Back to Spain, back to Andalucia

Still working out which bits of the E4 I liked the best but certainly loved walking in Spain and Andalucia in particular. When I walked there in March I had to choose between the southern and northern variants of the GR7 and I have no idea whether my decision to walk along the northern route was the right one. Any excuse to go back to Spain I’m going with Christine in October to walk the southern variant and find out how it compares with what I have done already.

We haven’t got enough time to do the whole variant so we’re going to start at Ventas de Zafarraya and walk through to La Calahorra, about 230 kilometres. First days walking will be on the 15th of October and we will be walking for 9 days. I think you need at least 15 days to do the whole route.

For second half of the walk we are going to be joined by Juan Holdago. Met Juan last year on my second day out of Tarifa. This was an amazing stroke of luck as well as an amazing coincidence. Turns out that Juan is an expert on the GR7 and all things walking in Spain. He has his own web site (www.jaholgado.com) and helped Michele Lowe and Kirstie Shirra write their guide “Walking the GR7 in Andalucia”.

Although I was lucky enough to meet Juan face to face there is now a group of people providing each other with advice about the E4 something which will hopefully continue to develop. I got great help from Sue and Ivan Godrey who have already walked along the GR7 variant, David and Carole who have been walking the E4 for several years and provided advice on accomodation, and Menno Wolters who helped early with the route.

Hope to blog every day and the schedule is as follows:

15th October - from Ventas de Zarraya to Alhama de Granada
16th - to Jayena
17th - to Albunuelas
18th - to Lanjaron
19th - to Buibon
20th - to Travelez
21st - to Berchules
22nd - to Bayarcal
23rd - to La Calahorra

Finding which is the best variant in Andaculia is one several questions about the E4 route which I intend to enjoy answering over the next 18 months or so. I also want to walk all the way along the GR7 from El Boixar to Pyrennees and see if this as a better option than the official route which takes you down to the coast; whether you could somehow incorporate the Robert Louis Stephenson Trail into the walk in the Massif Central; and, whether there is a higher level option in the Vercors.

Finding answers to these questions is just an excuse to go back to some amazing walking country but at the same time, and because I enjoy it, I do intend to keep working on the blog and, hopefully with collaborators, develop it as a source of information for anyone interested in the E4. In particular I’d like to revisit the work on the stages I did when planning the walk and update it to take account of what I found when I actually did it. This will include a more comprehensive look at the accommodation options.

While I’ve managed to raise nearly £6,000 for my charity in Nepal (and thanks to everyone who sponsored me) it's still a long way from my target (£20,000!) but I don’t intend to give up. I think I may have squeezed as much out of family and friends as I can so I’m now starting to look at other options (please let me know if you have any suggestions). Currently looking at ways the web-site could generate income and, for example, will use any revenue from adverts on the web-site as a contribution to the target.

My Gear on the E4 - Good, Bad and Ugly

So what did I take with me on the E4 and did I make the right choices?

Well firstly it's important to reiterate that the plan was to sleep in a bed each night and that I didn't have to carry any camping or cooking equipment.  It was a long trip but soft rather than hardcore.

Wet but dry

I had somehow managed to win the "Berghaus Adventure Challenge", which meant I was just about  Berghaus man head to toe.  I took GORE-TEX® Paclite® Shell Overtrousers; Dru Stretch GORE-TEX® Paclite® Shell Jacket; 2 pairs of Terrain zip off convertible trousers; 3 T-shirts with argentium technology to prevent the smell, one with long sleeves; and one Brenta Microfleece half zip top.  I will need to keep walking until I'm about 150 if I'm going to use all my Berghaus T-shirts - I have about 10 altogether and they are indestructible.

In addition I had three pairs of woollen socks and four pairs of pants (took an extra pair by mistake!). Essentially I had a day time outfit and an evening outfit and tried to wash the day time outfit every night. Both outfits were identical which meant I wore the same colour blue T shirt for just over six months.

I went with very light Inov8 Men's Terroc 345 GORE-TEX trainers. My first pair were GORE-TEX lined 345 GTX and then, anticipating hotter weather I shifted to the non-lined  Inov8 Terroc 330s Didn't carry a spare pair but new ones arrived as the old ones fell apart. Had a pair of flip-flops which I wore in the evening.

