The Vagabond Hiker

Hiking, trekking, and climbing the world

Hiking Romania’s Carpathian Mountains

Having less than one week to hike Romania’s Carpathian Mountains is quite a challenge.  The endless choices make selecting a few hikes seem an impossible task.  We surmounted that obstacle by choosing only local hikes within a few minutes walk or drive of our AirBnB cottage above the town of Bran.  Two major mountain ranges border the town: Piatra Criaului to the West and Becegi to the East.  The photos that I chose below were taken on during the day hikes we made this past week, with one of Bran Castle thrown in for good measure.  The spring wildflowers were in full bloom. Enjoy!

View towards the village of Simon from the ridge behind our cottage above Bran
Viola from high on the ridge behind our Bran Cottage, converted from a shepherd’s hut
Zarnesti Gorge, Piatra Craiului Park
Maggie in Zarnesti gorge. Numerous placards explained the geology and botany as well as detailing some climbing routes on the limestone cliffs.
A Yellow Wagtail in Zarnesti Gorge. It was tough to get this little guy in focus.
Bark beetle trails in pine, Zarnesti Gorge
Bran Castle, a 15 minute walk from our cottage. Perhaps the inspiration for Dracula’s castle in Bram Stoker’s novel.
Simon creek, south of Bran. A pleasant walk to the start of the climb into the Bucegi Mountains.
Alpine Meadow wildflowers, including butter cups and forget me nots, Bucegi Mountains
We emerged from a long climb through the woods into this lovely meadow in the Bucegi Mountains above Simon Valley.
Giant Chickweed, Bucegi Mountains
Spring gentian (?), Bucegi Mountains
Another Bucegi Mountains vista
Cascada Maura Dracului, Bucegi Mountains
European Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris) at Cascada Maura Dracului
Another view of one of the cliffs in the Bucegi Mountains, near Cascada Maura Dracului

We are now enjoying some relaxing days in the Danube Delta, the largest wetlands in Europe, bird watching and enjoying the laid back ambience of Sulina, Romania. Next week it will be on to Peru, for an extended trek in the Cordillera Huayhuash.

Happy trails,

The Vagabond Hiker

 

 

 

 

Cornwall Circular Walks

The South coast of Cornwall has a reputation of being less rugged than the north coast, and certainly compared to the section from Westward Ho! to Padstow (see my last post), this was true.  The walks, though, were no less interesting for their more gentle character.  From my cottage near Truro in Cornwall these past two weeks I’ve done several loop walks of lengths varying from five to twelve miles or so. Other than a short walk on Bodmin Moor, all my hikes involved sections of the South West Coast Path followed by an inland return to the start point. The inland portions of the walks were generally pleasant in themselves, by streams, through woods, across meadows, and along quiet country lanes.  The Ordnance Survey (OS) Pathfinder Guide “Cornwall: Outstanding Circular Walks” was invaluable in route-finding for several of the walks.  (At 1:25,000 scale, OS maps cover the entire country with detail similar to USGS Quads). It still amazes me that Public Footpaths and Bridleways crisscross the patchwork of private lands, giving right of way to walkers throughout rural Britain.

As walking options abound within a half hour or shorter drive, I never did get further afield to more well-known spots such as Land’s End or Lizard Point.  In any event, the nearby coast of Roseland Peninsula is indistinguishable from these more famous landmarks, apart from having far fewer tourists. I chose the photos below to capture some of the variety of Cornwall’s landscapes. Enjoy!

