recorded in the year 1458 in Ștefan’s the Great agenda. Now it is believed that the old word Ceahlău means Lammergeyer, which is a common name for a vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) which frequented the area until early 1900’s.

My own pilgrimage to Ceahlău began after the Hașmas solo adventure. I soloed in the Ceahlău as well.

                                                      Bicaz Chei village.

                                                        Cheile Șugăului

                                                         Cheile Șugăului

Let’s return back to the road in the Bicaz River valley. Since early morning I was exploring Cheile Bicazului and Cheile Șugăului. It was very hot day and the sun was burning with great power. After leaving Cheile Șugăului I tried my luck on the road a got a lift to town of Bicaz. I got it from two Moldavians from state of Moldavia, not from Romania. They both spoke fluent Romanian; though in their own state the language is called Moldavian due to political reasons. They dropped me in the centre of the town, where I had been once in October 2012. Knowing not better, I directly went to nearby book store to ask about access to the Ceahlău Mountain. I considered a plan to get there via resort Izvoru Muntelui, as I did in 2012. Although deep in my mind I was thinking about another route from the south-east. In the bookstore I had bought a map, a book on Ceahlău Massif and got good advices from a bookseller. She told me that I need to go back to village of Neagra, where marked trail from the south-east begins. Well, I passed through that village an hour before, so how could I get back there? She told me that there is a bus at 5 PM, leaving from next to a food store nearby.

After that I visited a store, where I bought provisions for two days. Only two days I had for exploring Ceahlău, after that I needed to return home, because my holiday was almost over.

                                            Monastery below Ceahlau.

Getting off in Neagra I got at the beginning of tourist trail marked with blue cross. This trail goes from the south and gets to Ceahlău after 12 km or something like this. That translated to 3 hours of walking in the heat with heavy backpack.

I left the principal road and followed the lateral route in the valley Neagra Mare. Very soon I arrived at a fountain, with very tasteful water. I considered it to be much better than a beer at the moment. I filled my 2 PET bottles (in total 3 l) with water. Here I also gave a rest of my corn flour to an old lady, because I did not need it any more.

With a sense that evening was nearby I walked at a very brisk pace, which I maintained for more than two hours, until I got at my today’s destination at Vf. Văratec.  I felt that I had enough of energy to get there quickly. Though that feeling proved to be deceptive on the very next day, when I was so exhausted that walking even on level stretch of the path was difficult.

No let’s go back to today, when I still had the energy. I walked on forest road, at the beginning among houses, which gradually gave way to forest. Later meadows appeared, though forest reappeared soon. At the confluence of Neagra Mică with Neagra Mare, I turned left and followed the later stream. I climbed a lot and at one place a simple post with signs showed direction toward Vf. Văratec.

                                              Tourist indicator at intersection.

From here I changed forest road for a path, winding in serpentines through mountain mixed forest, with beech, maple and fir. 

                                                Mixed mountain forest.

                                                         At Vf. Neagra.

Soon I arrived at Vf. Neagra (1138 m). Here was a meadow on south-east part which offered view on surrounding hills and valleys.

I emerged back in woods, that time it was thick coniferous grove through which I continued all the way to Vf. Văratec (1363 m). Serpentines also continued and I recall a feeling of being well. I thought to myself: “How great I feel. It must be because of my regular runs I do twice or three times per week.” Since the January I completed a total running distance of 800 km (in July 2014). That sensation of feeling high, caused by a strong dose of endorphin created by my own body due to physical effort, contrasted with my experience of the very next day, when I arrived in a state of total exhaustion.

Vf. Văratec is a hillock when compared with Ocolașul Mare (1907 m), which towers right above it. On its top is a meadow and its name reminds that in summer time people spent their time with domestic animals here (in Romanian language summer is called vară; and văratic literally means:  of summer time). It simply gives us a clue that people spent summer time here.

Once I got to the vicinity of the summit I left the trail and climbed directly on the top. There I put down my rucksack and looked around for a while. I was only 20 metres away from my luggage (also from my camera) when I spotted two grey moving objects in tall grass. They went across the meadow from the right to the left. I was exhilarated by this sighting. Were these animals wolves?  In the middle of the meadow they jumped out of grass in order to see better their surroundings and run away. I recognized grey colour and long tails. It must have been wolves! I had no chance to make a photograph. I returned to my rucksack, took my camera and made a single frame, which shows the spot, where I saw the two shy carnivores.

                            Here I saw two wolves, an adult and a youngster.

I hanged around at the spot a bit, hoping for the animals to reappear. In the end they never appeared again. I returned to my backpack and pitched my tent right atop the peak. The water I carried all the way from the valley still tasted well, even though later I opened a can of Silva beer, which also tasted well.

In the night I tried to do some night photography, but without much success.

                                                Evening in the mountains.

                                 Ceahlau skyline at night, 30 sec exposure.

    Ceahlau skyline at night, 99 images stacked together to make startrails image.

                                              Ceahlau skyline at first light.

