This cache is part of our series, Sacred Springs. A sacred spring, or holy well, is a small body of water emerging from underground and venerated either in a pagan or a Christian context, often both. The term is commonly employed to refer to any water source of limited size which has some significance in the folklore of the local area. This can take the form of a particular name, an associated legend, or the attribution of healing qualities. In Christian legend, the spring water is often said to have been made to flow by the action of a saint. Our approach on the sacrality of these springs is slightly profane: it refers mostly to the holiness of native land.
[RO] Din respect pentru ceea ce a însemnat cândva izvorul Sfântul Ion pentru clujeni, am tinut neaparat sa avem o geocutie în zona. Din pacate, în ultimii 40 de ani, zona s-a transformat dintr-un loc de pelerinaj al excursionistilor clujeni, intr-unul de ”iesit la iarba verde” cu spalat masini, fotbal la gramada, soacre, gratare, mititei, fum si muzica populara. Mai nou "locul" nici nu exista: s-au construit câteva case pe terenul respectiv (probabil cu aprobarea binevoitoare a unor spagari de la mediu). Noroc ca izvorul mai exista, nu l-au demolat sau îngradit, cum s-a întâmplat în cazul Vf. Peana. Inca de la începutul secolului al XIX-lea, Valea Plescai si izvorul Sfântul Ion au fost cele mai iubite zone de agrement ale clujenilor. Desi majoritatea celor care au baut de la izvor îi apreciaza calitatile, periodic apar discutii despre cât de sigura este folosirea apei din aceasta captatie.
[RO] Astfel va invitam ca în loc sa iesiti la ”iarba verde” la Sfântul Ion, sa faceti o excursie pe un traseu care pleaca de la izvor, este marcat cu triunghi rosu si ajunge la Belvederea Brull, unde se afla un alt cache de-al nostru. Lungimea totala a traseului este de 6 km se poate parcurge în aprox. 2 ore. La întoarcere se poate veni prin Valea Gârbaului-poligon sau pe creasta dealului Dumbrava pe marcajul cruce albastra, tot spre poligon. Sau bineinteles puteti sa va întoarceti pe marcajul triunghi rosu la Sfântul Ion. Cache-ul ce poarta numele izvorului se afla la aprox. 500 de metri sud-sudvest de izvor, la radacina unui copac de lânga poteca marcata cu triunghiul rosu.
[EN] Out of respect for what once meant St. John's Well for Cluj, we really wanted to have a cache in the area. Unfortunately, in the past 40 years, the area was transformed from a place of pilgrimage for hikers, into a 'picnic place' with carwashing, football, mother-in-laws, grills, sausages, smoke and folk music. Recently the 'place' doesn't even exist: some houses were built on the site. Luckily, the spring still exists, they have not demolished or fenced it, as was the case for Peana Peak (the highest point of Cluj is now fenced). Ever since the early nineteenth century, St. John's Well and Plesca Valley were the most beloved recreational areas of Cluj. Although most people who drank from the spring liked its waters' qualities, from time to time appear talks about how safe is to use water here.
[EN] Thus we suggest that rather than go out to "picnic" at St. John's Well, to take a trip on a route that goes from the Well and is marked with red triangle and reaches Brull Belvedere, where there is another cache of ours. Total length is 6 and can be completed in approx. 2 hours. You can come back through Garbau Valley to the main road, or on the crest of the Dumbrava Hill on a path with blue cross marking, also to the paved road. Or of course you can return on the path marked with red triangle to St. John's Well. The cache named after the spring is placed approx. 500 meters SSW of the well, at the root of a tree near the trail marked with red triangle.