28 August-4 September

Impressive views, unspoilt nature, green valleys and lovely locals

I am super excited to announce our newest plans for a walking holiday in Romania! This time I have teamed up with Silvia to design a holiday in Romania, just as we like it. Plenty of nature, lots of culture and interesting architecture, lovely walks that are challenging enough, but not too challenging (hey, it’s a holiday!).

We will be staying in the county of Maramures, between the Tiblis and Lapus hills. The area has an exceptional beautiful landscape: hills with hay meadows, rivers and mountains covered with natural and pristine forests. The forests on the Tiblis Mountains are owned by the state and partly by the local community. There is still a significant area of old growth forest, also known as virgin forest, a valuable habitat for the brown bear, wolf, red deer, wild boar, lynx, marten, rare species of birds and plants. The old growth forest area is the last one in the Maramures county.

The houses we will be staying in are surrounded by traditionally managed meadows and the local people proudly maintain their customs and culture. Our rooms will be simple and comfortable. Part of us will be staying in a traditional farmhouse, part of us in a guesthouse nearby. We will have plenty of time to enjoy the good life and fabulous traditional food. We can sit in the garden, enjoy a campfire, and stare into the hills… bliss!

Woodland still covers more than four fifth of the land of Maramures. It is understandable therefore, that wood has always been the medium of expression for the region’s artisans. Elaborate woodcarvings decorate the eaves, entryways and windows of houses. Many of the villages have unique wooden churches with tall spires and shingled roofs. We will also see local handiwork in the hand-woven carpets and intricate embroidery that adorns folk dresses still worn by the locals.

Just like our other holidays, this trip will be a relaxed affair; our idea of a holiday is to enjoy beautiful walks, take in the views, smell the herbs, soak in the sun and have a drink on a terrace overlooking the hills to sample the local food.

We will take our Nordic Walking poles and walk most days (max around
10-12km) to explore some of the beautiful nature and incredible history
of this land. However, this is definitely not a bootcamp, and we have
plenty of flexibility to adapt to the mood and fitness of the group. 

Most walks will be guided by Silvia and myself, but we also hired a local guide for three days, to make sure we hear plenty about the local history and culture.

The average temperature when we are going is very similar to London. Not too hot, not too cold, it should be nice walking weather. It is always possible that we get some rain, but September in Maramures is relatively dry.

Price: £820.

Interested in Joining us?

We only have 7 spaces, and lots of you have already expressed interest, so if you want to join, be quick! Send a message to Ailien@fitandhappyoutdoors.com to express your interest and I will send you the full itinerary and booking forms.

Fit and Happy Outdoors is all about community and friendship. For that reason, we give active members priority to take part in this trip. (by active member we mean someone who regularly walks with us or has regularly walked with us in the past)

Included in the price:

• Hotel or Guesthouse, on the basis of single use of your room
• Transport to and from airports (provided you are on the recommended flight)
• Transport to and from walks
• All breakfasts
• Picknick lunches
• all dinners at our guesthouse
• 3 Walks guided by local guides
• All walks led by Ailien with help of Silvia

Not included:

• Flights
• Drinks
• Special lunch or dinner at Monastery and/or with the Shepherds
• Entry fees to museums, national parks, etc
• Travel insurance