Beyond Ciucea the mountains of Apuseni begin to close in. The Vlădeasa massif, which rises to nearly eighteen hundred metres to the south, is the high point of the range and a place of bare ridges, beech forest and deep valleys, with a mountain lake and cabins for hikers. The road from Cluj to Oradea runs through the valley of the Crișul Repede below it, and the hills on either side are cut with side valleys where small villages cling to the slopes.
Hurez is one of these, a hamlet with small farms and terraced fields, and Cornul Vlășinului, which means the Horn of Vlășin, is a hill name that suggests a pointed rise above the village.
Poieni, a village of about a thousand, and Ciucea, with over four thousand, are the nearest places with shops and fuel, and Huedin is larger still. The valley road is the busiest in the region, with heavy lorries between Cluj and Oradea, and the traffic is a reason to turn away from the main route as soon as you can. The side roads are quiet, but steep, narrow and rough in places, with tight hairpins, wet leaves on shaded bends and unfenced livestock.
In the mountains the weather can turn at any time, with fog rolling in and temperatures dropping, so carry a warm layer and rain gear. Summer afternoons bring thunderstorms, and winter brings snow that can close the higher roads. Late May and June, when the meadows are full of flowers and the beech leaves are fresh, are the best times, and September is nearly as good. You may meet shepherds with big white dogs, so stop and let them see you, and ask permission before walking across a field. The smell of cut hay and woodsmoke is the true soundtrack of the ride.