Nature's rarities

Mold caves - Ladăş's Hut and the Big Cave

In the Upper Mureș Valley, within the Toplița–Deda Gorge, two marked mountain trails start from the restaurant on the cliff in the village of Andreneasa, leading to two remarkable mold caves known as “Ladaș's Hut” and “The Big Cave”, both protected by the Romanian Federation of Speleology. These caves have unique geological features and fascinating origins. Though modest in size, they are formed within volcano-sedimentary deposits and represent rare natural phenomena.The first mold caves discovered in Romania were found here, along the Mureș Valley, in the Sălard–Andreneasa area — mostly on the Călimani Mountains side, and since 2000, also on the Gurghiu Mountains side. To date, around 100 such formations have been identified, of which only 16 qualify as actual caves due to their dimensions; the rest are pseudo-karst formations. They have remained closed to the public to prevent damage and preserve their fragile structure.The caves are unique worldwide because, around five million years ago, when the volcanoes of the Călimani Massif were still active, lava flows covered ancient forests. As the lava and volcanic ash solidified around tree trunks and branches, the organic material eventually rotted and was washed away, leaving hollow imprints in the volcanic rock — the molds we see today. These caves range between 40 and 80 meters in length, with diameters up to 2.4 meters. Similar formations exist only in Slovenia and Hungary in Europe, and in Japan and the USA (Hawaiian Islands) worldwide.Located between Răstolița and Lunca Bradului, at the eastern edge of Andreneasa commune, in a place called “Căsoaia” (hut)by locals, the Căsoaia Cave formed in volcanic rock during the active phase of the Călimani–Gurghiu Volcano. It has a mixed genesis, with 30 meters of mold galleries and 48 meters of altered rock passages.Situated at an altitude of 704 meters, the “Căsoaia lui Ladaș” Cave has an entrance about 2 meters high. The tourist route, about 3–4 km long, starts from the E578 main road, near Andreneasa Restaurant, and can be covered in roughly one hour, including a viewpoint overlooking the spectacular Mureș Gorge.