In the morning I still was feeling quite well. I started my day by taking early morning pictures. The light was rather flat and no interesting colours appeared on landscape features named Turnul Lui Butu. Skies were pale, and missed the drama of coloured clouds. This situation only confirmed the common wisdom that so called “good weather” means “bad weather” for a landscape photographer.

                                                     My tent in Ceahlau.

                                             Ceahlau rock wall at sunrise.

                                                Saddle Varatec seen from Varatec Peak.

                                                                Poiana stanilor.

                                                               Poiana Stanilor.

                                                               Turnul Lui Butu.

                                                                         Ana rock.

From the place I had been to, it was only a short way to go to the intersection of tourist routes at Poiana Maicilor. I arrived there in about 20 minutes after I left my camp place. The guidebook says there is a water source nearby, because once there was a sheepfold. I saw no water there, and after taking some photos 

                                  Panorama of Ceahlau seen from Poiana Maicilor.

I started to climb towards the high plateau between peaks Ocolașu Mic and Ocolașu Mare.

                                                        Attention, bears!

The ascending trail led me through coniferous forest. The trail traversed east side of the massif and constantly climbed up. My yesterday’s effort took its toll. My speed slowed down drastically! I barely had the energy to get past two cone shaped rocks, which were called Clăile lui Miron. The story behind their names speaks that this was a favourite spot of a sheepherder named Miron. And those rocks were his hay stacks left by him at the place. 

                                                      Claile Lui Miron.

                                                       Claile Lui Miron.

I took some pictures of them and moved toward nearby rock, which offered good view on its surroundings. Now I was on a plateau in between the peaks Ocolașu Mic and Ocolașu Mare. The trail got me next a tourist refuge, which was a small wooden hut at forest margin. I didn’t inspect the shelter, because I saw that somebody was sleeping next to it in tall grass, so I had no desire to bother anyone there.

I climbed the rock nearby instead and took a photograph. When I was fiddling with my camera I happened to drop a lens cap down the rock’s wall. It disappeared in the thick forest at the base of the wall, some 20 metres below me! I thought twice whether I had enough energy to climb down and search for it. In the end I scrambled down the rock and searched for the plastic thing lost among spruce trees and blueberry thickets. Mission impossible! Nevertheless, I succeed and soon found the missing item. Now I was complete man again, minus my strength!

A shelter below Ocolosaul.

I still have a traverse of steep mountain side to do. Again I entered on the trail, winding through forests. At one place I crossed a ravine. It is interesting thing about the Ceahlău that its every ravine has a name given. There was a spring nearby, and when I lifted my head toward the upper part of the ravine I spotted a chamois standing still on the rock. Meanwhile two tourists came from the opposite direction and the shy animal disappeared. They told me that it is only half and hour’s walk to Cabana Dochia, one of several mountain huts in the massif.

I stopped at the camping site next to Piatra Lată. I didn’t continue towards the hut. I pitched my tent on this official camping ground and cooked my lunch and then took a rest.

It was early afternoon and the heat started to be unbearable. I run out of water, so I took my two PET bottles and climbed toward the Dochia hut. There I met with about twenty people from Nigeria. I had no idea what they were doing there and suddenly I had a feeling of being in central Africa! They were there only on one day excursion and were dressed like for a walk through a city’s park, not for a trip into the mountains. They were taking photograph at every direction with their smart phones and laughed loudly. Well, each tourist has a way to enjoy him/her when travelling.

I returned to my camp and prepared myself for late afternoon trip to Toaca. I took only bare essentials along with me: jacket, water, tripod, ND filters, and camera body with four prime lenses. It was hard for me to climb back to hut (in normal condition it is only 10 minutes away).

                                                                  Toaca.

Luckily from the hut toward the peak the terrain is almost flat, and it saved the day and I retained some energy for climbing the peak.

There is meteorological station right on the peak. The sun still was high in the skies, and I don’t remember taking any memorable photograph there at that time. I talked a while to a meteorologist. He dissolved the pyramid shadow myth by explanation that the pyramid shaped shadow appears there on every clear morning and explained that the three dimensional hologram can be observed also in other times of the year, not only at the beginning of August. This makes perfect sense, because if the shadow appears on August the 5, for instance, it should appear also on May the 8, since on either day the sun is approximately at the same position at sunrise. Either date is 48 days after or before spring/autumn equinox. Object on skies; for example, move one degree each four minutes, thus correct position of every sky object can be determined precisely. Also the position of sun at sunrise/sunset can be calculated for each day.

When going down the peak I helped elderly woman, who climbed to the top in insufficient shoes and had problems while walking on trail covered with debris. She also suffered from vertigo when looked down into the valley, which has a depth over 1000 m.

                              A cross on Cehlau Plateau with Toaca in backdrop.

On my way back to camp I made a detour via famous rock named Piatra Lacramătă and happened to take some pictures of it in warm evening light. Also I accidentally dropped my camera on the ground, and scratched my polarizer filter. I knew I had no energy left and returned to my tent.

                                                        Piatra Lacramata.

