On a terrace above the river Someș, near the village of Cășeiu, a few kilometres from Dej in northern Transylvania, the Romans built a fort they called Samum. It guarded the northern edge of their province of Dacia, which they conquered in the early second century after two hard wars against the Dacian king Decebalus. The fort controlled the valley and the routes into the province, and today its outline can still be traced in the fields, with low walls and earthworks where archaeologists have uncovered gates, towers and barracks. In 2024 the Dacian frontier was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list as part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire.
The Someș valley is broad and fertile, with fields, orchards and villages strung along the river, and low hills on either side covered in woods and pastures. In summer the valley is warm and green, in autumn full of the smell of plums and woodsmoke, and in winter often wrapped in mist.
Dej, the nearest town, has long been linked to salt. The salt mines of the area were exploited since Roman times, and the town has a fine Gothic Reformed church in its centre, a reminder of the many communities, Romanian, Hungarian and others, that have shaped Transylvania. Cluj-Napoca, the region's main city, lies about an hour south-west.
The riding is relaxed rather than dramatic. Main roads follow the valley, carrying a fair amount of traffic, including trucks, while minor roads branch into the hills towards villages with wooden churches, fruit trees and haystacks. Surfaces on minor roads can be rough, and horse carts, dogs and livestock are common. For more spectacular riding, the mountains of the Rodna and Maramureș lie to the north and east, a few hours away.
Dej, about four kilometres away, has fuel, supermarkets and restaurants. Try a bowl of ciorbă, the sour soup that comes in many versions, with tripe, beans or meatballs, or a plate of sarmale, cabbage rolls served with polenta and sour cream. If someone offers you a glass of homemade plum brandy, be careful: it is strong, and you have a bike to ride.