THE ‘STEFAN CEL MARE’

RIDING CENTRE

IN ROMANIA

A Horse Riding Centre has been set up in Northern Romania named after the famous Romanian hero Stephen the Great. It provides holiday opportunities for Romanians and for foreign visitors, who can enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery and ride along quiet paths in the nearby forests. Anyone is welcome, experienced riders and novices alike, as expert supervision and modern tack is provided. Trekking expeditions on horseback or by carriage or cart can be made into the forest or the mountains, and to the Borgo Pass, where Bram Stoker set the legendary Dracula’s castle.

A further purpose of the Centre is to demonstrate the good care of horses and to offer specialist advice to local farmers. Horses are widely used in Romanian agriculture, and the Centre keeps horse-drawn implements to loan to local farmers. The Centre collaborates with the World Equine Organisation, a UK charity that helps horses and their owners worldwide.

The Centre occupies about 3 hectares, and the several fields provide a riding area as well as space for camping, and other sporting activities. A modern cabin provides accommodation and meals for up to 20 persons, with tents available for larger parties (maximum about 25). The Centre currently has 10 horses, 5 ponies, and several foals.

Groups of all sizes can be catered for, from two or three adults visiting for a weekend, to a larger group of young people learning to ride for the first time. Except for clients on full-price holidays, visitors are expected to take a reasonable share in the care of the horses. If they wish, visitors are welcome to help in developing the Centre in a modest way. Groups can arrange their own programmes around riding. They can come for relaxation or retreat, or for teaching or instruction, combining riding with other activities. Visits further afield can be arranged, for example to the painted monasteries of Bukovina.

Visitors are advised to arrive at Lunca Ilvei by train, via rail junctions at Cluj-Napoca or Suceava. The Centre is 3km from the station, where visitors can be met. Foreign visitors arriving by air into Bucharest (Otopeni) may travel either by internal flight or by train to Cluj-Napoca or Suceava. A courier service is available to meet international flights, and advanced purchase of rail tickets and booking of hotel accommodation arranged. The main season is from April to October, however the Centre is open all the year round, with activities (including sleigh rides) also taking place in winter.

Enquiries can be made to:

Julian Ross

Centrul de Calarie “Stefan cel Mare”

Str. Bolovan nr. 356

Com. Lunca Ilvei

Jud. Bistrita-Nasaud

Cod. 4545 ROMANIA

telephone or fax: 00 40 63 378470

e-mail: jcross@elcom.ro

website: http://www.riding-holidays.ro/

or to:

Malcolm Langton

Crusaders’ Romania Project

Tel: 00 44 1206 272233

e-mail: fmlangton@cs.com