Today I crossed the Danube on the ferry and climbed many ascents through woodland to reach the high point of Nagy-Hideg-Hegy.
It was a slow start to the day as the 9:45 a.m. ferry was the first I could catch. An enjoyable crossing with views back to the Citadel looking down on the river. The combination of walking and a boat across the Danube made me think of travels made by iron age men, although their boat would not have been pushed across the river by a tug with a moustache painted on its bow.
Nagymaros on the opposite bank seemed a pleasant place. The ferryman had the shoo the waiting, smiling children off the landing ramp. I stopped at a supermarket to buy some extra water (as I planned to wild camp that evening) and some apples. I chose Granny Smiths (not my favourite) as they could withstand being knocked about in my rucksack without bruising. This caused the lady at the checkout to burst into a stream of Hungarian and she was forced by my incomprehension to find an English speaking colleague. It seemed that the Granny Smiths were an extortionate price and I needed to be warned (about 60 pence each). Not knowing the correct price of apples and considering the queue behind me I assured her that was fine (me being a stupid Englishman).
There followed a long ascent up the mountainside, the first of several, to a kilato (lookout tower) where you could see both sides of the large incised meander of the Danube, an impressive sight.
Lunch at Kospallag was a coke and a large bag of crisps (small bags no longer seem to be available). Fortified I continued up to Nagy-Hideg-Hegy (which means "big cold mountain") where there was a Turistahaz signposted offering food, drink and a bed. Sadly, I have had little success with these establishments to date. Either they have been abandoned, or they are closed with a telephone number on the door which I dare not ring with my non existent Hungarian. In my most successful case a lady directed me to a nearby panzio (pension). The first two Turistahaz's I passed today were overrun with children running around and noisily enjoying themselves. While beer was advertised the bars appeared to be closed.
The final Turistahaz on the top of Nagy-Hideg-Hegy was after a long climb, with many false summits so I was tired and sweaty when I reached the place hoping for at least a beer. Things looked promising, the doors were open and a sign indicated that the bar was open but nobody was around. I rang the bell beside the bar and waited. As nothing happened I rang it again for longer. This resulted in loud pop music being turned on. I waited some more, while reading the posters (apparently I was intersecting the Jacobsweg). Despite the loud music no one turned up and after shouting a few hellos through the kitchen hatch I gave up and went to look at the view from the mountain top.
A kilometre or so away I camped among the trees and had some food at a nearby viewpoint with a large section of Hungary and Slovakia in front of me.
It was a slow start to the day as the 9:45 a.m. ferry was the first I could catch. An enjoyable crossing with views back to the Citadel looking down on the river. The combination of walking and a boat across the Danube made me think of travels made by iron age men, although their boat would not have been pushed across the river by a tug with a moustache painted on its bow.
Nagymaros on the opposite bank seemed a pleasant place. The ferryman had the shoo the waiting, smiling children off the landing ramp. I stopped at a supermarket to buy some extra water (as I planned to wild camp that evening) and some apples. I chose Granny Smiths (not my favourite) as they could withstand being knocked about in my rucksack without bruising. This caused the lady at the checkout to burst into a stream of Hungarian and she was forced by my incomprehension to find an English speaking colleague. It seemed that the Granny Smiths were an extortionate price and I needed to be warned (about 60 pence each). Not knowing the correct price of apples and considering the queue behind me I assured her that was fine (me being a stupid Englishman).
There followed a long ascent up the mountainside, the first of several, to a kilato (lookout tower) where you could see both sides of the large incised meander of the Danube, an impressive sight.
Lunch at Kospallag was a coke and a large bag of crisps (small bags no longer seem to be available). Fortified I continued up to Nagy-Hideg-Hegy (which means "big cold mountain") where there was a Turistahaz signposted offering food, drink and a bed. Sadly, I have had little success with these establishments to date. Either they have been abandoned, or they are closed with a telephone number on the door which I dare not ring with my non existent Hungarian. In my most successful case a lady directed me to a nearby panzio (pension). The first two Turistahaz's I passed today were overrun with children running around and noisily enjoying themselves. While beer was advertised the bars appeared to be closed.
The final Turistahaz on the top of Nagy-Hideg-Hegy was after a long climb, with many false summits so I was tired and sweaty when I reached the place hoping for at least a beer. Things looked promising, the doors were open and a sign indicated that the bar was open but nobody was around. I rang the bell beside the bar and waited. As nothing happened I rang it again for longer. This resulted in loud pop music being turned on. I waited some more, while reading the posters (apparently I was intersecting the Jacobsweg). Despite the loud music no one turned up and after shouting a few hellos through the kitchen hatch I gave up and went to look at the view from the mountain top.
A kilometre or so away I camped among the trees and had some food at a nearby viewpoint with a large section of Hungary and Slovakia in front of me.
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| Panoramic view of the two sides of the Danube Bend |
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| Typical footpath through the woods |
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