Inov8 Terroc 345 GTX

I took an iPhone, iPad and a Panasonic Lumix TZ10 camera. All the functionally on my IPad was available on the iPhone but I didn't want to blog using the tiny iPhone screen and the IPad is much better for entertainment. Worth remembering that I didn't take any maps relying on the maps and routes I had downloaded to the iPhone. I used CompeGPS chosen because at the time it was the only one I could find which ran on an iPhone and for which you could get maps for Spain. To make sure I had enough battery power I also took 2 New Trent Iphone supplementary batteries and a New Trent battery pack (capable of recharging the IPad). I had to take two charging devices, one for the Apple gear and one for the camera. I cut and reaffixed all the cables to reduce the weight.

Other items included hat, gloves and walking sticks. Lost two hats and my first pair of walking sticks, a pair of Fizan Compact which were both relatively cheap and very light.

I carried everything in an Osprey Exos 46  bag (with a waterproof cover) and started with an Osprey 3 litre Hyproform water reservoir. Was really worried about getting stuff wet so had go a couple of fold dry bags as well, one for my clothes and one for the iPad.

Star performers for me were the waterproof jacket, the long sleeve T shirt and my Osprey Exos 46 bag.

The waterproof jacket was brilliant. Looked good, easy to put on and given the incredibly bad weather I had, totally effective. It was also tough and unlike the trousers didn't tear went you were bashing your way through undergrowth.

Calling a long sleeve T shirt a star performer seems a bit over the top but it added so much flexibility to my "wardrobe". Layers and long sleeves gave the bit of extra warmth I occasionally needed without resorting to a fleece and the dark colour meant it was a bit smarter for wearing in the evening.

I just love my ruck-sack and was so fed up when I got a small tear in the top bag climbing through a deer fence in Hungary. Really comfortable, didn't suffer any back-pains, and after 180 days the tear (and some sweaty straps) is the only sign that the bag has been used. Kept my waterproofs in the zip-up outer compartment and the top bag was big enough for the food I consumed in the day.

My Inov-8 shoes were also a success and, once my feet and ankles had toughened up, very comfortable. Because of the schedule I set myself, blisters would have been a real problem but I didn't get any. In fact the only problem I had was when I got back and for some reason my feet became very painful - they're fine now. I think it might have been a mistake not to stick with the Gore-Tex version, the weather meant my feet were often wet and sometimes very cold. On the other hand the shoes dried really quickly, when I was wearing them, and maybe, with the Gore-Tex version, drying would have been slower. Walking in trainers, particularly through Austria where everyone wears enormous boots, generated a lot of comment but it was clear from the conversations that boots were no guarantee of comfort.

I went through four pairs of shoes. After about six weeks of solid walking a hole would appear in the sole of my right shoe which progressively got larger. My last pair, which took me through Austria and Hungary, wore out faster and I think this might be because I was doing a lot more climbing in the Alps.

It might sound a bit smug from someone just back from a 5,000 kilometre walk but I think if you get fitter (and lighter) you have less problems with your feet. In my twenties I was able to run down hills but soon lost that ability, just too painful. On the walk I was running down hills again and with a bag on my back as well.

So the things that didn't work so well.

Well the GORE-TEX® Paclite® Shell Overtrousers were a bit of a failure. Two problems: firstly the material was too delicate and walking through rough stuff left holes; secondly the seams gave way around the knees. By the time I had got half way through Spain they were being held together by insulation tap I picked up along the way.

The second let-down was the Osprey 3 litre Hyproform water reservoir which failed in Spain. The reservoir comes with a sort of handle which goes the length of the bag and gives it rigidity as it empties. This handle unclips and when you clip it back into place you can catch the bag and make a hole. That's what happened to me leaving me with a wet back and more embarrassing, a wet pair of trousers.

Whether or not my maplite approach to navigation worked is a bigger question but the iPhone was essentially a success and failures were mostly down to user incompetence. The only problem I had was with the batteries towards the end of the walk which would no longer charge the phone. To be honest I have no idea whether this is a failure of the Trent batteries or whether or not my IPhone battery, after such intensive use, is starting to give up the ghost.

One final thing, while I'm at it, socks. Everyone, it seems to me, walks in woollen walking socks and I started with the same things. They wore out really quickly and were an absolute pain to wash and dry. In France I bought two pairs of Moose running socks, totally synthetic, very elasticated and thicker only where they needed to be thicker. Turned out they were just as comfortable as the woollen socks, lasted longer and best of all I was able to wash them everyday and they would usually dry overnight.

