Day 4: Forest Trails, Flavors, and a Flock of Sheep

We started the morning with a steady climb out of Sighișoara, the kind that warms the legs and clears the head at the same time. Once we reached the ridge, the landscape shifted, and suddenly we were riding along a 20-kilometer singletrack through dense forest. Today wasn’t about churches or castles. It was pure pleasure riding.

By lunchtime we rolled into Saschiz, where Peter took us to a place called Pivnița Bunicii (Grandma’s Cellar), founded, surprisingly, by a Scotsman. We had a tasting that could have counted as a feast: the most generous meat and cheese platter, plus around twenty spreads and jams, all made locally from old regional recipes. My favorite was the garlic chutney, which I would happily spread on everything I eat for the rest of my life.

In the late afternoon, as the heat settled in, one of the day’s more memorable moments happened. In a burst of bravery (or foolishness), decided to ride straight through the middle of a flock of sheep. Thankfully, the shepherd stepped in before I got mauled by the dogs.

We ended the day in a sleepy village tucked among soft hills, staying in another beautifully restored guesthouse with a traditional wooden stove. My mother used to tell stories about cutting wood for the fire and feeding the stove throughout winter. Standing there with a handful of small logs, I felt an unexpected connection. After a day of forest trails and simple pleasures, it was the perfect quiet ending.