In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, a fortress on a hill above the Someș valley near Ciceu belonged not to the rulers of Transylvania but to the princes of Moldavia, on the far side of the Carpathians. Stephen the Great received the castle of Ciceu and its estates as compensation from the Hungarian king, and the Moldavian princes held it for decades, a curious enclave in the middle of Transylvania. The castle was later destroyed, and only ruins remain on the hill above Ciceu-Corabia, but the story gives a sense of how fluid borders and loyalties were in this part of Europe.
The hill of Măgura, near Dumbrăveni, lies in the same part of the Someș valley, between Dej and Beclean, and the Romans had their own reasons for watching it. The northern frontier of their province of Dacia ran through these hills in the second and third centuries, and high points like this were used for lookouts and signal stations. Today, the hilltop is grazing land and woods, and its main attraction is the view: the broad valley of the Someș below, villages scattered along the road, and the hills of northern Transylvania rolling away on every side.
This is deep countryside, and the riding is a slow pleasure. The road along the Someș between Dej and Beclean is generally in decent condition, with gentle curves and a mix of farm and local traffic, and the side roads into the hills are narrower, steeper and more rural, with gravel and potholes in places. Horse carts, flocks of sheep and dogs guarding them are part of the scenery. Spring brings fresh green and flowers, and late summer brings haymaking and fruit.
Dej, about fourteen kilometres away, is the nearest town with a full range of services, including fuel, shops and restaurants. The town is an old salt town with a Gothic Reformed church in its centre and a long history as a market for the surrounding villages. In the villages, small shops can provide basic supplies, and some farms sell honey, cheese and fruit.
At the end of the day, find a guesthouse in the area and ask for a meal of local dishes: ciorbă de perișoare, sour soup with meatballs, or tochitură, a pork stew served with polenta, a fried egg and cheese. And raise a glass to the strange history of a valley where Moldavian princes once held a castle far from home.