This summer, my family and I are visiting some old friends who have moved to Slovakia. While we're there, we'll probably spend a few days in Hungary.
I've never been to that part of the world before, and I'm a bit in two minds about whether the opportunity to cycle somewhere completely different (once or twice, between family activities) justifies the trouble and expense of getting a bike over there with us.
Who's been over there in recent years? Barry? Can anyone comment on what it's like as a cycling destination? Do Hungarians have a 'civilised' attitude to cyclists? (I seem to recall He Who May No Longer Post regaling us with stories about how he had to fend off attacks by bandit truck drivers.)
Slovakia/Hungary
Moderators: George, laurence_cooley
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slogfester
- Posts: 384
- Joined: 10 Oct 2009 13:12
- Real Name: Barry Evans
- Location: Birmingham
Yes George, we rode around those parts 5 years a go. You can still see my tracks via gpsies:
http://www.gpsies.com/mapUser.do?username=slogfester
Hilly and mountainous- although my Swiss friends would dismiss them as 'little bumps'! We were advised not to ride through one large valley in N. Hungary on the way to Slovakia because of 'Roma', but encountered absolutely no problems, just smiley faces. They don't see many cyclo-tourists away from the main river valleys, so as is so often the case, you and the bicycle are more of a curiosity than a target. We were in the north, a couple, off main roads and Jules' smile has been known to kill a frown from 100 metres
(In the S and SE, alone, may be a different story).
Unfortunately my blog (including essential info on which cakes to eat) from that trip appears to be down (hopefully can recover), but happy to share info over a bacon buttie.
http://www.gpsies.com/mapUser.do?username=slogfester
Hilly and mountainous- although my Swiss friends would dismiss them as 'little bumps'! We were advised not to ride through one large valley in N. Hungary on the way to Slovakia because of 'Roma', but encountered absolutely no problems, just smiley faces. They don't see many cyclo-tourists away from the main river valleys, so as is so often the case, you and the bicycle are more of a curiosity than a target. We were in the north, a couple, off main roads and Jules' smile has been known to kill a frown from 100 metres
(In the S and SE, alone, may be a different story).Unfortunately my blog (including essential info on which cakes to eat) from that trip appears to be down (hopefully can recover), but happy to share info over a bacon buttie.
Belt up, we're going for a ride
Cheers, Barry. Our plans are currently under development, but it currently looks as though we'll be in the north-west, near the Slovakian border (where a lot of the countryside around the Danube looks quite flat, actually ... but perhaps I need to look more closely). I don't envisage any serious touring or anything, just popping out a few times for a couple of hours while the girls are decorating themselves before going out.
Look forward to picking your brains!
Look forward to picking your brains!