Hello,
please can you help with some route advice from the High Tatra in Slovakia to Vienna?
We are 2 cyclists from New Zealand and we are planning to ride in July/August 2016 the Green Velo route through Poland, then go trekking in the High Tatra and ride through Slovakia to Vienna. Is there a good route away from major roads through Slovakia? Any advice is much appreciated.
Thanks for your help
Stuart and Katja
Hi Katja,
First of all I would like to warn you that High Tatra in summer period are really crowded, expecially polish side. No chance for bed in moutain shelter(floor awailable always, except Murowaniec), lot of people in valleys and on popular trails. Slovakian part is bigger and less crovded. In september it's ok everywhere.
Around Tatras you have very nice roads for bicycles, with views on the moutains and touristic villages/cities on the way.
google.pl/maps/dir/49.3548291,19.8208939/49.1485799,19.5218764/@49.2082724,19.8334572,10.5z/data=!4m29!4m28!1m25!3m4!1m2!1d19.5461717!2d49.1530642!3s0x4715a2c062dea7b1:0xacde5d905ee91988!3m4!1m2!1d19.7219029!2d49.3588985!3s0x4715c1d6e317e7f7:0x550316df292dfa4b!3m4!1m2!1d19.9763476!2d49.2843522!3s0x4715f2dd7d28f3e5:0xcd875503acad0d62!3m4!1m2!1d20.3101453!2d49.2414625!3s0x473e18e6aeadc391:0xe61dbc35bf0c6a26!3m4!1m2!1d19.856185!2d49.1243147!3s0x47158f8599a5c5e9:0x7df5efb3a226e3fd!1m0!3e0
Then, I would take same small roads going like this:
google.pl/maps/dir/49.2180354,18.7592211/48.8889944,18.7008178/Ve%C4%BEk%C3%BD+Meder/@48.7060752,17.6094343,8.78z/data=!4m25!4m24!1m0!1m15!3m4!1m2!1d18.6094785!2d48.8461024!3s0x4714e811e29ddc47:0xe56f40eb1f83c345!3m4!1m2!1d18.5851703!2d48.7855149!3s0x4714dcd3a03cbd35:0xe7b1ca95a3920adf!3m4!1m2!1d18.3567076!2d48.6394316!3s0x4714c94b980a50cf:0xfeef7608c5df9844!1m5!1m1!1s0x476ba288e1abac87:0x400f7d1c696df90!2m2!1d17.7703876!2d47.8563614!3e0
You could see some beautyfull small towns(Dolny Kubin, Martin) or go to Mala Fatra for trekking Velky Rozsutec , diery https://www.google.pl/search?q=diery+mala+fatra&rlz=1C1LENN_enUS439US439&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=643&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwinwsD8nYnNAhUmCpoKHTkCA0QQ_AUIBigB
Actually I took this route few years ago but I cannot recall exact track. From Oravsky Podzamok (castle - starting point on the map) or Liptovsky Mikulas it may be difficult to avoid traffic since there are mountains around, but south from Martin there are many smaller roads to take. At the end there are hot springs(pools) at Velky Meder(end point on the map) with healing waters and a lot of small private camping nearby the pools.
South of Nitra (bigger city) it's flat so a lot of local roads to choose.
Then along Dunabe there should be some really nice paths for bicycles.
Hi Szymon,
thanks a lot for your advice. Thinking that we might not go to Tatra, as soooo many people warned us. Thank you for your route suggestions. Will check out the links.
Thanks for your help, really appreciated.
Katja