Piatra Mâțeștilor Cycling Route

DESCRIPTION

Trail: Sălașu de Sus – Mălăiești – Cetatea Mălăiești – Piatra Mâței – Coroiești – Paroș – Zăvoi – Sălașu de Sus

We start from Sălașul de Sus to Mălăieşti on the asphalt road. Once you get in Mălăieşti, turn left on the first street and follow the signs to Mălăieşti Fortress. From the fortress keep going towards the South, up the hill, on one of the plenty of trails used by animals until you reach a grassy country road, barely visible. From this point you should see the road that climbs on the bank from the other side of the valley. Descend into the valley, cross the ford and start climbing strongly on the road that becomes increasingly steep. Soon after that you will have to get off your bike and follow the steepest section that is not more than 200 meters long. Once you get up, you will see another noticeable road that climbs gently to the South. Follow this road and you will get to a crossroads with a forest road, and a private chalet not more than 200 meters up the road. Turn right and keep climbing easily on the forest road, pass by the chalet and go on up you pass the river, and turn left onto a secondary road at the first curve to the right. Continue until you reach a stream that you will pass through the ford. From this point the road becomes very abruptly, used only by forestry tractors, so you will have to get off your bike and start pushing it for a few hundred meters. After 500 meters or so of difficult climbing a small road appears to the left that leads to a clearing where there is a hunting observer. As soon as you enter in the clearing turn right on the edge of the forest until you reach a dirt road that ascends gently for a few hundred meters and then starts to descend

From this point you descend continuously until Coroiești. Up to the village you will encounter three more crossroads. The first one is on a road that ascends to the right, the second one is with a road that descends to the right and the third is with the main road leading to the village. Once you get on the main road you simply need to follow it up to the entrance in the village where we will find a gate. Pass the gate and in less than 100 meters from the it you will find on the right side of the road a still functional whirlpool. Continue through the village and follow the main road until you reach the asphalt road. Do not rush to move on but pedal along the streets of the village and discover the beautiful old houses or the traditional stone fences. From Coroiești follow the road signs to Paroş. Here you can visit the church that is a historical monument and especially the cemetery with ancient tombstones that display the Old Romanian spelling. After the visit, follow the road that passes by the church until you get again on asphalt road. From here in order to reach Zăvoi you simply need to keep left at the only major
crossroads that you encounter. Once arrived in Zăvoi follow the road signs to Sălaşu de Sus.

DETAILS

Lenght: 22 km
Difficulty: difficult
Trail type: ciclotourism
Time: 4-5 h
Altitude difference: ca. 590 m
Surface: asphalt road, gravel road, dirt road