barge1914
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Back today over the Transalpina Pass (Devils Path, or Kings Road). Built under King Carol II, bless his cotton socks (or more likely wool hereabouts bought from one of the innumerable Tourist Tat stalls), rebuilt by German troops, and finally and to us white box folks more significantly rebuilt and smoothly tarmacked from 2007-12...although on the northern half numerous wheel swallowing potholes are developing, scattered randomly to catch the unwary.
The road gets up to 7038’, and for a mountain Pass the southern half (Udele Pass) is unusual, as instead of clawing it’s way up a valley it marches proudly, albeit with rather a lot of very tight and steep hairpins, up ridges and over mountain summits giving terrific panoramas in all directions.
In dubious weather it has the reputation of being slippery and treacherous, to the extent that it is closed 21.00 to 7.00, but with sunshine and wall to wall blue sky its a pussy cat, one with a very bendy tail.
For anyone doing a circuit of the Transfagarasan and Transalpina Passes, There’s a nice Dutch /Romanian owned campsite at Carta at the north end of the Transfagarasan, tiny Camp Dracula on the way down from the top, campsites at Curtea de Arges and Berlusi at the southern end, and a couple of monastery car parks at Huezu and Polovragi in between the two passes. There are a few Wildcam
ping spots on Park4nite
along the Transfagarasan, albeit you may need a small or 4x4 van at some, and you have to be comfortable keeping company with bears who come to raid the bins!
There’s a Pensiune carpark (£4) at Obarsia Lotrului Ok for overnighting, half way along the Transalpina. And at the north end of the Transalpina there’s Wildcamping options by the river at Alba Iulia, or a campsite and two Pensiunes that take campers at Saliste. Not too many wilding spots on the Transalpina
The road gets up to 7038’, and for a mountain Pass the southern half (Udele Pass) is unusual, as instead of clawing it’s way up a valley it marches proudly, albeit with rather a lot of very tight and steep hairpins, up ridges and over mountain summits giving terrific panoramas in all directions.
In dubious weather it has the reputation of being slippery and treacherous, to the extent that it is closed 21.00 to 7.00, but with sunshine and wall to wall blue sky its a pussy cat, one with a very bendy tail.
For anyone doing a circuit of the Transfagarasan and Transalpina Passes, There’s a nice Dutch /Romanian owned campsite at Carta at the north end of the Transfagarasan, tiny Camp Dracula on the way down from the top, campsites at Curtea de Arges and Berlusi at the southern end, and a couple of monastery car parks at Huezu and Polovragi in between the two passes. There are a few Wildcam
ping spots on Park4nitealong the Transfagarasan, albeit you may need a small or 4x4 van at some, and you have to be comfortable keeping company with bears who come to raid the bins!
There’s a Pensiune carpark (£4) at Obarsia Lotrului Ok for overnighting, half way along the Transalpina. And at the north end of the Transalpina there’s Wildcamping options by the river at Alba Iulia, or a campsite and two Pensiunes that take campers at Saliste. Not too many wilding spots on the Transalpina