The Story of Hay

Day 1 – The hay in the village life

A one-day tour in which we will discover and photograph the rural life integrated in nature, along the Mara River valley. We start at the Mara pension from where we will walk along the former railway track that crosses the orchards and meadows of the village of Desești, far from the main road. Here we will discover the cultural landscape of Maramureș, shaped by traditional agriculture. We will talk to the locals who work the land and discover the secrets of the haymaking – from mowing, raking, turning, drying in the sun, hoist, staking up in haystacks, boarding on carts, transporting it to the barn or stable and feeding the animals. We will then cross the Mara River to return to the starting point through the terraced agricultural lands and the pasture of the village. Upon arrival, we will enjoy a a traditional lunch prepared by Irina, our host.

Easy walking trail with a total length of 5 km, with departure / return in Desești, Irina Pension.

Departure time: 10:00

Bonus of the day – visiting the wooden church of St. Parascheva (1770), included in the UNESCO world heritage, placed on the first section of our trail.

Day 2 – Species diversity of the hay meadows

Breb village – we will take a pleasant walk and photograph the flower-filled meadows in the neighborhood of the village, enjoying the fascinating scent of the air that surrounds you from all over. It is natural to be so, because this grass lying at your feet is not ordinary grass, but grass that mixed with tens and hundreds of species of flowers, which have never known either pesticide nor chemical fertilizers. We will delight our senses and we will document how the bees live in Maramures, how the biodiversity of the meadows is preserved, how the people of these places trick time, stress and urban baubles.

Returning to the village, we’ll discover the authentic rural life and feast on traditional dishes, served outdoor, in the garden of Breb 148 – Local Food&Garden.

Easy walking trail, total length 6 km, with departure / return to Breb.