Having been neighbor with Hungary for 4,5 years, it’s strange I haven’t been biking here yet, but finally the opportunity came with a business meeting booked at the Balaton lake. When anyway doing the 1000km’s from Bucharest, why not bring the bike?
If Ohrid is the Riviera of the land locked Macedonia, Balaton is the Rivera of Hungary. There are plenty of nice places all around the lake, especially on the Northwest side. I stayed at Vonyarcvashegy. Now, say that after a couple of beers. Well, try it even without…
And if this was hard it got worse…
Tongue twisting name, but beautiful setting
Anyway. A bit of a party the night before, high temperature and very humid… I got sweating massively within minutes after setting off into the forest just behind the hotel. But a nice single track got me going!
The area has marked hiking trails/dirt roads all over. It’s just that these names won’t stick to my mind
First awesome view point reached
Further up that ridge you find this watch tower
Some distance is covered on dirt roads but I also come across some very nice trails like this one
Clear signs again
And they take me further into the forest and the next watch tower
A bit of bushwhacking and I reach a technical downhill section
Just before the last downhill back to lake level there is another view point to adore the beauties of the buttes further north.
I reach Balatongyörök
My head feels like it’s boiling, but a couple of very cold and fresh lemonades get me back on track
Just some easy kilometrs back to Vonshagg…Vonyard… whatever
Maybe not the place for a dedicated MTB trip but wherever you go there’s some biking around the corner to discover. This time quite enjoyable – all the 30+ km and 750 meters of climb.