Coming Up for Air

Have now been home for a week and it almost feels like I have never been away. The initial shock of discovering that life went on when I wasn’t here has subsided and I have almost got used to all the redecorating that was done in my absence.

After surviving for over six months without anything going wrong physically things really fell apart in my first week home. All of a sudden I was exhausted, absolutely knackered, got my first cold of the year and had an awful headache for three days. Worse was the ache in my feet. They were hurting so much that I started to worry that I had done some permanent damage. Have no idea what was going on but they have been a bit numb for some time so maybe it was just some sort of recovery process.

Anyway going into the second week at home I’m now starting to feel better. An issue is body shape which has changed a bit. Have dropped from 12 to 10.5 stones, a 10 kilogram weight loss, and have had to buy some new jeans. To be honest I feel better being lighter but if I’m not walking 30 kilometres a day the weight might just come back.

Talked to my doctor about Lymes decease and he said that symptoms would have presented themselves by now and we decided that it wasn’t even worth having a blood test.

The biggest recovery manifestation is that I can now start to think about what I want to do next. Had lots and lots of ideas while walking but couldn’t even entertain them last week. The most tangible and immediate is a trip back to Spain and Andalucia in October to walk to southern variant of the GR7. Have been in touch with Juan Holdago - who I met while walking in Spain and who knows everything about the GR7 - and he has already sent me lots of information. Will put another blog together on the plan when I have the schedule in place.

I’m also trying to clean up the blog pages and maybe, if I have the patience, I’ll try and develop a site which will help anyone thinking of walking bits of the E4 or indeed any of the E long distance trails.

The best thing about coming home is that I have met my grand-daughter, Georgia. What a star, absolutely gorgeous, and I’m afraid that I’m bowled over.

PS

Many thanks for the sponsorship that keeps coming in. Particular thanks to David Pritchard whose promise to sponsor me when I finished was a key motivator and to Andrew and Julia Collins whose support was less performance linked.

Monday 5th September Piliscsev to Budapest

It's over. Six months, 5000 kilometres, starting in the extreme south west of Europe with winter turning to spring and finishing in Hungary with autumn now establishing itself - it feels like I have been walking for ever.

Had resisted the idea of Christine, and others, coming to Budapest to see me finish the walk - I'm desperate to get home and didn't want anything to hold that up. Of course that meant that the final day could have been a "damp squid" - with me sneaking into to Budapest and then jumping on the plane and leaving. Well it was more fun than that and I'm very grateful to Csaba Almási for taking time of work and spending the day with me.

Left Piliscsev at about 8 and was at the station in Piliscsaba at about 9 to meet Csaba. To be honest I did not pay as much attention to the walk as I normally do, was chatting to Csaba, and staring at the horizon for the first tangible signs of Budapest. In terms of detail all I remember is that was a nice walk - you remain in countryside almost to the last minute - the weather was good and the views were great.

You don't actually see Budapest from the distance, not from the direction you come in on the Blue Route, what you see is the hill above Budapest, and I guess we were about 9 kilometres from the end of the walk at that point. Sent a text home and then, and throughout the day, messages were flying back and forth with family and friends.

We stopped for lunch at Csaba's relative who lives about three miles before the end of the walk, lovely lunch and the best beer I have had since leaving England.




I did know, but I had managed to forget, that the Blue Route and the E4 don't actually go through the middle of Budapest - the route crosses the city boundary and bounces back out again before eventually heading east - the usual meandering Blue Route style. Was in a slight dilemma and for a time felt that I should walk into the city centre, through the rush hour and with no real route, and not actually on the E4. The dilemma was short lived and completely put to bed when I saw the opportunity to travel in on the beautiful Budapest yellow trams.

Just inside the Budapest City Boundary

With Csaba Almási - ex Hungarian Long Jump Champion

Before setting of we had a beer at the Huvosvolgy, the terminal for Children's Railway, and the "stamping point" for the Blue Route before it leaves Budapest. Some English tourists (trainspotters I suspect) took the picture. More pictures on the platform for the tram and Csaba pulled out a couple of little bottles of Hungarian bubbly for a Formula One celebration.



Magic moment on the tram going into town. Trying to work out where to take some pictures and thinking about to "iconic" Budapest views, we were joined in on the discussion by other passengers and within seconds the story of my walk was transmitted around the carriage and congratulations on its completion where being given and gratefully received.

