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Everything Rimetea Trails Visit

On the top of the Sleeping Gigant

The Sekler’s Stone is one of the most visited mountains in Romania in the last years, due to its spectacular views and the abundance of sightseeing, but also because of touristical marketing. The unique shape of Sekler’s Stone attracts visitors from all over the world, as it offers nature, culture, history, legends, adventure, trails, relaxation and most of all, quietness.

The mountain is part of Trascau Mountains and it reaches heights of 1129 m. It has two parts: Coltii Trascaului (known also as the Small Rock) on the northern side, with a 1113 m peak, and Piatra Secuiului (Sekler’s Stone also known as the Big Rock) on the southern part, with a maximum height of 1129 m.

Seen from the villages of Coltesti and Rimetea, the mountain range seems to be a petrified sleeping gigant, with its head pointing south. This interesting shape inspired villagers to tell stories and create legends about gigants, princesses, knights and even about natural changes in surrounding landscapes.
Climb the Sleeping Gigant
The imposing rocky mountain can be climbed almost by anyone. Even if it has a difference of level of about 600 m from Trascau Valley, the route from Rimetea to the top of the rock is not very difficult. However, proper equipment is required among with a good physical condition and the respect for the mountain.

To reach the top of the mountain, you have more than just one route. Depending on how much time you have for enjoing the area, take a look on the board in front of the town hall to choose your trail. The most followed route by tourists eager to see Rimetea from above, is the blue cross trail which leads you from the main square in Rimetea through the gap between Coltii Trascaului and Piatra Secuiului. On this trail, in one and a half hour you are on the top of the sleeping gigant, looking down to Trascau Valey.
If you have one day to visit the surroundings and you like walking around, we encourage you to follow the route Rimetea-Coltii Trascaului-Piatra Secuiului-Coltesti-Ardascheia-Rimetea. You will enjoy the view of the mountain from different angles, in different lights of the day. You will find yourself as well at the bottom and the top of the sleeping gigant. You will meet the contemporary turmoil of turists and the former silence of the nature.
Follow the trail
Rimetea – Coltii Trascaului (1113 m) – Piatra Secuiului (1129 m) – Coltesti – Ardascheia – Rimetea
Trail mark: red stripe + blue cross
Difficulty: easy/moderate
Time: 4-6.5 hours
Distance: 18 km
Ascending: 969 m
Descending: 966 m
Starting Point: northern entrance in the village of Rimetea (Marin Preda street)
Ending Point: main square in Rimetea
The starting point for this trail is the northern entrance in the village of Rimetea. From here you will have to follow the dirt road which bypasses the forest through the left side. You will see the red stripe trail mark as you approach the forest. The trail in the forest is steep, but in some places, stairs were built. As you get closer to Coltii Trascaului, you can leave the trail few meters to the right for some panoramic landscape photos. Getting back to the red stripe mark trail, follow the route to Piatra Secuiului, where you encounter the blue cross mark. From this point, you will have to follow this blue cross until Coltesti village.

In Coltesti, take left on the main road and shortly turn right on the road near the church and local store. Follow the road towards the ruins of Trascau Fortress, but keep an eye on the blue cross. The fortress will be on the left side. The blue cross takes you, on the dirt road, to the base of Ardascheia peak where you meet the red stripe trail mark. Here you need to leave the blue cross and turn right on the red stripe. From here, the red stripe takes you by Rimetea Spring and back to the village of Rimetea.
View over Rimetea
On the top of Sekler’s Stone
Coltii Trascaului
Trascau Valley
Poppies at the base of Sekler’s Stone

Limestone rocks of Sekler’s Stone


Toponymy
Piatra Secuiului or Piatra Mare (romanian), Szekelykő (hungarian), Szekler’s Stone (english)
Colții Trascăului or Piatra Mică (romanian), Várszikla (hungarian), Little Stone (english)
Rîmetea (romanian), Torocko (hungarian), Eisenburg (german)
Colțești (romanian), Torockoszentgyörgy (hungarian), Sankt Georgen (german)