Novaci is the southern gate of the Transalpina, and for a town of fewer than three thousand people it has a good deal of mountain on its doorstep. It sits in Gorj county, on the southern edge of the Parâng range, where the Oltenian foothills fold up into the high Carpathians, and the air smells of sheep, hay and woodsmoke. Sheep farming has been the livelihood of the district for centuries, and the shepherds still drive their flocks up to the high pastures in summer, living in simple huts and making cheese.
The road that starts here is the Transalpina, the DN67C, the highest paved road in the Romanian Carpathians, which reaches about 2,100 metres at the Urdele Pass. Its origins are disputed, with legends about Roman legions and medieval traders, but the modern road was built in the 1930s under King Carol II and was long known as the King's Road. It was used by German troops during the Second World War, then fell into decline, and after a lengthy renovation, it reopened as one of the great mountain roads of Europe. It is usually closed to traffic by snow from late autumn to early summer.
Close by, the Tismana Monastery, one of the oldest in the country, stands in a wooded gorge, and the village of Hobița, a short drive away, is the birthplace of the sculptor Constantin Brâncuși, whose Endless Column stands in Târgu Jiu, the county capital, about sixty kilometres away. The Gorj region is a place where folk traditions are strong, with painted houses, carved gates and a robust cuisine of grilled meats, polenta, cheese and plum brandy, the țuică.
Riding up from Novaci, the road climbs through spruce forest in long bends and then breaks out onto bare, grassy ridges, with views over a sea of peaks. Weather can change very quickly, with fog and cold wind at the top, even in July. Sheep, cattle and dogs wander over the road, and gravel and potholes can appear after the thaw. Fill up here, since services on the high road are very limited, and the nearest bigger centre is Crasna, about thirteen kilometres away.
Come in June or September for the best weather, and carry layers for the cold at the top.