Have been to Budapest twice before, and will definitely come back again for a proper stay. It's a stunning city, it is so often compared with Vienna, but I think it's much nicer.

The Parliament Building in Budapest

Finished my day with some more pictures and some more beer and an interview with a journalist from the Hungarian Olympic Committee - always the embarrassing question, why did you do it?

Great last day. Checked into the Hotel feeling "tired and emotional" and for once couldn't face writing my blog. Spoke to Christine, had a bath, went and had some dinner and felt much better.

Back to England today, Tuesday the 6th, and decompression. No idea how I will feel after having a new adventure every day for six months.

Walking the E4 has been wonderful. I'm so lucky to have had the time and resources to take such a journey, see so many places and meet so many people. Have lots of plans about what I want to do next but I think this is last time I'll try and walk across a continent.

Forest Gump is coming home!

Sunday 4th of September Mogyorosbanya to Piliscsev

Brilliant penultimate day's walk capped by some wonderful Hungarian hospitality and kindness.

Now I'm so close to Budapest I'm just slightly anxious that something might go wrong. Nerves were definitely stretched walking up the sunken road just out of Mogyorosbanya when a guy on a motorbike comes hurling down the trail, round a corner and finds me. Think he was the more frightened, perhaps because he knew there were another two bikers right behind him and he didn't want them tangling with him as he struggled to avoid me. He rams into one wall of the sunken road while I pin myself against the other. He somehow stays vertical and without stopping all three continue their high speed descent. Alls well that ends well but very scary.

Having survived the motorbikes was rewarded at the top of the little summit of Koszikla with views across the Danube valley into Slovakia. Wasn't able to get hold of the next map so not entirely sure what I was looking at towards the north-east but there was a city with a large building in the middle of it with a dome. For a second I thought it was Budapest, but only for second.



The walk then went down into a valley (saw my second Hungarian shepard) and up another little summit and down to the village of Tokod (first ice cream of the day). I then had a really steep climb up to the top of Nagy-Gate. Perhaps only a couple of hundred metres of actual climb but seem to have lost the hill climbing technique I developed in the Alps and was trying to go up far to fast. Although it was a bit misty today the views, particularly back to Geresce, were really good.



Then down to Dorog, a big town which I managed to get through by following the blue signs - in one side and out the other - with a second ice cream stop on the way.

After about four kilometres, and having gone through the village of Kesztolc, I was into what I thought was the nicest part of the day. Lovely walk through wild meadow under a long limestone ridge, a nice fresh breeze, and great open views to the west. Accidentally followed some green and white signs and actually climbed up over the ridge before I realised my mistake.







Had been advised that there was no accommodation in Piliscev so planned to stay Klastrompuszta. Unfortunately the guesthouse was full. The landlady tried to contact an address in Piliscev but with no luck. She gave me the name of the place and after getting to the village, wandering around aimlessly for a bit, a man in a bar gave me some instructions. When I found the place, the Kelemen Majorsag which was right on the eastern edge of the village, it was a goat farm (although it had virtually every farm animal other than cows) whose accommodation is still in the process of completion. They were expecting me however, the landlady from Klastrompuszta had made contact, and I got really well looked after.

The Kelemen Majorsag makes artisan goats cheese. They have converted an old farmstead and it's a venue for people to visit farm animals as well as buy the produce. I had loads of cheese, and I love goats cheese, but the revelation was the goats milk. I had always assumed that it would taste a bit goaty, like the cheese, but not a bit of it. It was like a lighter and somehow fresher than cows milk and chilled was absolutely perfect on a hot day.




After getting the full tour of the farm I was also treated to a brilliant dinner. Chicken in a soup with small light dumpings, and then for the main course your ate the chicken meat from the soup with a thick tomato/pimento sauce and a sort of ratatouille. I love this sort of food, but my wife Christine would have gone nuts for it.

As their rooms were still being finished they had arranged for me stay in a lovely place in the village, which I think is a converted wine warehouse. I think the people who own it are friends and, as far as I can tell, no one seems to want any money. Absolutely wonderful - I'll be able to make a contribution to my charity.

Last day tomorrow and the walk into Budapest. I'm being joined by one of the guys who I met last Saturday, a former Hungarian long jump champion (Csaba Almasi) and we are stopping of for lunch at some of his relatives.

Top marks for Hungarian hospitality.

