T9: Rosia Valley in pictures
| Route | Roşia – Poniţa – The Crystal Cave from Farcu mine – Farcului Hill – Pietrii Negre Valley – Tinoasa Hill – Runcuri Plateau – Poniţa – Roşia |
| Distance | 21 kilometers |
| Cumulative positive level difference | 630 meters |
| Travel time | 4 hours |
| Degree of difficulty | difficult |
| Surface | asphalt, paved road, dirt road |
| Discover also | The Crystal Cave from the Farcu mine, the karst plateau and the Runcuri hamlet, the thematic path “Discover Rosia Valley” |
| Attention | there are parts where due to the steep slope you have to travel next to the bike and some areas where the route is more difficult to identify in the field |
Route description
A relatively short mountain biking route, which can be covered in half a day, but which involves a series of steep climbs and a few steep descents. The visit to the Crystal Cave from Farcu mine, the beautiful panoramas of Roșia commune and its surroundings fully reward the effort made.
From the center of Roșia village, more precisely from the small square in front of the commune hall, we start towards Ponița village. Then we go up to the Crystal Cave from Farcu mine. Once here, it is worth taking a break to see one of the most beautiful caves of Padurea Craiului. From the cave, we continue to climb and turn left on the first cobbled forest road (not the dirt one!). We climb further until we leave the forest. Then the road turns sharply to the right and passes a gate, which we must be careful to close behind us. The road continues to climb, makes two serpentines, passes again by a gate and an abandoned house.
Not long after, the climb becomes very accentuated. At one point we come across another road coming from the left, but we will continue to go north. From here the climb softens, we climb a small peak and follow a short descent at the end of which the road splits. We follow the road on the left, we come out of the forest and we follow the grassy road that descends easily through grasslands and meadows until it enters the forest again.
Carreful, here the road becomes difficult to identify in the field. We must be careful to find a road that immediately leaves the forest, crosses the Pietrele Negre valley and climbs on the opposite bank. We continue to climb until we reach the top. From there we cycle further to Runcuri. When we meet the paved road we turn left and descend steeply towards Ponita. After the first two houses we turn left and immediately meet the paved road that crosses the village. We continue down to Roșia.
