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Bike tours on the way to Hungary
In this article I will tell you more about our bike rides on the way to Hungary.
On the outward journey we spent the night in:
- Lautertal-Reichenbach, Gasthof Zur Traube, with a cycle tour along the Rhine along the way.
- Altendorf, Gasthof Schiessl, with a bike tour from Altendorf on the former railway bed towards Schönsee.
- Tábor, Hotel Dvořák, with an evening stroll through the city.
- Brno, Kozy Horka, and a bike ride between forests and ponds from Třeboň.
The places to stay were chosen in such a way that we had to drive no more than 400 km a day and always spent the night close to a cycle route.
This way we could immediately get on our bikes on arrival, usually around noon, and first take a trip before we checked in.
Day 1 of the outward journey – stretching our legs
Final destination of our first travel day was Lautertal-Reichenbach (Germany), but in Biebesheim am Rhein we got on our bikes for a bike ride of 32 kilometers.
The cycle path is located next to the dike that separates the floodplains of the Rhine from the fertile arable land.
Corn and other field fruits had already been dug up and the fields were in good shape.
The bike paths were easy to ride. No tricky slopes, no plodding.
Ships passed by on the Rhine and on the dike we met a lot of other cyclists and walkers.
The overnight stay was planned in Gästehaus Zur Traube in Reichenbach, a typical Odenwald guesthouse.
Because the kitchen was temporarily closed for renovation, we ended up in the same village in Gasthaus zur Linde for a dish, as you would prepare it at home. Two main dishes and drinks together cost 36 euros. In Belgium, you would pay double.
This is how our holiday started: by car to Germany, cycling 32 kilometers on the way.
Day 2 – Over the old railway line to Schönsee
On day 2 the ride went from Lautertal-Reichenbach to Altendorf (still in Germany), where we spent the night in Gasthof Schiessl.
This Gasthof is actually a small hotel, with modern and well-kept rooms and a cozy Stube where you can eat something. Price-wise, you pay a little less here than in Belgium.
By the time we sat down for dinner, we already had a bike ride of about 45 kilometers in our legs, from Altendorf to Schönsee, over a former railway bed that has been transformed into a cycle route.
The route ran through a beautiful, sparsely populated area with many deciduous forests, interspersed with dark coniferous forests.
Every now and then we came across a village, but for the rest it was a bike ride full of peace and greenery.
Day 3 – Hiking in Tábor
On day 3 we did not make a bike ride but a walk in the fortified town of Tábor (Czech Republic), where we spent the night in Hotel Dvořák, a wellness hotel on the edge of the old town.
The main square in the town of Tábor was reminiscent of the Vrijdagmarkt in Ghent, forty years ago. A piece of Flanders as you used to like it.
Tábor is a very beautiful city, with cozy streets and historic buildings.
But for cyclists, it might be good to know that Tábor is located high on a hill, and is not a city to explore by bike.
The chicken tandoori at Tandoor, an Indian restaurant on the main square, tasted fine. In terms of price, clearly lower than in Belgium.
Day 4: cycling between the lakes
On the way from Tábor to Brno, our second city in the Czech Republic, we stopped in Třeboň. For a bike ride, of course.
Even with a map from the visitor center, it was first eight kilometers to find the starting point. The signage along the way could be better.
But once on the right route, we could fully enjoy ourselves. Nevertheless, they can still learn something from the Dutch and Belgian junction routes.
The 50-kilometre journey led through forests, over bumpy vineyards and past the many ponds around Třeboň. Quiet, varied and surprisingly beautiful. Not always easy, sometimes even very technical, but definitely worth it.
Along the way we were given an unexpected spectacle: an osprey that fished a fish out of the water.
You don’t need a nature documentary for that. Just cycle and look around.
What was also beautiful was the church in the middle of the reservoir of Nové Mlýny, the St. Linhart Church of Mušov.
Mušov was once a village on the Dyje River. In the 1970s and 1980s, the area was flooded for the construction of the reservoirs. In 1987, the village disappeared under water.
So only the medieval church is still there, on an island.
After the bike ride we still had a two-and-a-half-hour car ride ahead of us. We drove on good roads that meandered through the landscape.
The landscape itself felt remarkably familiar.
In Jindřichův Hradec we took a look at a huge shopping complex with the well-known chain stores out of curiosity. Even Action was present here. The prices hardly differ from those in Belgium.
In Brno we spent the night in Penzion Kozi Horka, a well-kept guesthouse on a hill above the reservoir. It looked more like a small hotel and people who were in the area for work also stayed there.
The guest house is just a few hundred metres from the water.
There we ate pizza and salads at a simple place. Young people sat together on the grass and enjoyed the evening. A cozy, accessible place to end our day.
Day 5 – On the way to Szigliget, on Lake Balaton
The next day only the last part through Hungary to Szigliget had to be completed.
The ride went over Bratislava and Györ, cities known for their car factories: Bratislava for Volkswagen and Györ for Audi.
End point of that day and place of stay for the next 10 days was our holiday home in Szigliget, Czend Holiday House.
We also made beautiful bike rides on the return trip from Hungary to Belgium.
Next page: Cycling on the way back from Hungary