Detail of an Early Marsh Orchid, taken near Hartland Quay on Cornwall’s north coast. I should have included this with my last post, but only now got around to identifying it…
The Hurlers, late neolithic or early bronze age stone circles, Bodmin Moor. Bodmin Moor includes Brown Willy, the highest point in Cornwall.
Granite boulders and tree, Bodmin Moor. I loved this wind-blown tree. It reminds me of Tierra del Fuego or Slope Point, the southernmost point on New Zealand’s South Island.
The Vagabond Hiker and the Cheesewring, Bodmin Moor. One of the most amazing rock formations I’ve ever encountered.  Erosion has exposed these stacked granite slabs over the millennia. I got this shot on the first attempt with my timer!
Houseman’s engine house, Bodmin Moor. After farming, mines were the largest employers in this area during the 19th century when this structure was built.
Carne Beach, a few miles south of my Airbnb cottage in Tregony. Red Campion was ubiquitous this past month in both Cornwall and North Devon.
The 19th century John Nash-designed Caerhays Castle and grounds, near Carne Beach
Picturesque Portloe from the South West Coast Path, Roseland Peninsula
Low tide view from near St Mawes looking across the Carrick Roads to Falmouth, the third deepest natural harbor in the world.
Gorgeous wild Gladiolus along the coast path near Boswinger on the Roseland Peninsula
Vault Beach at low tide, looking to Dodman Point, the highest headland on the south Cornwall coast, at 374 ft.
Foxgloves and gorse at Dodman Point.
Chapel Point and (private) beach.  This is one of the most amazing private estates in Cornwall, with 270 degree water views.
A profusion of wildflowers and a classic sailing boat along the coast path near Chapel Point
View from the hamlet of St Anthony across the Percuil River to St Mawes
The wonderfully overgrown St Anthony’s graveyard and church
St Anthony light and sailing boat in the haze (zoom). Definitely not good conditions for photography, but this vista captures what I always thought Cornwall looked like.
View from St Catherine’s Point to Fowey (left)
Flowers making their home in the ruins of St Catherine’s Castle, built by Henry VIII in 1540
The Saints’ Way at its southern end near Fowey, with some Rhododendrons still in bloom. To avoid Lands End, religious pilgrims from Ireland would walk across mid Cornwall from Padstow south to Fowey, before re-embarking.
An impressive beech along the Saints’ Way in the Covington Woods, Fowey

On Monday Maggie and I are off to Bucharest. We will spend two weeks there, divided between the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania and the Danube Delta, with one day in the capital city of Romania.  Until next post, keep hiking and enjoying nature!

The Vagabond Hiker

The Southwest Coast Path: Westward Ho! to Padstow

At 630 miles, the Southwest Coast Path is the longest in England. From Minehead to Poole, it follows the coast from North Devon through all of Cornwall, on through South Devon and finishes in Dorset, encompassing all of the south western coast of England.  Long on my Bucket List, for me it is the most scenic long walk in this country.  This month I walked one section of the SWCP, between Westward Ho! in North Devon and Padstow in North Cornwall.  Following mostly footpaths through 90 miles this section is arguably the most rugged of all.  This section is typically divided into 7 stages, but I extended it to nine days, breaking up two of the longer days because of limited accommodations in a couple of the usual stopping places and the desire to enjoy the journey more than I otherwise would have.  I usually had a pack lunch with me, but more often ate in a pub.  With a hot shower, a glass of wine, and fresh local fish at the end of the day, what’s not to like about the Southwest Coast Path?

Day 1: Westward Ho! to Clovelly

11.5 miles, 3200 ft total elevation gain

The village of Westward Ho! has the distinction of being the only one in Britain that has an explanation point in its name. It has the further distinction of being the ugliest town that I came across.  It was named after a 19th century book of that name by the Reverend Charles Kingsley, a distant ancestor of mine.  In addition, a rather tasteless dinner in a seaside restaurant made me sick for two days, something that three weeks in Nepal this past autumn had failed to do.  Without a doubt, it was great to start walking on that first morning, leaving Westward Ho! far to the East.

View shortly after I started. Gorse was ubiquitous along the path.
Some shady walking between Westward Ho! and Clovelly
The hamlet of Bucks Mills a couple miles beyond Westward Ho! in Devon.
Dappled sun along the coast path high above the sea.
Clovelly, a picturesque village with cobbled streets, no traffic, and donkeys to sledge luggage down from the coast path. The sign in the center of the photo is for the New Inn, where I stayed that night.
View back along the coast from Clovelly

Clovelly to Hartland Quay

10 miles, 3300 ft gain

Climbing the cobbled road out of the charming, if touristy, village of Clovelly (accent on the second syllable), on Day 2 I began another moderately long section of trail through the woods and fields of North Devon.

