Ridge walk to Bran

Said goodbye to Mihai and Rodica after another top breakfast including cheese on toast - some of which were added to the surprisingly light lunches of 1 white bread cheese sandwich and an apple, which if you don't like white bread, cheese or apples isn't great for a full days walk, and if you are Caroline and don't like all three then........

a short flat start passed the chocolate bar before an hours uphill to reveal magnificent views, across to the Bucegi mountains, back to Piatra Craiuli mountains and down to Zaenesti.

a quick stop atop a rocky outcrop with fantastic views before undulating across the ridge through woods and across meadows accompanied by the whining calls of several buzzards and seeing hundreds of butterflies.

After packed lunch in a meadow including a super sweet n juicy nectarine we descended through beautiful cool woods towards Bran.

Paul slipped at one stage so Andrea moved him to position 2 for a while before reinstating Kim to the no2 spot.

As we descended to Bran we met three large Romanians walking up the hill carrying shovels and a guitar case. This very dodgy looking expedition turned out to be a metal detecting trip looking for artifacts from some Austrian battle.

Shortly before reaching Bran we got our first site of Bran (Dracula's) Castle so Kim and Paul enacted a quick Love bite.

Bran was as overcrowded as expected so we found a quiet cafe for a minty lemonade and Caroline found a beautiful kitten (Sophie) who was very happy to be cuddled and stroked - One of the highlights of the trip for C.

Our usual 2 drivers appeared and transferred us to Pensione Daniela in Moieciu de Sus. A reasonably standard Pensione (Austrian style) run by the lovely friendly Daniela and her rotund husband. Daniela spoke some French so comms were mostly in French.

Paul and I had been fantasizing about big peices of meat and the site of a BBQ being lit got the taste buds going, before Andrea announced that we would be having cabbage rolls for dinner.

To be fair, the cabbage rolls were very good (Award winning apparently) and stuffed with (pork?) mince.Read more