by Lonely Planet author Leif Pettersen

The Muddy Volcanoes

Moldavia

The Muddy Volcanoes – or ‘the gates of hell’ as the locals call them - are one of Romania’s best known geological reserves, about 30km northwest of Buzau, near the tiny village of Berca. This is a great detour if you're driving from Bucharest to Iasi, Suceava or even Tulcea (Danube Delta), if you don't mind a bit of extra driving.

Instead of lava, mud spews here in much the same way as a normal volcano, through a less powerful geological reaction. Volcano cones up to 6m high dribble mud with surprising colors - grays, browns, ochre or simply shining black - while the chocolate borders of the craters are adorned with the white crust of crystallized salt and belts of yellow sulphur mud. The mud bubbles release small amounts of methane into the air, which you can (carefully!) confirm by lighting a match and watching the blue flame dance. Local superstitions regarding the origin of this muddy curiosity are profuse. A mild stench of oil and the "bloop-bloop" noise of the gas bubbles coming up to the surface, create an eerie background as you observe mud eruptions ranging in size from marbles to pitcher's mounds.

As advertised, the Muddy Volcanoes are quite muddy. Anything less than sturdy shoes or tightly fastened sport sandals are likely to be squelched in a mud embrace and snatch off your foot in mid-stride. There’s a footwear scrub-down station at the entrance for use upon your return from tramping. There's also a visitor centre, restaurant and mini-motel.

Unfortunately, this area is a bit off the beaten path and reaching the site without private transport is impossible. From Berca, follow the nervously sparse, but eventually timely signs ('Vulcanii Noroiosi') 14km to the Muddy Volcano visitor center. At last pass, one very important sign had been bent into a taco by countryside vandals, rendering it unreadable. Keep an eye out for this thing, just in case no one has gotten around to fixing it. Missing this turn will mean a long, rough trip to nowhere.

There's a couple good side trips in the area: the Sculpture Camp in the village of Magura, where a large clearing has been filled with 256 stone sculptures, created by artists that used to meet here in the 70s and 80s. Yet further northwest are the Active Fires of Lopatari, blue flames that burn deep in the cracks of the soil at 700m above sea level. Lopatari is unmarked on all, but the very best maps. Consider it a challege. Good luck!

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