Ileanda is a village in the north of Sălaj county, where the river Someș swings north-west out of the Transylvanian basin through a valley flanked by wooded hills. On the hill called Ciuha, above the village, the Romans had a post on the northern edge of their province of Dacia, one of the watchtowers and forts that guarded the frontier from the second to the third century. The site belongs to the Frontiers of the Roman Empire, Dacia, inscribed by UNESCO in 2024. Do not expect a ruin with walls to wander through: what survives is mostly earthwork and traces in the ground, and the joy lies in the climb and the view rather than the remains.
The Someș valley here is narrow and winding, with the railway, the road and the river squeezed between hills, and villages strung along the bottom. The hills are covered with beech and oak forests, meadows and orchards, and in spring and autumn they are particularly beautiful. Village life follows traditional rhythms, with hay meadows cut by hand, cattle driven to pasture, and wooden churches standing among the houses.
Jibou, a little way downstream, has a remarkable botanical garden, one of the largest in Romania, laid out in the grounds of a Baroque castle that belonged to the Wesselényi family, Hungarian nobles who played a part in the region's history. It makes a pleasant break on a hot day, with greenhouses, ponds and shady paths.
The riding is relaxed and scenic, following the river valley through villages and forests, with gentle curves and occasional climbs. The main road can be busy with trucks, while minor roads into the hills are quieter but rougher, with potholes, gravel and sometimes dirt. Horse carts, livestock and dogs are common, and villages often stretch along the road. The weather is continental, with hot summers, cold winters and changeable conditions in spring and autumn.
Fuel is limited in the villages. The nearest larger town listed is Copalnic Mănăștur, about twenty kilometres away, and Jibou and Dej are the main towns in either direction along the valley. Village shops sell bread, cheese and drinks. Try a bowl of balmoș, polenta cooked with sheep's cheese and butter, a traditional shepherd's dish, at a guest house or inn.