Obârșia Lotrului means the source of the Lotru, and the name explains the place. The Lotru River rises in these mountains and flows down through a long wooded valley to the Olt, and here at its head the landscape opens into forest, meadow and the glint of lakes. It is a quiet mountain hamlet on the northern side of the Transalpina, with a handful of cabins, guesthouses and a ski area that is lively in winter and gentle in summer, and it makes a good pause after the bare heights of the pass.
The countryside feels remote. Dense spruce forest covers the lower slopes, and above it the meadows climb toward the ridge of the Parâng range. This is a region of bears, wolves and lynx, and signs of them are more common than sightings, though you might see deer or hear the crack of a branch at dusk. The water is cold and clear, and large dams along the Lotru valley have created reservoirs, including Vidra, whose long blue shape you may glimpse from the road, used for hydroelectric power.
The road from Urdele descends here in gentle curves through forest and clearing, with good tarmac in most places, though frost and rockfall can leave rough patches. It is a wonderful stretch of riding, less dramatic than the ridge but more intimate, with shafts of light through the trees, fresh air and almost no traffic on weekdays. In early autumn the leaves turn and the air has a faint smoky smell from the stoves in the village. Watch for logging trucks and for animals crossing at dusk, and slow down in the shade, where damp patches linger late into the morning.
Services are limited. There are small pensions and cafés serving grilled meat, soup and polenta, and a shop or two for the basics, but do not rely on fuel being available. Petrila and Petroșani, to the north, are the nearest larger towns with proper stations, and you should arrive here with a good reserve in the tank.
If you have an hour, walk to the water or a nearby meadow and listen. The valley is quiet in a way that big roads rarely allow.