The name Sărățel means the little salty place, and this corner of Bistrița-Năsăud has salt underground: springs of brine rise here and there in the hills, and for centuries people used them for cooking, curing meat and treating animals. Salt was one of the reasons the Romans wanted Dacia, along with gold, and on a hill near the village they placed a fort, Cetate, meaning the citadel, at the north-eastern corner of their province. Behind it lay the valley of the Șieu and the road towards the interior; in front, the hills where the free Dacians lived. The site is now part of the Roman frontier of Dacia on the World Heritage list, though, like most of these places, it is visible mainly as an outline of banks and ditches.
The landscape is gentle and open. The hills are covered in meadows, orchards and patches of oak and beech forest, and the villages along the Șieu are a mix of Romanian and, historically, Saxon and Hungarian communities, each with its own church. To the south, the Lechința area is known for its vineyards, a reminder that Transylvania was wine country long before the modern era, and local white wines are still made there. In spring, the orchards bloom white and pink, and the hills are a fresh green.
Riding here is relaxed. The roads between Șieu-Măgheruș, Lechința and the villages around follow the valleys and climb over low ridges in wide bends, with little traffic and decent surfaces on the main routes. The main road from Bistrița towards Reghin and Târgu Mureș is busier, with trucks, but has some pleasant sections over the hills. Watch out for horse carts, which are still common, and dogs that like to chase motorcycles. After rain, mud from the fields can make the village roads slippery.
Lechința, about six kilometres away, has a fuel station and basic shops, and Bistrița, a little further north, is the main town of the county, with everything you could need. In the villages, small shops and bars offer coffee, cold drinks and simple snacks. Look out for fresh cheese and honey sold at the roadside, and, if you are lucky, a plate of sarmale, cabbage rolls stuffed with meat and rice, at a local guesthouse.