Thematic Route: The Hiking Route

Name of the Touristic Attraction: The Eco-touristic Trail “Vodiţa Valley- Duhovna Hill”

Location: in Mehedinți County. The access to the route is made from the European road E70, from Vodiţa Viaduct, about 6 km away from Orşova and 19 km from Drobeta Turnu Severin.

Description: The route takes the form of “U” letter and begins in a place that was once, the first monastic settlement in Wallachia on Vodita Valley, namely from Vodita Monastery. He passes by the water of Vodita, on “Scoruş” Valley and returns to the Danube along the paths that meander on Duhova Hill. Before climbing Vodiţa Valley, there is a rock-drenched wall that keeps traces of the Getics overlapping the Danube aborigine. Vodiţa Valley is also well known as the land of medicinal plants. After passing Valea Vodiţei, the trail turns almost in a straight angle, on Scoruş Valley and then ascends to Duhovna Hill, from where you can admire the Bahna-Orşova Depression. Along the route you can admire hills with secular forests of Turkish hazel. The forests on Duhovnei Hill are protected under law, forming one of the forest reservations from the Iron Gates Natural Park. Once this was the parched trees forest (Romanian-Pădurea cu osieci). These were tree trunks (especially oaks), fallen to the ground, which in time, under the action of rain, wind and sun, became white. From afar they looked like big, white bones. If you are lucky and you donțt part from the path, you can still see such trunks even today.

Conditions:

Hiking:

– route length: approx. 14,5 km

– average travel time: about 7 hours

– degree of difficulty: medium

– physical effort: resistance (requires good physical condition)

– marked with a yellow circle on a white background

– Depending on the season it is recommended:

1. Equipping with boots and waterproof clothing
2. Endowment with at least one bottle of 1 liter of water per person and a support stick

– For this route, the tourists have to be accompanied by the rangers of the Iron Gates Natural Park as well as for all the routes, because here there are natural elements of inestimable value for the Romanian as well as for the European geology, flora and fauna.

Information and Contact:

        The route is on the administrative territory of the Iron Gates Natural Park:

phone/fax: +40252 360511

phone: +40372 702529

e-mail: parc@drobeta.rosilva.ro

website: www.pnportiledefier.ro

GPS Coordinates:

The beginning of the route – N44 42.933, E22 28.780

The end of the route – N44 43.185, E22 28.445