The Roman province of Dacia had a northern frontier that ran along the hills of what is now Sălaj county, in north-western Romania, around the great fortress of Porolissum. Here the Limes was not a continuous wall but a network of watchtowers, small forts and earthworks set on hilltops with views over the valleys. Vârful Cigleanului, a hilltop near the village of Ciglean, close to Jibou, held one of these watchtowers, and the number in the name marks it as one of several in the area.
The Someș river flows past Jibou, cutting through the hills towards the north, and the landscape is a mix of forests, pastures and villages. Jibou has a botanical garden around the Wesselényi castle, a baroque mansion of a Hungarian noble family, and the garden is one of the most important in Romania, with greenhouses and collections of plants from around the world. Porolissum, about thirty kilometres south-west near Zalău, has impressive remains of a Roman fort and town, including a reconstructed gate.
The riding in Sălaj is rural and relaxed. Minor roads wind through the hills and villages, with gentle bends and views across the Someș valley, but surfaces vary and potholes are common. Traffic is light, with horse carts and livestock sharing the roads. The Meseș mountains, to the south-west, offer more winding roads through forests. Summer is warm, and spring and autumn are pleasant, with fresh green or golden colours. Rain can turn unpaved tracks to mud, so stay on asphalt unless you are equipped for it.
Ciglean is a tiny village, and Jibou, five kilometres away, is a town of eleven thousand with fuel and shops. Zalău, the county capital, has all services. Local food is hearty and simple, and village guesthouses offer homemade dishes and pălincă. If you are interested in the Roman frontier, a visit to Porolissum is essential, and the walk to a hilltop like Vârful Cigleanului gives a sense of how the Romans watched over this distant edge of their empire.