Marking: red triangle, from Saua Cupaşului red circle
Time to make the route: 3 hours
Distance: 5 km
Level difference: 425 m, difficult to make during winter

During winter this hiking route is difficult to make and we recommend full equipment in order to enjoy the beauty of the mountain fully secured.

The route starts at km 29 from the National Road 12C and the markings are red triangles (the starting point is localized right after the tunnel exit, on the first parking on the right). From the start, you’ll be facing the mountain, climbing on a narrow trail between tall firs. Your efforts are quickly reworded by a spectacular frozen waterfall on Lapos Creek.

We are now in Lapos Canyon: on our left, along the trail, we can see Cupas Rock – on the right Lapos Creek with small waterfalls bordered by an enormous rock wall. After a while the hiking becomes easier and soon we leave the canyon behind us.

The route goes now to La Sodron where there are some hay storehouses of local villagers. From here, the trail continues to the left towards Saua Cupas, the last hiking portion of this route. On top of this hill there is a belvedere point to the surrounding peeks, the most well known being Suhardul Mare (1504,2 m) and Suhardul Mic (1344,5 m).

The descent will be made by way of the red circle marking. From Saua Cupas you’ll go to the left until you reach the forest. There the trail continues until the intersection with the forest road, which is easy to recognize by the electric poles. At this intersection, go left and you’ll continue to walk until you reach the National Road DN 12C, a couple of hundred of meters from the starting point.

The route can be started at the pier from “Peste Vale” where parking is available to leave cars. Regardless of the weather, the route is accessible all year long. It’s not difficult to reach the top of the hill (approx 457 m). The entire hill seems to be separated apart from the surrounding landscape of mountains.

The access to the top can be made only through the south side of the hill. The trail starts from the main road and goes to the top, arriving at the remains of the stronghold.

Once you’re on the top of the hill you’ll see the remaining walls of the stronghold. The archeological diggings performed here revealed an important military and cultural center and also two layers of civilizations.

The stronghold is assumed to be the famous stronghold Petrodava. It was a part off a vast system of fortifications intended to defend the Bistrita Valley. From the top of the hill you can admire Piatra Neamt and Batca Doamnei Lake where you can see ducks and swans (both black and white).

Cernegura Hill is located on the south-west side of Piatra Neamt and is covered by a dense forest and this makes the road to the top a little bit challenging. Although the trail route isn’t marked you can’t miss it and eventually it takes you to the top of the hill.

Right at the starting point of the route you’ll see: beech, birch, hornbeam, oak, cherry, apple and poplar trees and after a while, near the top you may also notice fir, spruce and pine. Once you reach the top of Cernegura Hill you are at an altitude of 852 m. The trail will take you to a belvedere point where the view is truly breathtaking.

There is a small resting place where you can sit down and admire the beauty of nature and if it’s a little windy you’ll also smell the aroma of the fir and other conifers. On the way back you can stop at a small spring with clear mountain water.

The Stanca Trei Caldari hiking route is easy to make but still quite impressive because of the beauty of the forest and few viewing points of Ceahlau Mountain and Piatra Neamt. The route features more than one starting point: you can go on foot from Piatra Neamt or with the Cable Railway to the top of the mountain and from there on foot.

If you want to make the entire route on foot you have the two starting points, at the Zoo and at the base of the Ski Slope. From the Zoo to the place called “Trei Coline”, there are several points from where you can admire Piatra Neamt.

Once you reach the point “Trei Coline” you are at an altitude of 657 m where you have an incredible view to the town Piatra Neamt and to the Ceahlau Mountain. The trail that goes to the rock formation called “3 Caldari” starts here.

To reach the rock formation, the trail takes you into the forest, where you can see trees with strange shapes so tall that seem to touch their tips. The sun rays that penetrate the forest create a mystery like atmosphere. From place to place the forest opens and you have a great views of Ceahlau Mountain and Piatra Neamt. After each of these points, the trail takes you back into the forest.

At some point you’ll reach the rock formation “3 Caldari” which seems to guard the forest being positioned in the middle of the trail. From a far distance the rock looks like a human skull due to the appearance of 3 seemingly familiar holes, waiting to be discovered. The rock is a natural monument because of those 3 unique holes with about 60 cm in diameter.