In the evening I met with another outdoor enthusiast from Czechia. He arrived at the camping place at the evening and instantly recognized me, even though we knew each other only via the internet and never have met before. We chatted for more than an hour, after that the slight evening breeze blowing through the camp forced me to enter the tent.

The clock alarm woke me up at 4:30 am! I ate something, grabbed my backpack and a camera and walked for about 40 minutes to the base of Toaca Peak. After ascend to the top I settles among other photographers waiting for the sunset to come. The dawn light was fine, and views into the depths of the Bistrița River valley were incredible at this part of the day.

                                          Panaghia rock seen from Toaca.

                                  The River Bistritza Valley seen from Toaca.

                                The River Bistritza Valley seen from Toaca.

                                         The River Bistritza Valley seen from Toaca.

                                           Ceahlau Plateau seen from Toaca at dawn.

Unfortunately, the sun did not appear in the skies, because there was a huge cloud on the East, blocking it for about one hour.

I took many pictures in the first hour, but was a little disappointed by the luck of direct light.

                                 The River Bistritza Valley seen from Toaca.

When the sun finally came out of the cloud, I hurried on the other side of the peak to see the pyramid shadows of Toaca and Piatra Ciobanului.

            Finally I can see the pyramid shadow of Toaca projected in the valley.

                                           People coming down from Toaca.

                                             Me and a shadow of Toaca.

                   Shadows are not perfectly aligned, though they are beautiful.

                                           In the end my wish came true.

                                          Ceahlau Plateau in the morning light.

The shadows was there both, indeed. I came here early in August; the shadows of the two tops were not yet perfectly aligned.

I found that I was alone hunting around for the best position from where to take a shot of the mountain’s shadow. When the sun came out of the clouds, people immediately started to go down the trail, without stopping, as if the show was already over.

It was not so. The three dimensional hologram was there. Even though it wasn’t perfect, it was powerful enough and I was excited about it.

                                               A hologram seen from Toaca.

                                               A hologram seen from Toaca.

                                        Edelweis flower on Toaca as a bonus.

I stayed there on the peak until quarter past 7 and then I started to climb down the trail. I had only short time to pack my tent. I wanted to be by midday down in the valley at Durău resort.

                                                    At the camp, Ceahlau.

                                             My tent in the Ceahlau Massif.

At 8:30 am I put down my tent and 9:30 am I passed Piatra Lacramătă en route to Cascada Duruitoarea.

                                         Piatra Lacramata in morning light.

I made only a short stop at the waterfall. In the morning it was in deep shadows of the mountain and a bluish cast and strong contrast were not perfect for successful photography.

                                                     Cascada Duruitoarea.

                                                    Cascada Duruitoarea.

                                                      Cascada Duruitoarea.

                                                     Cascada Duruitoarea.

                                                      Cascada Duruitoarea.

I hit the trail again, passing along many other tourists. This part of the mountain is frequented by lots of tourist in summer season. At midday I arrived at Durău. I washed in mountain stream, bough a beer at a local bar, ate some bread, cheese and tomatoes bought from a magazine and went on the road again.

I was hoping to get a lift by a car. Unfortunately I walked for more than one hour before I got a lift to the main road.

There again I waited for more than an hour for the lift. This time I was lucky enough. The car was going to Oradea.

I got off at Târgu Mureș. Immediately I walked towards the train station, only to discover that by means of railway transport, I would not reach Sighișoara today!

The only solution was to walk back for about twenty minutes to the place where I got off the car! From there I continued on a large street toward the margin of the city. The street was very long indeed!

I entered a food store to buy something to drink and asked the shop assistant how to get to the city margin as quickly as possible. Her answer was very simple: “Take a bus.”

“Wow that is a good idea! Where is the nearest bus station?” I asked.

“In front of the shop, just across the street” she replied.

“Thank you!” I answered and waved good bye.

I got there immediately. There I asked a man which number of bus I should take. The men replied that he goes in the same direction and told me that he would tell me where to get off.

On the next station I waited for another bus to Sighișoara, which arrived at about 8:15 pm. One hour and fifteen minutes later I got off the bus in Sighișoara, where I had 45 minutes to have a dinner in a restaurant and to buy some drinks and food for the long journey home.

At 22:20 I embarked on a train to Budapest and my Ceahlău adventure was suddenly over. I always ask myself: “Why these adventures end so abruptly and what am I doing in the train?” “Why am I returning so early after I descended from the mountain?” The answer was that these adventures are an escape from everyday life and I don’t have more time available to stay there longer. Simply from time to time I need to recharge my personal batteries in the simplified world of the mountain world which touches my soul.

                               Recharging my personal batteries in Cehlau in 2012.

Nevertheless, six days later I was headed towards Romania again!

My second trip to the Ceahlău Mountain ended and I promised myself that I will return there in the future. Each trip was different. The first one was easy the second one was difficult. Maybe on my third excursion I will find a balance between easy and difficult trip. I will plan it for more days, because the beauty of the massif is simply unsurpassable in this part of the Carpathian Mountains. In my post from 2012 I was talking about expressing my love for outdoors. All my previous and later journeys to the mountains are expression of this love!