Poiana Negrii: Hiking Trails, Mineral Springs and Wooden Church

Poiana Negrii, a district of the municipality of Dorna Candrenilor, is considered one of the most characteristic settlements in Țara Dornelor. The 12 Apostoli nature reserve can be reached from Poiana Negrii via a blue-marked trail to Schitul 12 Apostoli, followed by a red-marked trail to the summit of Vârful 12 Apostoli.

Nature

At the foot of Vârful Lucaciu, which rises to 1,770 m, there is a monastery. From Poiana Negrii, the monastery can be reached by motor vehicle via a forest road. The forest road and the marked ascent to the 12 Apostoli represent two different ways of accessing a mountain and natural area. For hiking trails, current trail conditions and markings should be checked before setting out.

Trails

The hiking trail leads from Poiana Negrii along the access road to Schitul Apa Rece. Another route runs from Poiana Negrii via Schitul 12 Apostoli, Vârful 12 Apostoli and the village of Gura Haitii to Vârful Călimanul Cerbului. The routes mentioned therefore include both an individual Schitul as a destination and a longer route with several named stops and two summits. When preparing for longer hikes, the individual intermediate destinations and the endpoint are just as important as the current condition of the trails.

A section of the long-distance Via Transilvanica trail also runs through the village of Poiana Negrii. For cyclists, the C11 cycling loop forms a closed circuit: it leads from Poiana Negrii via Coșna, Tătaru and Poiana Stampei back to Poiana Negrii. Long-distance trails and cycling loops follow different basic forms: a loop returns to its starting point, while a long-distance trail may form only one section of a longer connection. Before a trip, current route conditions can be checked, as can the route layout for cycling tours.

Mineral Springs

Poiana Negrii is considered a spa resort with balneological resources and mineral springs. The mineral waters of Poiana Negrii are considered carbonated, ferruginous, bicarbonate-rich, calcium-rich and hypotonic. A mineral water bottling plant is located in Poiana Negrii. A special tap was installed at a mineral spring in Poiana Negrii, from which anyone interested could draw water. Springs and bottling plants thus represent two different forms of the mineral water tradition. For facilities with fixed operating or visiting hours, the current times should be checked before travelling.

Culture

The wooden church of Sfântul Dimitrie cel Nou stands on a hill in the village of Poiana Negrii. The church was built in 1797. According to local tradition, someone was buried in the centre of the meadow; since then, the place has been called Poiana Negrii.

The ecclesiastical structure includes the parish of Sf. Cuvios Dimitrie Basarabov, Poiana Negrii II, which belongs to the municipality of Dorna Candrenilor. The wooden church, its dated construction history, the parish and the local tradition therefore form a closely interconnected cultural context.

Other places: Gura Humorului, Cacica, Sadova, Şcheia, Şaru Dornei, Dărmăneşti, Moldova-Sulița, Frasin

To the higher-level travel overview: Suceava.