Route - Transylvania Legends

A journey as half of Romania!

A story about Romania, about the purity of simplicity!

The Transylvania Legends ultramarathon route, part of Via Transilvanica – the road that unites, takes place in eight stages.

Departure from Putna, in front of the monastery and arrival at Mediaș, Castle Square, located exactly at the base of the tower that can be seen from any corner of the city.

The route has a length of 641 km and a positive level difference of 19820 meters, the adventure of a lifetime I would say for many of us, a special opportunity to be with yourself for eight days as in a retreat of resilience.

An opportunity to be one with the magic of nature, to meet people and places, cultures that, perhaps, you have never seen before.

The route crosses four historical and cultural regions: Bucovina, Upper Land, Szekler Land and Saxon Land, passing through forested areas with steep ascents and descents, alpine gaps, pastures, forest roads, paths, asphalt sections, through villages and towns.

The markings are the well-known milestones on Via Transilvanica, Romania’s legendary road.

The ultramarathon takes place in the Multi Stage-Self-Supported system being composed of eight stages.

The 8 stages of ultramaraton

Stage 1: Putna – Pasul Mestecăniș

Leaving in front of the Putna Monastery, on a tourist route, easy, mostly through the forest, you reach Sucevita, follow a difficult section with steep and long climbs to Vatra Moldoviței continuing to Sadova with steep but short climbs through the forest and beautiful meadows with a dream view to the Rarău Massif.

It continues in the same note until the Bottom of Moldova, with long climbs to the Mestecăniș Pass (1096m), the particularly beautiful views slightly marking the exit from Bucovina.

Stage 2: Pasul Mestecăniș - Tășuleasa Social

We continue towards Vatra Dornei, a route of medium difficulty, many descents through the forest, on forest roads with entrance to the resort town from where it is recommended to supply water (until Dorna Candrenilor we have no water sources), following a section difficult, up to Poiana Negri, with many climbs.

Leaving Poiana Stampei, we enter Tara de Sus, Bistriţa-Năsăud County, at the foot of the Rodna Mountains.

We head towards Lunca Ilvei on an easy route, mostly through the forest, after which we will cross a more difficult part with long climbs and large level differences, passing through Poiana lui Galan we will reach the end of the stage at Piatra Fântânele, at Tăşuleasa Social.

Stage 3: Tășuleasa Social - Monor

Starting from Tășuleasa Social, follow a route of medium difficulty with crossing DN17, passing through Valea Străjii, near Colibiţa lake we will reach Bistriţa Bârgăului.

After leaving the inhabited area, we cross some picturesque pastures, we enter a dense beech forest, we reach the top of Dealul Negru and we start an easy descent towards Petriş village.

We will reach Jeica through an area of villages and lowland fields with an ascent on the Magura hill. Continuing towards Monor we will follow a relatively easy route running on hill paths and through dense forests, an area of rare wildness, passing through the villages of Posmuş and Şieuţ.

Stage 4: Șieuț - Câmpul Cetății

The distance between Monor and Brâncoveneşti is covered on an easy route, with gentle ascents and descents, in a rural landscape with lowland forests, clearings and hills used as pastures.

This segment enters Mureş County. We will reach Caşva, passing through Deleni and Gurghiu, we will run a lot through the forest, pastures and hills and on asphalt sections.

The route continues on the same note, through large and full villages, through hamlets scattered on the hills, traversing fields, pastures and asphalt, thus reaching Bradadel.

From here the road to Câmpul Cetăţii starts with a long climb through the forest, continues with an open plateau entering again in a mysterious forest. Between these two forests is the Sheepfold with Wi Fi called “Tarle thoughtless”!

Stage 5: Câmpul Cetății - Lupeni

Here I have already left the Upper Land and entered the Szekler Land.

Leaving behind the village of Câmpul Cetăţii, we head towards Sovata on a route formed by forest paths (where beech predominates), with increased attention to wild animals, paved and asphalted roads.

We pass right through the heart of the resort, next to Ursu Lake and we will continue running towards Praid.

Following some steep ascents and descents, we will cross forest paths, pretty meadows, parts of asphalt through resorts, cobbled roads.

On this stretch of road Via Transilvanica joins Via Maria for a distance of about 50km. After leaving Praid, the route goes only through nature, on the ridge of the hill until we reach the village of Atia.

It should be noted that there are no water sources from Praid to Atia. To Lupeni we will cross an easy route, running either on asphalt or young forest paths, through small and pretty villages, with admirable households, Szekler gates and houses hundreds of years old.

Stage 6: Lupeni - Dârjiu

We start from Lupeni on a slightly steep and long ascent to the statue “Heart of Jesus”, a 22m high metal construction, after which we enter a forest like in fairy tales and descend steeply in the village of Dealu.

The route continues through hilly areas passing through other traditional villages to Odorheiul Secuiesc.

After crossing the city we climb in the area of the sheepfolds on the hill, we cross a lot of forest, we pass through traditional villages until Mărtiniş.

A part of medium difficulty follows, we feel a small change being on the border between two cultures: Szekler and Saxon, the route takes place on paths through fields, through forest, paved road or dirt paths through grass, little asphalt, passes through villages Rareş, Sânpaul, Daia, Iaşu, Ulieş reaching Dârjiu.

The road continues on the same note, about 16 km, until Archita, where the stage ends.

Stage 7: Dârjiu - Sighișoara

Archita marks the full entrance into the Saxon Land.

We continue with an easy route, mostly through dark and mysterious deciduous forests, crossing the Saxon villages, and we will descend on a piece of asphalt in the village of Crit.

We run another 14km and reach Saschiz, then we pass through hamlets forgotten by the world, inhabited by very few people, thus reaching Şapartoc.

We will travel long roads through the forest, parts of asphalt in Aurel Vlaicu, after which we will be able to see in the distance the city of Sighişoara, which we will cross in a straight line heading towards Stejărenii.

Stage 8: Sighișoara - Mediaș

In this last stage, of 59 km, we will have an easy route in the first part, following that after Biertan there will be climbs with significant level differences, the route becoming demanding.

We will cross long roads through the forest, on hills and coasts, meadows, and through the villages we will have to face the asphalt.

The last descent before the finish is still through the forest, reaching a glade where an asphalt road begins which, following the markings, will take us to the center of Mediaş.

Here you can see the entire route

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