North of Dej, the Someș river winds through a land of soft hills, orchards and scattered villages, and on the ridges above it the Romans once kept watch over the northern frontier of their province of Dacia. Chiuiești, a commune of small villages spread across the hills, is one of the places where archaeologists have identified the remains of watchtowers on high points along the frontier, including one on the hill known as Dealul Crucii, the Hill of the Cross. Little survives above ground beyond low mounds and traces in the grass, but the sites are included in the World Heritage inscription of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire in Dacia, added in 2024.
Dacia was conquered by Trajan in two wars at the beginning of the second century AD and became a Roman province with its capital at Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa. The northern frontier ran through the hills of what is now Sălaj and Cluj counties, with forts, watchtowers and earthworks controlling the passes and valleys. The Romans withdrew from Dacia around 271, but their legacy endured in the Romanian language, which descends from Latin, something every Romanian schoolchild learns with pride.
The riding around Chiuiești is a pleasant mix of rural roads and hilly lanes. The main roads along the Someș valley are fairly busy, with trucks and cars heading between Dej and Baia Mare, but the side roads into the hills are quiet, winding through orchards, pastures and woods with frequent climbs and descents. Surfaces vary greatly, from new asphalt to broken roads and gravel tracks, so an adventure bike is an advantage if you want to explore. Watch out for horse-drawn carts, which are still common in rural Romania, as well as cattle and dogs.
Chiuiești itself has small shops but no proper services. Dej, about fifteen kilometres away, is a town of nearly forty thousand people with fuel stations, supermarkets and restaurants. The area around Dej is also known for its salt, with the salt mine at Ocna Dejului nearby. Local food is hearty: sarmale, cabbage rolls stuffed with meat and rice, mămăligă, a polenta-like dish, and strong plum brandy called țuică or pălincă. Ride up to the ridge if the track allows, look out over the hills and the Someș valley, and imagine a Roman sentry staring north into the forests.