Gábor Györgyi's cycling page/ Biketour-tips: Pilis, Mátra (Hungary)

Happybike Association, Hungary

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General informations / instructions:
In the last few years the popularity of cycling has increased in Hungary, so more and more people are choosing biking to spend their spare time. With the growing popularity of cycling the local governments can only limitedly satisfy the claims of bike road-building. Although the length of cycle-roads increase a little from year to year. These roads are sometimes real roads, not the edge of tracks or parts of pavements, but in other cases they are separated with a line from the tracks or pavements.
By bike on trains: Cyclists can keep their bikes ( max 2 to each platform) on the 1st and last platform (the place on the wagon, where we step on) during the trip. They have to buy a ticket for the bicycle. On some lines the trains have a cycle-wagon, where there is a place for about 20-40 bicycles. It can be seen on the timeteble / schedule. (It has a logo on the wagon and also on the schedule)

In Budapest the traffic-culture / morality is very bad, so it’s worth not cycling between the cars, but on the cycle-roads. It’s dangerous between or beside the cars. In the capital bikes can only be taken on the green-white coloured local trains and on the rack railway, on the doors where you can see the bicycle logo. This is painted on the platform/ pavement too. In Budapest the best places for cycling is along the Danube (on the Buda side), the Margaret-island (Margit-sziget), the Szilágyi Erzsébet avenue and some parks, like Népliget, and Városmajor. From the Citadella you can get a great view to the capital (photo).At the west end of Budapest (towards Budakeszi), from Szépjuhászné to János-mountain on weekends cyclists can go pedalling without any fear from the cars, because on weekends this road is closed from traffic.
The entire route 70 and the route 11 (on workdays it is busy between Tát and Komárom, on weekends it’s busy between Szentendre and Visegrád) is sometimes / often busy. In spring and summer on some weekends it’s better to bypass this part of the route 11. (Between the north side of Buda and Leányfalu – through Szentendre - it can be cycled on good bikeroads. Around the Balaton a cycle-road has been built, but in some places it is only separated with a line from the main road or the pavement. The plane Alföld, on the dam of the river Tisza is good for cyclists. In some places it is asphalted, but mainly not – as I know. Along the Danube a cycle-road is being built.
In some mountain-areas there can be found asphalted roads which aren’t shown on maps or are shown by white, because they are roads of the forestry commission, but they can be used by cyclists too. On these roads you can enjoy the quiet / peace of nature. From these roads I have seen deer, wild boar (in the autumn, when there are not too many people in the forest), and eagles and squirrels. I love these roads. You can find these in the Pilis, Mátra, Bükk, Bakony, Vértes…etc. In the next paragraphs I will show you the nice roads of Pilis, Mátra:

1, Pilis and the Danube – Ipoly National Park and the Danube bend
Pilis is ideally situated for either cyclists to see Budapest or the bikers who are curious about Esztergom (church!!) and the Danube bend. We can find here roads with good quality, but the asphalted forest roads (without any traffic) are also good. The ascents – there are only a few exceptions – are generally 4-8% steep.

• Our trip to the top of the mountain-range starts in Pomáz. To here we can travel by the local-train. In the first few, gently sloping kilometres we can take delight of the panorama to the Pilis, then after the slip road to Csobánka (through the village the road is 1.5 km long, and 10-12% steep, but from the top there is a view not only to the Pilis mountain-range but towards Budapest and the Budai mountain-range.) we cycle up to Pilisszentkereszt on a staggered path. (To the village we can arrive from Pilisvörösvár too, but from there after Pilisszántó we have to struggle through the most difficult (2 km long) ascent of the Pilis with the steepness of ca. 14 %.) From the centre of Pilisszentkereszt we cycle on a 8% steep ascent in the beginning, then it will be only 6% until the first holiday houses of Dobogókő. The top of Dobogókő is at the height of 700 m, and behind the tourist-house there is a very beautiful panorama (photo) to the Visegrádi mountain-range, the Danube bend, and the mountains of Börzsöny. On weekends we can see a lot of tourists and bikers here. From the direction of Esztergom (towards to the mountains), we bike on an almost flat road to the edge of the forest, there starts the ascent of Dobogókő with an average steepness of ca. 6-7%. One nice part of the ascent passes next to a high rock and besides the quiet village, Pilisszentlélek.