Saturday 3rd September Tatabanya to Mogyorosbanya

Nice 30 kilometre walk through what I think is another park centred on the Gerecse mountain (633 metres). Started walking at about 8.30 and finished at 4.

Stayed in a modern hotel in Tatabanya so got a taxi back to roughly the same point at which I finished yesterday. Staying away from trail in Tatabanya worked very well and if I didn't object to walking on hard surfaces so much I could have followed a spur of the route in and out the town.

Not quite the same autumnal morning today as yesterday, the air was dryer and the sun beams looked dusty rather than luminescent, but still a brilliant start to the day.





The crunch of acorn shells under your feet and occasional acorn falling around you reminded of the fact that most of the forest was oak. You would have thought woodpeckers would have preferred a softer wood but the constant tap tap tap suggested otherwise.




What made today different was the number of walkers out on the trail. A lot of really fast walkers. Must admit I do like someone to pace myself against. So when someone comes flying past me I let them get about 50 metres ahead of me then try keep up with them. Must be really annoying, when you think your walking much faster than someone only to find them keeping up, you must think your slowing down. Really enjoyed keeping up with one guy who had walking sticks, walking gloves and lycra shorts. At one point he started running which in my book means his nerve had cracked - disqualification and another gold medal to the British Team. Small things for small minds but it certainly made the hours tick by.




Most of the walk was through trees although there was also some nice open bits. Strangely you walked around Gerecse rather than to the summit and several times there were hints of views across what I guess was the valley of the Danube but these never quite materialised.

By early afternoon I was starting to pay for my speed walking and stopped for a sustained breather at a picnic point just to the east of the Geresce mountain. A quick glance at my map seemed to suggest that perhaps I'd only got about 7 kilometres to go. Encouraged of I went (was now sharing navigation duties with another walker), essentially down hill (but including 300 metres of horrible nettles/brambles), then uphill to a very busy pilgrimage place at Pelifoldszentkereszt.




After the nettles and the heat, and thinking that I must be close to the end I checked the map. There was a K+ route which went directly to Mogyorosbanya or a K route which went on the usual meander and was twice as far. Only the unadulterated K routes come with the unadulterated white and blue stripes so I felt I had to stick with them. Initially found myself in a procession of pilgrims and then, beyond them, a "swarm" of speed walkers - amongst which was my man from this morning - and he was definitely not alone in his Lycra.

Friday September 2nd Vargesztes to Tatabanya

In quick succession this morning two things happened that made me think that perhaps I have been making hard work of walking in Hungary. Firstly I found the map I needed in a tiny little shop in Vargesztes and secondly I worked out where you can get public wifi. I suspect the maps are everywhere but I wasn't looking hard enough to find them and I've seen loads of the wifi signs but didn't experiment to see if I could use them.



Anyway no need to beat myself up, I've survived, within three days of Budapest and less than 100 kilometres to go.

Got away nice and early this morning and was leaving the village at about 7.30. When I started this walk in southern Spain spring was only just beginning to break through and in the mountains winter was still in control. Today in Vargeztes, it felt like early autumn. The swallows were gathering on the electricity cables, the dew was so heavy that the water was dripping from the trees and there was a slight early morning mist.

Once in the forest it was magical. The moisture in the air, and the sun which was still quite low, produced the sharpest sun beams I have ever seen. They shone through the trees like spot lights on an enormous stage set - absolutely arresting and this lasted for at least at hour and until the sun was strong enough to dry the air out.







Eventually left the trees and headed down into the little town of Szarliget. Under no real time pressure today, it was getting hot, so stopped in a bar for some shade and a cold drink. It was about 11. 30 and I'd already done more than half my planned walk.

Leaving Szarliget, and after walking alongside a road paralleling a noisy motorway, got into nice open countryside before a walk alongside a series of lakes. Saw a kingfisher flash past over lake - a blur of turquoise - and a couple of deer. There was also a line of large white vans, and a crew preparing a set for filming - like being back in London.







For once the wonderful white and blue signs let me down. Arrows on a pole clearly suggested straight on but I couldn't find the track. Following a really rough track and got my legs covered in little lacerations. Eventually worked out that the track was a right turn before you even got to the distracting signs on the pole. Temper not improved when I managed to snarl then rip my rucksack on some deer fencing you somehow had to get through.

