Thematic Route: The Hiking Route

Name of the Touristic Attraction: “La Varniță– Prosăcului Cornet – Epuran Cave” Trail

Location: in Mehedinți County. The route can be reached from Drobeta Turnu Severin on DJ 607B to Cireşu (28 KM), then to Marga approx. 3 km to La Varnițe.

Description: The route starts from the glade “La Varniţă”, where there is an information panel and a few arrows, and it follows the road to Ciresu Commune, about 20 m to the intersection with a path that climbs through a clearing to the right. The trail then goes up through the woods, gets into a saddle where it turns to left, crosses a rocky area, and rises to the top. The route goes to the right until the rocks above the steep slope that leads to Topolnita Valley and “Prosacului” Aperture, where it meets a belvedere point. From here the trail enters the forest and crosses the plateau on the top of the Cornet. The route reaches a large clearing where orientation becomes a little difficult. The road turns to the right through the glade, then from the ruins of a dwelling, it turns slightly left and enters the forest. The trail continues up to the summit through the forest to a large grassed saddle. From there, the trail heads to the left, passes through several waves, and heads toward Ponorăţ. The trail reaches above the meadow, follows the path below the calcareous walls to our right, passes to the entrance to Epuran Cave, slips through the boulders fallen from the wall, then through the glades on the right and then the path goes outto the road: Cireşu – Jupăneşti.

Conditions:

Hiking:

  – marking: blue tape

             – Duration: 2 h

             – degree of difficulty: easy

             – access conditions: all year

             – equipment: not required

Information and Contact:

The route is in the administrative territory of Mehedinţi Geoparc Plateau:

phone/ fax: +40372 521 116,

e-mail: geoparcmehedinti@gmail.com

website: http://www.geoparcmehedinti.ro,

Route close to other Thematic Routes:

There are a number of routes connecting this route:

         – “Prosăcului” Aperture

        – Women’s Cave (entrance in Topolniţa Cave)

        – “Ciocârdie” Hole

        –Gramei Cave

Points of interest on the route are:

        – the sinkholes from Prosăcului Cornet

        – the walls from the entrance in Epuran Cave

        – Ponorăţ Meadow

        – Belvedere spots :

–  the rocks above Prosăcului, view to the meadows of Topolnita Valley,   the rocks from Varniţa and Găurinţi, the hills towards Marga and Godeanu

– the area of the entrance in Epuran Cave, view to Ponorăţului Meadow

GPS Coordinates:

La Varniţe , 44* 49’ 01.27” N , 22* 33’ 42.76” E , 430m