While I have covered quite a distance on the Blue Trail sections, I have not been busy making posts. Somehow my focus has been on other things, but I'm trying to make up for it now.
As far as hiking is concerned, I missed February and March because my soles and heels were very sore from all the exertion. But I gave myself another chance before I went to the orthopaedic doctor. I found a miracle herbal ointment that fixed it almost instantly, to the point where I was able to walk distances of over 20 kilometres.
I did the following hike back on April 13th, and it was one of the most beautiful hikes I've done on the Blue Trail.
Of course, it was bright sunshine, cold in the morning, but then I was able to take my coat off quickly.
The only inconvenience for me is getting up early, but if I get used to it and go to bed early enough, that shouldn't be a problem either. A bit of a struggle to wake up, life-saving coffee, making sandwiches, what else do I need to take, like a spare battery for the camera.
I was a little panicked because there was no bread at home, but then I calmed down because I was starting from a town - in this case Zirc - where the shops were open.
I had already been to Zirc in winter, but then I headed in the opposite direction to Bakonynána (see my post: @fairyberry/my-blue-trail-from-zirc-to-bakonynana-and-then-tes). I never spent too much time in this town, so it always gave me a little surprise. In this case I was admiring a shop window with old radio sets.
They may belong to a collector, they are not for sale, they may no longer be operational. But still, they bring back memories of childhood:
My grandmother had one of those big wooden box radios.
The forest started from the straw bale Easter bunny and miner's monument.
I left the city quickly, following the blue sign. The next stop was Borzavár. The road led through forests and clearings, and the sound of chainsaws could be heard in the distance. Unfortunately, as is typical in some areas, all the trees were being cut down. So they become scrub, and it takes many decades before they become forest again.
To be honest, I don't know what happens to the trees that are cut down, but I've heard of them being taken to a power plant and burned. This is terrible destruction!
There were, however, some heart-warming beauties: stemless primroses growing on either side of the dirt road.
This short stretch to the village wasn't too difficult, although I almost lost my way at one point because some markings were missing. When i arrived in Borzavár, i was greeted by road builders. I noticed that roads were being rebuilt in almost every village I visited recently. They have to, because some villages are notorious for having big potholes. The Easter spirit was there, with colorful eggs and bunnies.
I found a stamp at the pub, so I put the "Borzavár" stamp in my booklet. The pub was not open, but I could sit outside and have breakfast.
Leaving the village, I took a long winding cycle path that led me towards the large pastures. This area is known as "Szépalma" (Beautiful Apple), and famous for its beautiful horses. The horses graze freely over a vast area and can even gallop in teams if they feel like it. There is also a guest house and riding school in the area.
Re-entering the forest, I had to climb the highest mountain of the Bakony mountains, the Kőris mountain.
The mountain is named after the tall ash tree, which is unfortunately in decline due to a fungus. The trees rot almost standing upright but are very easy to fall over. The forestry workers are therefore constantly felling and removing the dead ash trees. I have a feeling that this mountain will soon remind me of this tree in name only. It has one advantage: the view through the sparse trees is beautiful.
The trail was getting steeper and I was glad I had my trekking poles. I thought I would be up the mountain in no time, but no! It took me at least an hour and a half, and I have pretty good stamina.
Because I overcame the hard part, a reward awaited me above! I'm not mainly thinking of the lookout and the new stamp in my Blue Trail notebook.
It's much cuter than that! As soon as I sat down on the bench and took out my food, the little birds flew to the table.
This is the Eurasian nuthatch that really loves nuts!
I love the way they take the chopped nuts out of my hand.
After birdwatching and lunch, I climbed up to the lookout, but it was a big disappointment because the most interesting part of the view was covered by a thick mesh of netting. So that was all I could photograph.
I headed down towards Bakonybél. Another 8 kilometres and I'm at my destination.
From the asphalt road the sign led into the forest, where there was a very sloping section with fallen trees. Much to my surprise, after about 50 metres I found myself back on the asphalt road! Again I blessed my hiking poles that saved me from the big falls!
The rest of the trip was almost uneventful and to my great delight, when I reached the valley, there were plenty of bear's garlic.
Since I had an hour and a half before the bus left, I also visited a small cave. The road was very steep, and really much ado about nothing, as the cave was more like a small hole in a rock. Even for a dog, it's tight!
This is the end of the hike in the village, and in May I will continue my Bakony hike here.
See my Pinmapple map here: https://pinmapple.com/@fairyberry