E3: Prešov to Vel'ky Saris: Day 112

A short day before longer days to come, walking in a circuit around Prešov.

As there would be a few days in the mountains where I would likely be wild camping, and as fluid had been accumulating on my left knee, I decided to take advantage of the last hotel on my route for some days and walk only 20 kilometres. The E3 first headed west out of Prešov, then north and finally north east. This semi-circular route meant I ended up only a few kilometres north of Prešov!

A bridge was being replaced on my route out of the city so a diversion up the river to the next bridge and back was required. A pleasant diversion on a path beside the river among students off to their lectures and people walking their dogs. So different from Romania I thought, there I feared the loose, aggresively barking dogs. In Slovakia, although there were still dogs noisily announcing my passing from the safety of their gardens, there were also well behaved canines out for a walk with their owners, more like in Britain.

Leaving the urban streets I climbed into wooded hills on an intricate route to reach Cemjata. The village is known for its mineral springs, there was one below a circular shelter. In tasting the water I found it saline. Then I noticed a sign above which says not to drink the water. There were a number of elderly people being pushed around in wheelchairs, associated with a facility for seniors. Sadly no coffee shop.

I continued on the route on my GPS, however the E3 had been diverted. As I was unsure of where the new route went I stuck with the one on my gps. As I walked down a gravel road a convoy of cars came from the opposite direction, including two police cars which was mildly concerning. Then I passed an area where they must have been practicing with their guns. Lines of old tyres were being used to absorb any stray bullets, and should they be ineffective, signs warned of the potential risk of accidentally being shot. However the last car was leaving so I felt safe.

On reaching Mali Saris and rejoining the diverted red route, I stopped for a snack and drink sitting on a bench in the children's playground, which felt mildly wrong for a middle age man (although there were no children). Then it was a road walk by large yellow, green and brown fields to Vel'ky Saris, where a cabin selling ice creams in a square could not be avoided. While eating my ice cream cone and drinking a coffee a man, curious as to what brought me to the village, asked if I was a cyclist. Perhaps the lack of a bike and my large backpack with trekking poles sticking out of it should have been a clue. However I explained I was walking, heading north.

It was then a short hike to my hotel beside a busy road (there seemed to be several busy roads circling Prešov which I have either walked under or across). I am now resting my knee, keeping it elevated on my bed with its knee support on to try and disperse the fluid before longer, steeper walks in the coming days. However staying stationary has negative effects on my back, stiffening it up. From the window, beyond the traffic and a large field of grass is a big brewery on the right, a row of houses on the left and beyond that an isolated, forested mountain with a castle on top. With my dinner (duck confit on red cabbage with grilled vegetables, a pancake(!) and a huge puffy-white dumpling served separately) I drank a beer from the brewery.