Bluebells in the north Devon woods West of Clovelly. I enjoyed the woods while I could as there would not be much shade in Cornwall.
Black church rock
A first view of the Hartland Quay Hotel (zoom) where I would be staying, miles from any other accommodation.  The coast turns south at Hartland Point near where I took this photo.  Hartland Point marks the start of the Bristol Channel. It was bucketing down by the time I arrived at the hotel.

Hartland Quay to Bude

15 miles, 4600 ft gain

With dry weather and dry clothes, my mood was much better on Day 3.  This stage I broke into two, staying at an 18th Century Grade II Listed National Trust Property farmhouse halfway through and about one mile inland from the coast path.  This approach enabled me to reach Bude by noon on Day 4 and admire the classic cars in a local show on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

A Picnic Table With a View, south of Hartland Quay
Some beautiful light as I looked back on Marsland Mouth, which separates Devon from Cornwall
A gorgeous view back to one of many “Gull Rocks”
The village of Morwenstow. A recent landslip on the coast path necessitated a long inland detour here.
More gorse and coastal flowers in this view. The stage between Hartland Quay and Bude was the most stunning of all.

Bude to Boscastle

17 miles, 4500 ft gain

Well, I needed at least one long day and Day 5 was it! After my early arrival in Bude the previous day, I felt very strong. I met an equally strong hiker (the only one that was possibly faster than me the entire time). We walked together until lunch, when I stopped and enjoyed the scenery, unlike him not needing to catch a bus in Boscastle.

View to Pencannow Point between Bude and Boscastle. The coast path can be seen heading up the cliff. Sheep (seen here) and cows were very common along much of the path.
A stream crossing between Bude and Boscastle, one of many and the only chance for some shade
A curious colt and rather indifferent mare seen shortly before arriving in Boscastle. A pleasant change from all the bovines and ovines.

Boscastle to Port Isaac

14 miles, 4100 ft gain

This was another longish stage that I divided into two, enabling me to stay at the scenic Port William Inn at Trebarwith Strand halfway through on the evening of Day 6.

A “curzyway” slate dry stone wall seen shortly after leaving Trebarwith Strand. Common in this area of West Cornwall, the builders use spoil from the nearby slate quarries to create the herringbone pattern. If well-made, these walls can last hundreds of years.
The picturesque Rocky Valley.

 

Approaching Willapark (East) and Three Sisters in the mist. Confusingly, there are two different Willaparks only a few miles apart!
Another view of Willapark (East) over the top of a stone wall
Another greatly-sited accommodation: Port William Inn, Trebarwith Strand. Staying here nicely broke up the long stage between Boscastle and Port Isaac.
Another misty morning, looking back shortly after leaving Trebarwith Strand

Port Isaac to Padstow

12 miles, 3000 ft gain

The final day! While I was glad to get out of Port Isaac, at the same time I was a bit sad to be reaching Padstow and the end of my eight days walking.  It was a fantastic journey, if a trifle expensive with all the comfortable accommodations and fresh seafood!

Looking back on Port Isaac. Although lovely, it was vastly overpriced and absolutely heaving with tourists since a popular TV show is filmed there.
A variety of trail-side flowers seen along the coast path
The aptly named “Rumps”
View towards Polzeath, a couple miles before Padstow
Daymer Bay at low tide –  just wet sand. The ferry crossing to Padstow took all of two minutes.

After  completing this section of the Southwest Coast Path, I have stayed in Cornwall, doing a series of circular day hikes.  If I have any photos that are new or different enough, I’ll post another blog from Cornwall.  If not, I certainly will have some photos to share around mid-June of the Carpathian Mountains in Romania.

Happy trails,

The Vagabond Hiker

 

 

 

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