Winter walking in Transylvania

Making tracks

One thing that always gets outdoor adventurers excited is the prospect of watching wildlife. Winter walking offers every chance of seeing tracks or scat in the snow. Just tread carefully and listen to your guide. They know that silence is golden and also where to look for tell-tale signs of life.

Although bears in the Carpathians hibernate in winter, sometimes they come out of their caves to have a look around before going back in again. Seeing bear tracks in the snow is quite amazing although very rare. Roe and red deer, wild cat, lynx and wolf tracks and scat, however, are more commonly seen. Sometimes though, be careful what you wish for. Katharina encountered tracks in the snow one winter’s day only to be led on a wild adventure: “Once when I was walking with a small group led by a local forester we came across the tracks of roe deer in the snow. Then we also recognised wolf prints alongside. It was clear what had happened: the deer had been surprised by the wolves and made their escape. We followed the tracks as they led into the forest. Often the distance of the hoof prints would open up showing how the deer were getting faster and faster, developing their speed. But then, 3km later, the drama unfolded to its curtain close. We discovered the scene of the crime. The wolves had finally caught up.”

Supporting communities in Transylvania

Winter tourism in remote rural areas of Romania has improved living standards, for some local people, in one of Europe’s most impoverished regions. The transition from state to privately owned land has led farmers to be able to subsidise their income, and not just in the summer. Katharina agrees: “Rural tourism is one area that is helping local people to make a living for themselves without having to look for work abroad or in the big cities. Cooks, cleaners and hosts are all needed at guesthouses. Farmers provide locally-grown, organic produce for guest meals. Milk, meat, eggs are all sourced locally. There is also a lady in the village that goes berry picking every year. She then sells the berries and we use them alongside the fruit grown in our own orchard. We also take tour groups to a local restaurant. This allows guests to have an authentic experience as well as providing income to a local farmer and restaurant staff.”