Dej is the town where the Someșul Mare and Someșul Mic meet, a river city with a long history of salt and trade, and the hills above it are the setting for Dealul Râpelor, the Hill of Gullies. The name describes a landscape of badlands, where soft clays and marls have been cut into steep ravines by rain, leaving bare slopes, crumbling edges and odd shapes. On the heights above, the Roman army set up a watchtower as part of the northern frontier of Dacia, the Limes Porolissensis, which is now part of the World Heritage listing of the Dacian frontier.
From a height like this, a sentry could watch the valley of the Someș, one of the main routes across Transylvania, and pass signals to the next tower along the ridge. Few ruins show above ground, but the earthworks and stones are there, and the outlook shows why the spot was chosen. The area belongs to the Transylvanian plain, a landscape of hills and valleys that is far greener and more varied than the name suggests, with orchards, vineyards and old villages.
For riders, the road network in this part of Cluj county is a pleasant mixture. The DN1C links Dej to Gherla and Cluj-Napoca, and quieter county roads climb through the hills, past villages with plum orchards and stone churches. Surfaces vary, with some freshly paved sections and some broken ones, and horse carts and tractors are normal. Rain turns clay roads slick, and in summer the heat shimmers over the fields. Take the minor roads slowly, and keep an eye out for dogs.
Dej has around thirty-eight thousand people, so fuel stations, supermarkets and restaurants are easy, and the nearest listed village, Ciceu-Giurgești, is small. Salt was once mined near here, and Ocna Dej, nearby, has a salt lake used for bathing. Traditional Transylvanian dishes include sarmale, cabbage rolls, and mămăligă, a cornmeal porridge served with sour cream and cheese. Spring brings blossom and autumn brings the harvest.