Had my second lunch at a shelter at Kulcsoshaz and then down past Tornyopuszta to the road. Had decided to leave the trail, no accommodation, and stay in Tatabanya. Just got to the bus-stop, was studying the timetable, when the squeal of air breaks behind signalled the arrival of the bus. Into Tatabanya and it was still only 4 o'clock - compared to the last two, today's been an easy one.

Tatabanya is a new town, which is good, under no pressure to go and look at buildings.

Thursday 1st September Fehervarcsurgo to Vargesztes

Got an Elton John lyric stuck in my head "someone saved, someone saved, someone saved my life tonight". Of course that's being a bit too dramatic but after arriving in Vargeztes after a 46 kilometre walk, wandering around the village trying to find the guesthouse and to then find a man in the village bar who drives me there (turns out that the guesthouse owner is his friend), acts as translator all evening and then takes me to his house so I can use his wifi, then I'm sorry but song feels appropriate.

Was also really well looked after in the Karolyi Kastely Hotel last night. Nice dinner and they kindly agreed to do me an early breakfast so I was walking by about half-past seven.

As I understand it today's walk has been about two national parks - a smaller one this morning and a much bigger one this afternoon. The middle section involved crossing a valley to get from one to the other.

Before getting to the first park I had to complete the trip around the Fehervarcsurgo reservoir, lots of people fishing, and then through an extended area of what could have been holiday homes.

The park was very pleasant with the walk following a stream along the bottom of a limestone gorge. About a third of the way up there was small lake and two very big guys were having a swim, the water looked very green and there were dense shoals fish swimming close to the surface.







After a short climb out the gorge and a walk down a ski run (very short ski run) I was in the fairly large village of Bodajk. Spent a bit of time trying to find some wifi before heading of across the valley to Csokako. This was all road walking and in fact was offered a lift on the long slog up to the town but, graciously I hope, turned it down.

Csokako is a sort of gateway to the second and much larger Vertes park, a gateway which is guarded by a spectacular castle.

Csókakő Castle

The park provided some lovely walking, a range of different forest types including oak, beech and pine as well as some more open countryside. The paths were excellent. The only problem was that, like yesterday, there was a lot of walking to do. At 12.30 I saw a sign saying that I had another 30 kilometres to finish and it would take 10 hours.























Worth noting that I have not been able to buy a map for this part of the walk. Looking at the map on the wall in the guesthouse, the Vadaszhaz (another really kind Hungarian couple running it), I was amazed to see what a meandering route the E4 took through the forest. Good job I didn't have a map, would definitely have been tempted to take a short cut.

Had originally thought about staying at Kohanyaspuzta but was there by 5.30 and thought that accommodation would be easier at Vargeztes, the next village on. Arrived there at just after 6.30, got some confused instructions on where the guest house was, couldn't find it and rest is just an Elton John lyric.

Wednesday 31st August Zirc to Fehervarcsurgo

Well if it wasn't a 50 kilometre walk it certainly felt like it. Bashing along for 12 plus hours plus, under pressure all day, it really was too far. With the benefit of hindsight I should have carried on walking yesterday and then caught the bus back to Zirc. Today could then have been more sensible.

As it was I had my first Hungarian "lost in translation" moment in Zirc. I was the only person in the guesthouse and thought I was getting dinner last night and breakfast early today. I was wrong on both counts. When I wondered down from my room last night everything was shut up and it was still shut when I got up this morning. Made do with burger and chips last night and bought an enormous Hungarian equivalent of a pain au chocolate at a baker this morning. Dodgy 24 hour gastronomy but it's home cooking from next week so who cares.

Not having breakfast actually saved a few minutes time wise so at least I was away by just after 7. Again the weather was perfect for walking.

Getting our of Zirc was very straightforward, a walk along the side of a road for about 4 kilometres to the village of Nagyesztergar. The walk then followed a little valley firstly to the village of Bakonynana and then to the village of Jasd. Was particularly nice just east of Bakonynana and the paths looked well used. Worth mentioning that as well as the blue and white markers, bits of blue plastic hanging from trees are often used to denote the trail. There was a particularly interesting variant to this near Bakonynana.




Despite the markings somehow missed the trail heading into Jasd and got on the wrong side of the little river. Must have wasted about 20 minutes getting things right again.

Heading up a steep path through huge beech trees out of Jasd and on the way to Tes found a man sitting on the floor picking enormous blackberries. He persuaded me to try one and it was amazing. He then insisted I took a whole bagful away with me which I managed to consume over the next 30 minutes. Nice man!







