Penteleu

Penteleu (Romanian Vârful Penteleu, Hungarian Pintilő) is the highest summit of the Buzău Mountains, at 1,772 m, in the Curvature Carpathians (Eastern Carpathians, Romania). It stands in the Penteleu massif in the north-west of Buzău County, in the commune of Gura Teghii, near the border with Covasna County. The massif lies between the valleys of the Bâsca Mare and Bâsca Mică rivers; the nearest villages are Secuiu (about 7 km), Vadu Oii (about 9 km) and Varlaam (about 11 km).

According to Hungarian Wikipedia, the Buzău Mountains are mostly of medium height, averaging 1,000–1,200 m, and exceed 1,700 m at only one point – on Penteleu. They also include the Siriu, Tătaru, Podu Calului and Ivănețu massifs. A cross stands on the summit of Penteleu.

How to get there / trails

The European long-distance path E8 and a waymarked trail of the national network marked with a red stripe cross the summit. Among its external links Romanian Wikipedia mentions a two-day hike from the village of Varlaam (Gura Teghii commune) via Gura Cernatului, the Cernatul sheepfold and the Penteleu weather station to the summit. The approaches are long, so plan a full day.

What you can see from the summit

Penteleu rises above all its neighbours: while the Buzău Mountains mostly keep to 1,000–1,200 m, Penteleu clearly towers over its surroundings. Hungarian Wikipedia, describing the panorama from the Zăganu ridge in the Ciucaș Mountains, lists Penteleu among the peaks visible from there.

Nature and history

The Buzău Mountains are built exclusively of sedimentary rocks – tightly folded flysch. Their ridges are rounded or narrow and are broken up by depressions (Nehoiu, Varlaam, Comandău), deep valleys and broad saddles with passes. These mountains are still tectonically active: they rise by 0.5–1 mm a year, and the Vrancea earthquake epicentral zone lies nearby. Earthquakes, deforestation, heavy rain and frost cause large landslides and rockfalls on the steep slopes here.

The Penteleu massif has been declared a forest reserve. There is also the Natura 2000 site “Penteleu”, 11,268 ha (since 2007, and a special area of conservation since 2022), with beech, spruce and mixed forests, pastures and alpine scrub. Plants include bellflowers, yellow monkshood, wild garlic and the Transylvanian liverleaf. In the spruce forests between Penteleu and the Vrancea Mountains photographers have recorded bear signs – scratched trunks and droppings.

The peak's name is known far beyond the mountains: Penteleu is a variety of Romanian sheep's-milk cheese (brânză or cașcaval) that originates in the Buzău Mountains.

Safety, season and rules

The Penteleu ridges are open, so they are dangerous in fog and thunderstorms, and deep snow falls in winter. Salvamont advises checking the forecast for the next 24 hours, not hiking alone, telling your family your route, and carrying a map, compass, torch and enough water.

Bears are common here. Stay on the marked paths, walk in a group and talk, do not hike in the evening or at night, do not keep food in your tent and hang it away from your camp. Sheepdogs near sheepfolds may rush at hikers – do not run, shield yourself with your rucksack. In an emergency call the national dispatch 0SALVAMONT – 0725 826 668 or 112; advice on animal encounters is on the Salvamont România website.

Photos: Claudiu Constantin, CC BY-SA 3.0; Claudiu Constantin, CC BY-SA 3.0 — Wikimedia Commons.