MOTORHOME TRAVELLERS' DIARY FOR SEPTEMBER 2004

SLOVAKIA AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC

What follows are extracts from a diary we kept during our travels in mainland Europe by motorhome, bicycle and sometimes motorbike in the years since we early-retired in 1995.

19 September SAROSPATAK, Hungary to TATRY LOMNICE, Slovakia EuroCamp 424 SK (c €8.50) 194 miles

Away early to drive 7 miles to our old favourite border crossing at Satoraljaujhely. Today we were through the single checkpoint in 2 minutes flat, with no queue for the passport check. Compare our first visit, crossing on bicycles in the summer of 1989 (riding England to Istanbul), when we and our bags were searched for hours. In fact, we were sent back into Slovakia because we still had some of their currency. This was on a Sunday morning (no shops open) so, after treating everyone in the bar to a drink and buying cigarettes to carry as backhanders, we had to bury the remaining cash in a field before presenting ourselves back at the border, for further interrogation! Passing this way again, years later, we found the money had gone and hoped it was found by a needy peasant.

Leaving the Zemplen Hills behind, we crossed flat country northwards to Trebisov. There was no traffic (again, it's Sunday), the smooth quiet roads were broader than in Hungary, and we parked easily opposite a bank to get cash (about 70 SK to the Pound Sterling, 50 to the Euro). Joining the E50 for 10 miles east to Michalovce, we entered a much bigger city than we remembered from the old days and we couldn't find the state-owned Cedok Hotel of happy memories. We did find a modern Shell station, supplying diesel at about 48 pence per litre and a good road map, opposite a huge Tesco, which was open. Both took credit cards.

North from Michalovce on road 18 to Strazske, east to Vranov, then north-west to Hanusovce following the Toplou River, through lovely wooded hills and quiet hamlets. The churches were crowded with villagers in their Sunday Best. Turning north up E371 (road 73) to Svidnick, we lunched in a layby before going west through the old town of Bardejov, its medieval walls intact round the centre. Over a pass at 2,150 ft just before a length along the Polish border, past a new crossing point and a couple of military cemeteries from fighting against the Russians in 1944. South-west through Kezmarock before turning off for 5 miles to the enormous open-all-year FICC Eurocamp.

This camp has all the atmosphere of a Soviet airport but was busy with a Dutch rally, Germans, Swedes and a British Land Rover. Up at 2,500 ft, it's a good base for the High Tatras or Vysoke Tatry (the northern end of the Carpathians), which form the border between Poland and Eastern Slovakia. This area of alpine valleys and peaks (including Mt Gerlach, the highest in the Carpathians at 2,654 m or 8,758 ft) is popular for summer walking and winter ski-ing, complete with cable car and funicular railway.

On the first day in the Tatras we rode our bicycles to Stary Smokovec (a light lunch in the café there), continuing to the ski resort/spa of Strbske Pleso and round its glacial lake, at 4,500 ft. The morning began warm and sunny, with a gradual climb all the way up to the cooler heights, where we donned trousers and jackets and had a hot-chocolate before the return descent. (For non-cyclists, this excursion can also be made on an electric train, which we saw now and again, threading its way up through the woods. There is a station 5 minutes' walk from the campsite.)

23 September TATRY LOMNICE, Slovakia to ROZNOV P RADHOSTEM, Czech Republic Camping Roznov 322 CZK (c €10.40) 150 miles

The rain eased and an international caravan rally was arriving at Eurocamp as we left. Following road 18 (to avoid motorways), we retraced our cycle ride via Stary Smokovec and past Strbske Pleso, climbing yet higher to over 4,000 ft. The verges and fir trees were still white with fresh snow, melting on the steaming asphalt.

We had coffee in a large car park at the ski village of Podbanske, then continued on the 18, under the E50 motorway, to Liptovsky Hradok, then back under the motorway and through the larger town of Liptovsky Mikulas. We unintentionally looped to the north, round the top of Lake Liptovska, but the narrow road was quiet enough. Rejoining road 18 by the end of the motorway (where they appeared to merge), the traffic was heavier. In Ruzomberok Margaret spotted a Lidl shop but its car park was too small and full. Road and railway followed the Van River, winding our way through forested slopes and bypassing the town of Martin. From here it was 15 miles to Zilina, passing the lovely castle ruins which guard a loop in the river at Strecna.

In the centre of Zilina we parked, ate and shopped at a large Tesco, then continued on E50 (there was no other way!) to Bytca where we left the river to climb up to the frontier post at Makov. We spent our remaining Slovakian money on diesel before crossing into the Czech Republic for 14 miles to Roznov pod Radhostem.

There are 2 campsites as you approach the town, this one on the right and Sport Camping past it on the left. Camping Roznov has a new area and toilet/shower block especially for motorhomes, as well as plenty of cabins and a large pool. We paid by credit card.

24 September At ROZNOV, Czech Republic Camping Roznov

Margaret did battle with both campsite washing machines, which swallowed up time, money and detergent before being declared Kaputt by the management. She got the money back, at least, and did the laundry by hand.

After lunch we walked into Roznov between rain showers, a pleasant 20-minute stroll over the river, through the woods and past an open-air museum (closed). We changed money (31 CZK to the Euro, 45 to the Pound), posted cards to the UK (20 pence stamp each) and bought 4 large pork chops for 45 pence each. After 2 hours in a modern internet centre (66 pence per hour), we finished with a good chicken dinner in a cosy pub/restaurant on the central square (₤5.60 for both, including drinks, with beer cheaper than Cola). We could live well here!

25 September ROZNOV to KNEZNICE, Nr JICIN, Czech Republic Camping Cesky Raj 320 CZK (c €10.30) 179 miles

Before leaving Camping Roznov we bought a Czech motorway 'vignette' at the petrol station opposite (with credit card). The 3.5-12 ton category cost 450 CZK (₤10) for the minimum 10-day period.

We followed the E442 all day, through sunshine and showers, wooded hills, small farming villages and a few towns, mostly rolling along at about 1,000 ft. The E442 became a 'semi-motorway' before Lipnik, continued on a brand new ring road round the city of Olomouc (past McDonalds for lunch), then another 20 miles of motorway to Mohelnice. It would have been difficult to avoid motorways on this route (no-one checked the vignette, but there is a risk of a large fine).

Turning west, we climbed to 1,831 ft, through a lovely wooded area of lakes. The 60 or more miles from Mohelnice to Hradec (= King) Kralove were very slow, with one diversion for roadworks.

In search of a campsite, we found one listed in the Dutch ACSI Guide at Milovice had closed. The next, at Jicin (Caravan Club book), had turned into a motel. Third time lucky, as the Dutch-listed Pension/Minicamp at Cesky Raj (4 miles after Jicin) was open. It was busy with a Saturday evening wedding feast which we interrupted, to be given the run of a little grassy paddock behind the restaurant, still at 1,100 ft.

25 September KNEZNICE, Czech Republic to KONIGSTEIN, E Germany Camping Konigstein 320 CZK (c €10.30) 179 miles