Über Niculițel nach Greci

On Friday, November 3, 2017, the journey to Munții Măcinului is on the program. This is a well-known mountain formation in the Northern Dobruja region with a height of about 400 meters. According to reliable sources, it is the oldest mountain range in Europe and definitely worth seeing. On Friday afternoon, we leave Hotel Egreta and head to the bus station in Tulcea. In the city, I replenish our food supplies and organize a small lunch for myself and Rango. At the bus station, it quickly becomes apparent that arranging transportation for Rango will be problematic once again. In the end, the planned bus ride fails because of the Dicke, and we set off on foot towards the west. After a good 5km, we have the opportunity to hitchhike at the outskirts of Tulcea. The driver is allegedly a veterinarian who can give us a ride for about 10km to Somova. The pig keeps rubbing against his crotch during the ride and even licks my hand when saying goodbye (#MeToo). He must have expected some kind of special form of fare reimbursement... It's unbelievable! For the rest of the afternoon, we walk along the DN22 road until we reach the turnoff to Telița. From there, a path leads through extensive vineyards to Niculițel. However, our hike ends at the edge of an abandoned vineyard on Friday. It's half past four and starting to get dark.

On Saturday, I pack up the tent early and we set off to Niculițel around ten o'clock. After about 2 hours, we reach the village, and I treat myself to a coffee at a small convenience store. After crossing the village, we face the first small ascent. Once again, I veer off the right path and have to scramble uphill through the undergrowth. When the path reappears, the majority of the climb is already done. From now on, we walk through expansive, autumn-colored mixed forests for the rest of the day. Besides a shepherd with his flock of sheep and two Romanians who are coming from collecting firewood, we don't encounter any other souls. In the late afternoon, I set up the tent in the woods after walking nearly 25km and retreat to my sleeping bag.

On Sunday, November 5, 2017, we manage to start early again. Before we reach the next village, Greci, we have to climb to the summit of Vf. Țuțuiatu. With a height of 467m, it is the highest peak in the Măcin Mountains and offers a magnificent view over the western plains, through which the Danube River meanders. Afterwards, we descend to Izvorul Italienilor to replenish our water supplies and then continue to Greci. There, I can't resist having coffee and cake and also get some fresh treats for Dicke. After leaving Greci behind, it's time to head back into the mountains. Before starting the ascent again, a ranger charges us an entrance fee of 12RON for the national park. I set up the camp for the night with a magnificent view of the western plains and then enjoy the sunset before this hiking day comes to an end.