BIKES

Escape Hungary
WHO’S THE OPERATOR?
We have rented out a holiday let,
Juniper Cottage, on the fringe of
Hungary’s Aggtelek National Park, for a
decade, attracting many birdwatchers
and butterfly fanatics and a fair few
cyclists. As cyclists and English
speakers ourselves, we are well suited
to helping guests get the best from
their stay, whether road rides, off-road
or a mix of the two is in order. We have
mapped out rides up to 100km in
length, though most visitors quickly fall
in line with the relaxed pace of life here,
exploring as the fancy takes them
various out-and-back rides from the
doorstep that often involve ice-cream.
To commemorate our 10th season we
are offering a special price of just £10
per person per night for Juniper
Cottage guests throughout 2014. Hire
bikes and tandems can be arranged,
and all parties receive a free map of the
area, homegrown veg in season, and
our assistance whenever they require it.
FURTHER INFORMATION
See www.tour-central.com or
email info@tour-central.com.
AIRLINES
Most UK airports run flights to
Budapest, with EasyJet, Wizz Air and
Jet2.com (new from East Midlands)
generally offering the most competitive
prices. The Hungarian capital is three
hours by train from the Aggtelek
National Park. Closer by far is Kosice
airport in Slovakia, just 25 miles away
(from Luton with Wizz Air). We offer a
free transfer service to those arriving by
train or to Kosice airport.
“Is it a cat? Can’t see without my glasses.”
“No! It’s a stork! First one this year!”
And sure enough there it is, stalking on
long legs for frogs and small mammals.
“All the way from Africa. Or is it Israel?
Amazing, isn’t it?”
Past a stable, an old water mill, a copse of
aspen, and Freedom Road is now in our sights.
The grass verges beside the tarmac are
charred from burning, a punishable offence
that seems to go unnoticed. I once chanced
upon someone nonchalantly setting fire to a
bone dry grassy hillside in a nearby vineyard.
“Come to help me put it out, have you?” he
laughed, glassy-eyed. They make their own
wine here, you know.
I can see from our shadow on the road that
Emma has nodded off. Better go gingerly, the
tarmac is bad here, too. We’re really in the
sticks now or ‘behind God’s back’ as the
Hungarians say. “You’re behind God’s back,” I
say to my wife. No response. Nothing like a bit
of a frisson on a tandem ride, I think to myself,
and notice vole holes and anthills on the
blackened verges.
At our destination we meet our friends for
a picnic and between us we put on quite a
spread. We’ve pedalled 10 miles on flat valley
roads and aren’t the slightest bit puffed, but
boy are we peckish. It’s fine weather for it,
and as we natter we first hear, then spy a
Green Woodpecker up high in a
neighbour’s walnut tree, its silvery throat
catching the sun. Perhaps that’s why the
Hungarian word for this bird is ‘spoke’, as
in wheel.
Riding back home after lunch we
glimpse deer darting into undergrowth
but the stork is nowhere to be seen. Feeling
pleasantly full, we mull over the proposal our
farming friends had put to us over lunch,
which after the stasis of winter suddenly
seems the most preposterous idea.
“There’s no way we could look after their
farm while they’re in Kathmandu. 60 hectares!”
“Six hundred! You’ve no experience. No,
there’s no way,” says the voice of reason.
“We turn for home with the
sinking sun glancing off our
chainwheels and casting a
mesmerising reflection”
All that fresh air and pedalling
is tiring work, you know
“That would be a catastrophe,” I
conclude, and leave it at that.
Our daughter’s shadow is on the nod again.
“You don’t realise what a break this is for
me, not having to be constantly watching
Emma. It’s so relaxing. We can all just admire
the view,” says my wife.
We turn for home with the sinking sun
glancing off our turning chainwheels and
casting a mesmerising reflection upon the
road. We pull up slowly by the garden gate so
as not to wake Emma. Too late. She opens
her eyes.
“Well? What did you reckon to that then?”
we coo.
“MORE!” comes the reply.
Hearts melted, we declare winter
officially over.
138 CYCLING ACTIVE SEPTEMBER 2014