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.

Sunday 28th Szentbekkalla to Nagyvazsony

It happens so often that it has now become a general principle. The weather improves the day after you really need good weather. So today the weather was perfect, not too hot and a strong overnight wind had blown all the humidity away. Really needed today's clear weather yesterday when I was climbing up vantage points and had the big views. Today's walk to Nagyvazsony was nice but much shorter than yesterday and not as dramatic.

Leaving Szentbekkalla at about 9.30 the wind was still blowing and it was actually cool. Immediately to the north of the village the signs said go left and my GPS trail said go right. Going right involved passing a man in a tower shooting at things so I turned off the GPS and went left.

Climbing up the hill went past a remote house with a naked couple in the garden and washing themselves with a water pipe. Crept quietly past as anything else felt like an intrusion.

On top of the hill was a wooden watchtower, three or four flights of stairs high and with views above the trees. Great views of Lake Balaton in between the hills to the south and in the picture below the central hill (can't work out what it's called from the map) is the hill I climbed just after midday yesterday.

Views back to Balaton

By now the sun had come out again but it's not hot nearly as it has been. Stopped in a bar in Balatonhenye for a drink of lemonade and walked on through a mix of open countryside and forest towards Nagyvazsony. The agriculture seems less intensive in this part of Hungary than it was last week, not so many huge fields designed for huge machines. The forest walks were very similar - really pleasant.

Dense canopy

So got to Nagyvazsony at about 2.30 after 21 very easy kilometres. Given the perfect weather conditions was tempted to carry on but I'm running out of map and couldn't find a petrol station to buy the next one. The most likely reason I put a short day in the schedule is that I couldn't find anywhere to stay at in a reasonable distance further along the trail. As it is I have a 44 kilometre walk tomorrow.

Nagyvazsony is actually a very pleasant village. It has a 15th century castle and a museum charting the development of the post office. Good opportunity to rest up before the start of last full week of walking.

Kinizci Castle

There is particularly distinct sign for the E4 which has started to crop up, have only seen it in Hungary. It's a sort of cross between the television series "Madmen" and the film "Sound of Music" - is that at "A line" dress?.

Saturday 27th August Tapolca to Szentbekkalla

Today was definitely the best walk I have had so far in Hungary. The landscape has opened up, walked through a series of interesting places and it was just a bit cooler than it has been for the last few days. Best of all I had some company.

Met a group of four Hungarian guys, who had also been staying in Topolca, a couple of kilometres south of the town. Really nice guys who were doing the Blue Route a few days at a time. A bit younger but very similar (a lot fitter actually) to a group of men I go walking with every year back in the UK. Great to exchange notes and talk about walking, Hungary and other things. They kindly took me wine tasting and up the castle at Szigliget and we walked together until early afternoon.



(one missing in the picture as he was taking it)

Actually today was a tougher walk than I had expected. 37 kilometres, leaving Topolca at 7.30, meant that I should have arrived at Szentbekkal at about 4.30 - it was nearer 6. There was a lot more climbing than I have had in Hungary so far. Essentially the route takes you south towards Lake Balaton up and down two volcanic "plugs" and then, north again, up and down another three (although to be honest you didn't go to the top of the last two). The first one heading north was particularly tough, climbing at a hot time of the day, and up steps.

The volcanic plugs give the landscape its distinctive shape. Taken as a whole it looks Italian, like Tuscany or Umbria and, as I understand it, this comparison is often made. It's not just the shape of the mountains, but the colour and light, and way the villages stand out against a green background.

The volcanic plugs also have there own individual characters. The first one, near Kisapati, has spectacular basalt columns like giant organ tubes; the second one the castle sitting at the top; the third and tough one to climb, brilliant views down to Lake Balaton; the fourth one the best shape, the perfect conical volcano; and the fifth one, another hill top castle. Was told that the two castles, along with the third at Sumeg, all form part of a middle age defensive line along the then border.

Given the quality of the scenery, the slight disappointment was the humidity in the air which meant that visibility was poor. (The landscape pictures I took I'm afraid were terrible and I haven't included them). It was changing a little towards early evening and for the last few kilometres the day had gone from stifling summer to mellow autumn. It's now changed again and there is a wind storm - feels wonderful after the last few days.

Of course I always wish that Christine (my wife) was here but this is definitely her kind of walking. A couple of weeks time I guess would be perfect but already your confronted with an array of amazing local produce, at the moment apples and pears, a real garden of Eden. And then of course, on top of that, is the local wine. Christine would be grabbing everything as she went along. Even had some local spring water to refill my bottle with.







To ice the cake I'm staying in a wonderful gasthof in Szentbetkalla. I had found one on the Internet and had asked Zoltan, a helpful Hungarian who responded to my plea for assistance, to book it for me. It was full. He found another one but I think found their telephone manner a bit strange and was not sure how good it would be. Well it turned out to be excellent - the little restaurant was packed, always a good sign, and I had the best meal I've had in ages. It's called the Ester Panzio. Really getting a taste for all the different lake fish you get in central Europe, fish we don't see in the UK.

So a top, top day.