Voievodeasa means the voivode's wife, and the hill that carries the name is one of several summits that rise around Popeni, in the north-west of Sălaj. Who she was and which voivode she belonged to is not on any signpost, and local stories differ, so it is safest to say that the name belongs to the long age of Transylvanian princes and nobles whose estates, castles and quarrels once shaped these hills. The point lies about four kilometres from Creaca, a village of nearly three thousand.
What you can see for yourself is the birdlife, which is remarkable for a district that rarely appears in a bird guide. The mixture of hay meadow, hedgerow, scrub and woodland supports species that have vanished from much of western Europe. Red-backed shrikes impale their prey on thorns along the lanes, hoopoes probe the short grass near farmyards, and in spring cuckoos and golden orioles call from the oak woods. Honey buzzards and short-toed eagles wheel above the ridges on warm days, and storks nest on utility poles in the villages, often in the same spot for decades.
The Meseș hills are not high, but they run in long folds, so a ride across them is a succession of short climbs and descents with quick changes of view. The road surface varies. Some stretches have been resurfaced, while others are broken by frost and spring floods, and loose gravel collects on the outside of bends. Slow tractors are the commonest obstacle, followed by dogs and ducks. Dusk brings wild boar and roe deer, so avoid riding after dark if you can.
Fuel is a question of planning. Creaca has a few shops and a place to eat, but a proper filling station is more likely in Zalău, a half-hour away. Carry water, since the villages may not have a convenient tap, and take a layer for the evening, when the air cools quickly after sunset.
Early summer is the time for birdsong, and a quiet pause on a verge, with the engine off and binoculars in hand, is rewarded.