Zagra from Salva station, via the village path

From Năsăud, a town in the Bistrița-Năsăud County in northern Romania, follow the signs for Dej or Cluj to reach the village of Salva.
From Cluj, first follow signs for Baia Mare as far as Dej, then follow signs for Bistrița until you reach the entrance to Beclean. Before crossing the river, on leaving Coldău (a village in the Beclean area), follow signs for Năsăud.
Salva railway station is a major hub with excellent connections from Cluj, leading in particular to Maramureș.

Park near the station.

(S) From the station car park, take the road on the right and walk for about 800 m.

(1) Take the street on the left at the first sign indicating a level crossing (three diagonal red stripes). A few dozen metres further on, pass a street on the right. After the last houses, pass a path on the left.

(2) At the next junction, turn left, then ignore the main path that branches off to the right just before a double bend to the left and then to the right.

(3) At the pass, ignore a path on the right and the track leading left towards the mast. After enjoying the view, continue straight ahead and begin the descent towards the valley leading to Runcu. During the descent, one section is almost always extremely muddy and can only be tackled with high-top walking boots and walking poles. Otherwise, you risk losing a boot in the mud and never being able to retrieve it!

The path leads onto a tarmac road; follow this to the right for about 600 m.

(4) After a wide bend, follow the road to the left towards a hamlet. Do not leave it until you see a small valley on the left about a hundred metres after leaving the hamlet.

(5) Cross the stream to the left and head up the path that follows the valley. A few metres after the stream, ignore a rutted path that climbs into the forest on the left. After a few dozen metres, when the path becomes difficult to follow, take one of the short side paths that branch off from it, as this section is usually quite muddy and slippery, even in summer.

(6) Leave the main path which climbs left towards the forest, following the grassy path to the right just after a farm. Stay on this path until you reach the village of Zagra. At the entrance to the village, follow the tarmac road to the left.

(7) At the crossroads, turn left to reach the square in front of Zagra Church, opposite the Town Hall (Primărie) and a bar-cum-grocery shop (E).

This route is an alternative thttps://www.visorando.com/randonnee-coll… in case of rain or to minimise the elevation gain. Enjoy panoramic views of the town of Năsăud and the valley leading to Runcu-Salvei.

You can complete this hike in a day and stay in Zagra upon arrival. There are minibuses early in the morning to return to Năsăud or Salva station.

From Zagra, it is possible to undertake a multi-day route by following the hiking guides published on Visorando. Find the basic stages of the route by clicking on this link: https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-/128...

There are no signposts on this route.

As this stage includes sections that may be muddy in heavy rain and others on paths that are sometimes rutted, it is essential to wear ankle-high hiking boots to avoid sprains or losing a boot in the mud. Furthermore, high-top boots offer better protection against viper bites, which you may encounter in grassy areas.

Take a large stick to protect your calves from sheepdogs, but never wave it about and, as far as possible, avoid the flocks of sheep, which are numerous on the hills.

You will find water in the shops in Salva and Zagra.

It seems that a lodge has recently opened in the village of Zagra. Ask the villagers to find it (pensiune, pronounced pènsiouné). You can also look for accommodation with a local resident (cazare, pronounced cazaré).

In Salva, visit the monastery (Mănăstirea Salva), located 3.7 km from the station, towards Năsăud.

In Zagra, admire the beautiful interior paintings in the church. On the hill, visit the small wooden church (see itinerary on the page “The ridges from Zagra to Alunis”, https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-les-... ).

Starting from Zagra, a three- to ten-day circular tour is possible:
https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-/128...