• From the capital we travel by local-train to the end-station in Szentendre. After the sightseeing and lovely walks in the centre we cycle along the Danube on a good cycle-road. After Leányfalu sometimes we have to cycle on the busy route 11. In Visegrád we can see nice sights, but people don’t have to miss the visit of the castle and the Nagyvillám look-out tower (377m). We can reach both of them on roads. From the center of this nice village we can cycle up to the caste on a gently sloping road. From before the castle there is a beautiful view of the Danube bend and the Pilis. After the top the road slopes to the east side of Visegrád. At the top there is a summer-bobsleigh-course and the exit road to the look-out tower of Nagyvillám. In Visegrad the cycleroad is very beautiful and passes through small parks and avenues. After leaving Visegrad we can enjoy cycling on a cycle-road only for a short time, then bikers have to cycle on the road, sometimes 5m or 1 km from the Danube. The cathedral of Esztergom comes in sight through two nice rows of trees. (On workdays I don’t suggest cycling on the route 10 between Esztergom and Budapest. There is a nice road through the forests from the beautiful open-air-pool of Lepence (next to Visegrád) and Szentendre. From the direction of Visegrád it goes up to Pilisszentlászló on a not too steep, 8 km long ascent. From the pass next to the village we have to take care, because the descent is very steep: with pedalling we can reach 70 km/h. We get a beautiful panorama towards Budapest and Szentendre. From the outdoor village museum (Skanzen) the road slopes gently to the town.

• Asphalted forest-roads in the Viseegrádi mountain-range: From Szentendre to Visegrád there is another quiet road between the road through Pilisszentlászló and the route 11. After leaving the outdoor village museum (towards the mountains) and turning right onto the forest road, we can pedal in a nice, bright forest. The steepness is variable, at the start it’s about 8%, the middle is light, the end is sometimes 7-8% steep. At Pap-rét (meadow), after 7 km ascent, cycling straight ahead we will cycle down to Visegrád. On the nice and sometimes bending road next to the rocks the bikers should be careful to avoid an accident. At the end there will be a barrier! At pap-rlt if we turn left, pedalling up for 700m, after a descent we can meet a road. On the left we can reach Pilisszentlászló in 2 km, to the right we can go down to Szentendre.

• On forest roads around the Dobogókő: In the mountains of Pilis, about 80 km of forest roads are at the biker’s disposal, where they can enjoy quiet and peaceful cycling without any disturbance. Dobogókő can be reached by forest roads from 3 sides, but to cycle the last 3 km bikers have only one asphalted road, which was mentioned previously. From the direction of Szentendre we can pedal on a gently sloping road to the Király kúti saddle, from where going straight ahead until 580 m height and then after about 6 km free-wheeling we reach the main road (between Dobogókő and Pilisszentkereszt). After 15 km from Esztergom can we find Pilismarót. If we turn right at the church, after 2-3 km we will reach a crossing. The road which goes straight ahead will ascend upwards gently at first, but the last kilometre will be difficult. At the end we will reach the main road between Esztergom and Dobogókő. At the crossing next to Pilismarót if we turn left we can pedal up to the Király kúti saddle on a road with a variable incline. This road goes up on the north side of Dobogókő; through cycling up we have some views to the Dobogókő, and backwards to the Danube and to Börzsöny mountain-range.

