Winter closes this country more completely than visitors expect. In the hills of Salaj, north of the Somes, the valleys fill with fog in November, the clay roads freeze and thaw, and by January the snow can block lanes for days. Valea Lesului, the Valley of Lesu, is a village at the end of one such valley, with the hill known as Piciorul Andreichii, Andreica's foot or spur, rising above it. The ride that uses it connects to Popeni, a village known as Dumbrava, a word that means an oak grove, and the name tells you about the woods of oak that cover many ridges in this area.
The spur is probably one of the points on the frontier of Roman Dacia, since the number 2 in its name follows the pattern of the other sites along the Meses ridge, and it would have given a view over the valley of the Somes, the main river of the north-west. What I can describe is the quality of this landscape in the changing seasons: spring comes late and green, with cherry and plum blossom in the villages in April, followed by hay in June, ripening plums in September, and a long, mellow autumn.
Riding here depends heavily on weather. After heavy rain, the clay roads turn to grease, and even gravel surfaces become treacherous, so be prepared to turn back. In dry weather, they are firm and pleasant, with rolling curves and open views, and the villages are strung along the valleys with wooden churches and well-kept gardens. Horse carts are still common, loaded with hay or firewood, and they move at a walking pace, so patience is needed. The Somes river lies to the south, and there are quiet roads along its banks.
Jibou, twenty kilometres away, is the nearest town of size, with fuel stations, a supermarket and a few places to eat, and a good place to turn back if the weather changes. Smaller villages have shops with basic supplies, and many have a local bar where men gather in the evening for a glass of plum brandy. Autumn is the most reliable season, with stable weather, dry tracks and a warm, low light on the oak woods, and the harvest of walnuts, apples and maize gives the countryside a busy, cheerful look.