Hiking from Cheile Bicazului to Barnadu Village and Vithovos Peak

The hiking route starts atthe baseof Cheile Bicazului at the bus station from Bicaz Chei village. From there the trail twists its way up through traditional houses and enters the forest. From time to time you’ll be able to see the spectacular rock formations from Cheile Bicazului. Soon, the asphalted road becomes nothing more than a thin line that goes through the rocks.

After few km of hiking through the forest we reach Barnadu village, located at the base of Ciurgau Peak on the ridge that separates Sugau valley from Bardos valley. The wooden houses built in a pure traditional way respect the local architecture of mountain villages from Moldova. The scenery that surrounds Barnadu village is of rare beauty. You can’t overlook that each morning these people weak up and see Cheile Sugaului and Criminisul Peak or Hasmasul Mare Peak.

The route on Google Maps

The road goes through the small houses, near the small church and exits Barnadu village at the foot of Ciurgau Peak. For now the trail seems to spare us of an abrupt hiking and takes us around the peak. From there we can see the entire Barnadu village in the valley, Hasmasul Mare Peak and on the opposite side Jidanului Mountain and on our left Ciurgau Peak.

Our path continues in a twisted shape through Lapos Peak, goes near a sheepfold and after that into the forest until it reaches the place called “Poarta Laposului” (Lapos Gate). The hike is not difficult: only the heat works against us. From Cheile Bicazului to Vithovos stone there are about 12 km. Along the way Vithovos peak appears and disappears behind the hills just like a rock in the middle of a stormy sea.