Bărăști Cycling Route

DESCRIPTION

Trail: Sălașu de Sus – Bărăștii Hațegului – Săcel – Sânpetru – Sibișel – Ohaba Sibișel – Nucșoara – Mălăiești – Sălașu de Sus

The trail starts in the centre of Sălaşu de Sus village and continues along the river, passing by the town hall and leaving the village on a gravel road (in the near future it might be paved with asphalt). Then, it crosses the communal pastures, it climbs up to a hill and it continues on a dirt road to a pond where you can admire some peaks of Retezat Mountains. From the pond you should get back again on the hill (5 min) and follow the dirt road that descends to Bărăştii Haţegului village. From here it turns left through the village on an asphalt road till it enters in Săcel village where, on the left side, you can see the ruins of the Baron Nopcsa Mansion. Cross Săcel village and at the first crossroads, after you pass the river, you should turn left to Sânpetru. In the intersection with the new built church of Sânpetru the trail follows the road from the left and after a few hundred meters reaches the medieval church of Sânpetru. From here it follows the asphalt road on the right (or even the road right in front of the church, if you decide to visit it) and at the village exit we enter in the “Dinosaurs Valley”, known under this name due to numerous discoveries of fossils in the valley slopes and also due to the thematic trail built there by the administration of Hateg Country
Dinosaurs Geopark. It passes close to the dinosaurs’ hill and the granite fields, while in front we have a beautiful view of Retezat Mountains. The road continues to Sibișel, then to Ohaba Sibișel, where on the right side you will find an old water mill and then, on the left side is a whirlpool. When the asphalt road ends, you have to cross the footbridge and the route follows a dirt road along the last houses in the village. You have to cross on foot a creek and the road continues uphill about 150m, then you get to an asphalt road leading to Nucsoara village (it is in project to asphalt the road between Ohaba Sibișel and Nucșoarag). At the main road in the centre of Nucşoara we turn left and we follow the asphalt road up to Sălaşu de Sus.

DETAILS

Lenght: 26.8 km
Difficulty: medium
Trail type: ciclotourism
Time: 3 hours
Altitude difference: ca. 340 m
Surface: asphalt road, gravel road, dirt road