Some frontiers look dramatic on the map and modest on the ground, and the Roman watchtower site on Dealul Prislop near Hurez is a good example. Here, in the hills of Sălaj county in northwestern Romania, archaeologists have identified a series of small towers on high ground along the western frontier of Roman Dacia, which ran along the Meseș mountains and the hills around them. The towers were part of a chain of observation posts linked by signals, controlling movement across the frontier, and they are now included in the UNESCO listing of the Dacian frontier. Little is visible except low mounds and the shape of the land, but the views from the ridges explain why the Romans chose these spots.
The area lies between the Crasna and Barcău river valleys, in a landscape of rolling hills, woods and small farming villages. Nearby, near Zalău, lies Porolissum, the most important Roman site in the region, a large fortified town with a reconstructed gate and an amphitheatre. It controlled the main pass through the Meseș mountains and was a hub of trade between the province and the free Dacians beyond the frontier.
The riding is rural and varied. Roads link the villages of Cizer, Stârciu and Mal with occasional climbs and gentle curves through woods and fields. Surfaces range from fairly smooth asphalt to rough patches and gravel, so take care, especially after rain. Traffic is minimal, but watch out for carts, livestock and the occasional tractor. The higher ground offers wide views over the hills toward the Plopiș and Meseș ranges. Spring and autumn are lovely; summer can be hot, and winter muddy or snowy.
Services are limited in the villages. Crasna, about fifteen kilometres away, is the nearest larger place with fuel and shops, while Zalău, the county seat, has a full range of amenities. Local food includes sour soups, stuffed cabbage and plum brandy, and village shops sell bread, cheese and drinks. Make a quiet stop here, perhaps on a ridge with a view, and think of the soldiers who stood watch on these hills almost two thousand years ago, scanning the horizon for trouble. Then head on to Porolissum to see the frontier at its most impressive.