Had a very fast lunch just after Tes (pizza from the bakery, two apples and two muesli bars) and within about 5 minutes was moving again. Same sort of walking for the next couple of hours (beech and oak forest with the occasional open field) with various features along the way (including an open air chapel).

Mid way through the afternoon, and about an hour away from Bakonykuti, the countryside started to change. The trees turned to pine, everything took on drier more burnt out look and the tops of the hills were open. For a while I was walking alongside a feature that looked like a shallow gauge. I think the geology may have changed back to limestone.

Had my second encounter of the trip with a snake - very nearly stepped on it - whatever sort it was it wasn't concerned and wasn't moving.




The last stretch from Bakonykuti to Fehervarcsurgo included some very open heath like stretches. There was even a young shepherd pushing along a mixed flock of sheep/goats, something I haven't seen since Andalucia.

Was in Fehervarcsurgo just after 7 and it wasn't obvious where the accommodation was. After wandering around made a dash for the castle and managed to get a room just before the restaurant closed. Very grand and my room even had a bath which is exactly what my sore feet needed.

Karolyi Kastely

Tuesday 30th August Bakonybel to Zirc

After a long one yesterday a short one today. About twenty kilometres and a five hour walk. Just as well because have just worked out that from the Kektura schedule that tomorrow's walk is 50 kilometres long. Must admit I'm a bit confused by the distances, when I did my planning back in the UK I had come up with a slightly more manageable 43 kilometres.

The highlight of today's walk was the summit of Koris-Hegy which at 709 metres is also (I think) the highest point of my walk in Hungary. Involved a nice gentle walk up the hill and an equally gentle walk down the other side. The whole of the mountain is a mass of wonderful beech trees. At the top there was a look out tower from which there were views south, south west, of the walk through hills I did yesterday and north across plains. The most prominent feature was the communication globe immediately next to the tower.

Koris-Hegy

The only significant settlement I went through today, on the way to Zirc, was Borzavar, a village with a couple of bars and a hotel.

Zirc itself is a much larger town with some fairly grand baroque style buildings in the middle. Has all the facilities and plenty of accommodation.

Monday 29th August Nagyvazsony to Bakonybel

Today was a long one, started walking about 7.40 and didn't finish until 6.40 in the evening, hardly stopped so at least 10 and half hours walking. Supposed to be 45 kilometres but felt longer and with a final 4 kilometre bash along the tarmac my feet were humming by the time I finished.

The weather is now perfect for walking, warm rather than hot, and the air has lost it's humidity and the views are better.

Left Nagyvazsony via the castle and after a walk for about a kilometre along the road turned into green lane walk up to Kabhegy,a little summit festooned with communication towers and which, at 500 metres provided views back to Lake Balaton. Nice trail, a mix of open countryside and woodland.

Leaving Nagyvazsony 

One the way to Urkut, and after having to walk through a prolonged stretch of nettles, I just missed the trail and was soon put right by a couple of Hungarian walkers. We dropped in at the cafe in Urkut and got a drink. They were catching a train in Varoslokislod, 8 kilometres away, and had to get there in 90 minutes, so they didn't hang about.



Another nice stretch of walking to Varoslokislod, the same mix of woodland and meadow, and I guess I was there at about 2. Too be honest there was not much to the town/village, which stretched along either side of the railway line, but it seemed to take ages to get through it. Once you had got past it, gone underneath the motorway, you then had to walk along the side the road for a couple of kilometres until the road had crossed the railway line and the route took you cross country again.

After a initial walk through a meadow the route dived into the beech forest and stayed there almost until the end of the day. No big views but nice walking particularly as the light changed as the afternoon drew on. At one point the trail was wide and flat and your clearly walking along a old railway embankment.



The last village before the final push to Bakonybel was the little village of Netmetbanya village, which I read somewhere used to be a German settlement and still has something called the German house.

After a couple of kilometres through the trees it was onto the tarmac road heading downhill. Staying at another hotel recommended by a Hungarian commentator to the blog, the Vadszolo, and it has turned out really well, great food.

The only problem I have at the moment is my walking shoes. I'm on my fourth pair and based on the track record of the other three they should last me with a week to spare. They are however falling apart. The tops are a mess of holes, the fabric weakened I think by the constant soaking it got in the Alps, and the sole has worn through on the right foot. Seven more days to go and I really don't want to change foot ware at such a late stage. Fingers crossed.