  2, Mátra
  Mátra is the highest mountain-range (on a small area) of Hungary, it’s top Kékesteő is 1015m above sea level. With the normal and forest roads, the Matra is in any case a favourable mountain-range for those who search after roads in forests, and who like the ascents. Eger, Parádfürdő, Szilvásvárad, and the castle of Sirok are things that are worth seeing or cycling there for. At the south foot of the Matra are grown grapes.
  Cycling on the south foot of Matra, from Szurdokpüspöki to Eger: Although this road doesn’t go above the height of 300m, it is recommended because of its’ beauty; I can say: it is a panoramic-road. After leaving Szurdokpüspöki the road goes through a short, thin defile. After a 3-4 km long ascent, at the end with a short steep section we reach the top, we get a panorama of the mountain-range of Matra and to the next village: Gyöngyöspata. Its’ nice church-tower is worth seeing. From here to Gyöngyös (the „capital” of the Matra) the road will be hilly, with short ascents and descents at the end between the grape plantation. Through this section almost in every second we can enjoy the panorama of The Mátra and it’s highest point, the Kékestető.
  We go on with this lovely and quiet cycling after Gyöngyös towards Abasár. We arrive here after a short stretch on the main road. At the top of the first hill we must turn left to Abasár. The mountains of the Mátra goes up in front of us. From Abasár the land / area will be more hilly, we will meet more 1-2km long ascents and descents. Sometimes at the end of a descent starts the ascent. Some of them are 10% steep. From the top of the ascents after Domoszló and Kisnána we can enjoy the panorama of the Bükk more and more closer. From Verpelét we can choose two ways to get to Eger.
  From Tarnaszentmária we cycle on a badly conditioned road to Eger, with some ascents and views, while the first half of the road through Egerszalók is nearly flat, but after the village we have to use our muscles on the ascents. For these efforts we will be compensated with beautiful views both of the Matra and of the Bükk Mountain-range. Eger - Sirok - Parádfüred – Kékestető: On the road between Eger and Sirok we have to cycle up some ascents, at the start between grape plantations. In Sirok it’s worth to see the castle, because it’s made from sandstone. Upon arriving into the village the hilly road ends: in the next 15kms – until Parád or Parádsasvár - we can cycle on a gently sloping road next to a stream. Parádfürdő is visited by tourists, it’s a lovely place. In Parádsasvár (from where we can reach Szuha on a forestry road) starts the ascent which goes into and up to the mountains. The road twists in the leafy forest; on busy summer days unfortunately we can meet wild motor-drivers. With their short flat sections the 3 kms before Mátraháza (680m) are good for a short rest. Because Mátraháza is in a saddle, from there we can roll down to gyöngyös, but if we have enough power for a 3.5 km long 10% steep ascent we can cycle up to the highest point of Hungary. From the top there is a tower, but without going up, we get a beautiful view into the direction of north Slovakia. From the tower we have a round-view.
  West-Mátra: After Gyöngyös cycling towards Mátraháza the section to Mátrafüred is an ideal warming up for the steeper ascent. After Mátrafüred for a short part the road is about 9% steep. Pedalling in the bright, friendly forest gives a nice pleasure. From one bend we get a view towards the Great Plain, while forwards we can see the TV-tower of Kékestető. (2kms after the camp of Sástó, a forest road turns left. On this friendly ascent going up to Mátraszentimre cyclists can enjoy the silence and flavour of the forest. ON the upper section we can get great views towards the south.) After a short ride after Mátraháza we reach a crossing. Going straight ahead we can get to Parádsasvár, but turning right starts the 11 km long ascent until Galyatető, which is another (but smaller) tourist-centre, like Mátraháza. on the lower section the road slopes gently, then it will be 5-7 % steep. On the higher section sometimes backwards we get a panorama of the East-Mátra and Kékestető(photo). At a hairpin to the direction of a northern forest, the road turns left and goes down to Szuha. People should see it, because after riding a bit, there will be a great panoramic view; which is shown on my tourist-map: „Nice view!” From Galyatető until Mátraszentimre the road descends gently, then it will be hilly. The long descent starts at Bagolyirtás. Leaving the Mátra, we arrive into Pásztó. From this town we can either cycle turning right to Szuha and then to Parádsasvár, or turning left through Szurdokpüspöki we arrive back to Gyöngyös.

  Györgyi Gábor

  Until the next tip or tour-report, look this !

  2002, Biking in Greece
  1995, Bicycletour in Slovakia
  Tips for bicycling in Hungary in the Pilis and Matra mountain-ranges
  Start of my site
  My cycling photos
  Happybike Association
  2001, Crossing the Swiss Alps
  2003 Along the Adria sea from Slovenia to Montenegro (with nice photos)
  

  
  Email: gyorgyi@bert.hu