Bologa is a village in the valley of the Crișul Repede, the swift river that flows west from the hills of Cluj county towards Oradea and the Hungarian plain. On the hill above it, known as Măgura Bologii, lie the remains of a castle that once guarded the valley, and in the fields nearby are the traces of a Roman fort, built to protect the north western edge of the province of Dacia. The fort, known in antiquity as Resculum, is part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire, Dacia, listed by UNESCO in 2024, a line of forts, watchtowers and walls that ran along the edge of the Roman province from the second to the third century.
The Crișul Repede valley has always been a corridor, and today it carries the main road from Cluj-Napoca to Oradea, as well as the railway. Ciucea, a few kilometres downstream, was the home of the poet and politician Octavian Goga, whose house and gardens are now a museum. Further down, the river cuts a gorge through the mountains, with rock walls, tunnels and the railway weaving in and out along the river.
The main road through the valley is busy, especially with trucks, and it is not much fun to ride. But the roads that branch off into the Apuseni mountains to the south are a different story. They climb through forests and meadows, past villages and farms, to high plateaus with wide views, caves and karst landscapes. The Apuseni are one of the best riding areas in Romania, with quiet roads, varied scenery and friendly people. The surface quality varies, and some roads are unpaved, but that is part of the adventure.
Huedin, about fifteen kilometres away, is the nearest town of any size, with fuel, shops and restaurants. The area around Huedin, known as Țara Călatei, is home to a Hungarian minority with its own traditions, including colourful costumes and painted wooden ceilings in the churches. The food is a mix of Romanian and Hungarian, with goulash, stuffed cabbage and sweet pastries. The weather is changeable, with rain likely at any time, and the mountains can be cold even in summer, so pack layers and waterproofs.