E3: Krynica-Zdrój rest day: Day 118

A day doing tourist stuff in a tourist town.

Krynica-Zdrój is an old spa town which blossomed in the 1930's. This is when the funicular was built that lifted me up to the summit of a nearby mountain, helped by the weight of the carraige coming down. At the top there was an observation tower (an extra 10 złotys) which I climbed to see the view in all directions. Fortunately there was no mist today, just cloud with the sun occasionally breaking through. From the top I could see the urban area spread along the base of the valley with mixed woodland on the surrounding mountains.

Beside the observation tower was a garden of "Music and Illumination". The Illumination would have to wait until it was dark, as for music there were a series of musical instruments made of plants, and plant covered images of people.

I walked down from the mountain to see an area of educational, hands on science exhibits, such as an Archimedean screw. Unfortunately all the instructions were in Polish making it difficult to know what other pieces of apparatus was meant to do.

In the centre of Krynica-Zdrój a long promenade beside a small river is the central feature. Each side are stalls selling tourist items: fridge magnets, mugs with town's name on, furry toys, gofry's (ie waffles), ice cream etc.. There are some old looking villas, some made of wood, serving as restaurants and guesthouses. Areas of grass were laid out with paths and lines of trees with many benches for people to rest, sunbathe or just pass the time relaxing. The town's visitors seem to be either groups of school children or middle aged people. The latter either carried walking sticks to stop them falling over, or because they were hiking in the area

This morning I woke up really stiff after yesterday's long walk and the lack of flexibility has continued through the day. Hoping it will improve by tomorrow as that is a 32 kilometre day with quite a bit of uphill.

In the evening I went to a show which, according to Google Translate, advertised Highland folk music, sausage, and repartie, very much an event for (Polish) tourists. It was of course the Polish Highlands. As it was all in Polish I copied what everyone else was doing. This involved collecting a large sausage and cooking it on a long fork in front of an open fire. My neighbour indicated how the fork could be fixed in place. Not sure how you were meant to know it was cooked but I left it as long as my neighbour did, it dripped oil and was hot when I ate it with a mild mustard, tomato sauce and the bread provided. The band, two trumpets, an accordian and a double bass, sang folk songs. For some songs the audience evidently knew the words and sang for the band, for others they knew the actions. There was dancing which almost everyone took part, but I had no-one to dance with. I very much missed my wife.

E3: Zdynia to Krynica-Zdrój: Day 117

An amazing day in which I walked over 35 kilometres with 1500 metres of ascent, for which I awarded myself a rest day.

The tourist spa town of Krynica-Zdrój was the next major destination after Zdynia. However, it was over 35 kilometres away with five mountains in the way. Having struggled to walk 25 kilometres recently I was not sure I could do it. As there were plenty of hotels in Krynica-Zdrój I decided to aim for it but be prepared to wild camp if I becane too tired, or my knee became too swollen and debilitated to reach it. Despite waking with a stiff left knee I surprised myself in achieving the distance. A clear target, a dry day and the potential reward of cake, coffee and beer probably helped, whereas recently the daily destination has been yet more forest and even more mountains to climb up and down. Less attractive.

I started promptly, enjoying the use of the toilet at my cabin in Zdynia after three nights of wild camping. At 7 am I was on my way, up the road, rejoining the E3, this time heading west towards its final destination on the Atlantic. With my morning's energy I was over the first two of the mountains ahead of the timings indicated on the signs. As the day progressed I was meeting the timings, and finally falling a little behind them. However, observing the time needed to reach Krynica slowly fall at successive posts was a major source of motivation. Unlike some of the earlier signs in Slovakia which were optimistic, those on the fingerposts in Poland seemed reasonable. 

On the first mountain top I found another First World War cemetery. It was designed by the architect who also was also responsible for the cemetery I saw yesterday. This held the Russian, Austrian and Hungarian dead from another battle that took place here. Rather than use heroic themes that glorified death for one's country, the architect used features of the local folk constructions, such as the wayside shrines. 

As well as five mountains I passed near or through five villages. These included a few old houses built of logs, with the gaps between the trunks filled in to make the house wind and water tight. Lace curtains hung in the windows. The final village had a shop where I bought an Ice cream and coke. Unfortunately my złotys were deep in my rucksack, however the lady serving took my card, after a bit of effort getting the card machine going.

My route went over ridges and across valleys. The villages lay at the bottom of the valleys surrounded by green fields of for grazing cattle or making hay. Yellow dandlelions covered the grass and I also saw blue bugleweed. These fields rose up the valley sides reaching the trees which grew on the higher ground. Today there were more conifers than on previous days, pine and fir trees. Where wood had recently been cut down the fresh scent of pine filled the air.

I met two Polish backpackers today, unfortunately they did not speak English, so we just "fist bumped" to express solidarity among hikers, that were were part of the same community. They were possibly following the Beskid Trail, the Carpathian Mountain Trail that the E3 follows in this part of Poland, marked by red stripes.

My final mountain was Huzary (864 metres). Although the climb was not too steep the summit seemed to take a long time to arrive. Then it was downhill to Karnica where I stopped at the first coffee shop for a latte and cake (actually a sort of brioche with bits of plum on top). This allowed me the time to put my poles away, switch my phone on and generally get ready for finding a hotel. I chose one near the coffee shop, picking one of the better rooms for a very reasonable price. Dinner was in a nearby restaurant with a large beer. Now stiff from my day's walk, I made my way back to the hotel. On the way I saw a many people collecting around the fountains in the main pedestrian area. At just after 8 pm, the water spurted up and down to music, illuminated by coloured lights.

E3 in Eastern Slovakia: Comments

I have divided the E3 in Eastern Slovakia into four aspects, first the cities. 

Košice is not on the trail but you might use it as a regional transport and supply hub. The city has an attractive centre, well worth a visit. Prešov is on the trail, a smaller city than Košice it also has an old centre with restaurants, churches and attractive architecture. 

Secondly, sections of the trail are through the lowlands, especially in the south. Fields of crops form the scenery and there are villages with welcome shops where you can buy a drink and ice cream.

Thirdly there are the mountain sections. south of the Polish border. These are forested typically with beech trees. Although the mountains are not that high, only a few peaks exceed a thousand metres above sea level, there is a lot of climbing up and down from summit to summit, over a thousand metres a day. Villages are at the bottom of valleys so once in the mountains you will not be able to buy food and the lack of accommodation means wild camping will be needed. There was one mountain hut on the route where I enjoyed lunch, but check openning times. By the village of Herl'any the E3 gives you alternatives. Either go through the village using the blue route to the south and the green trail to the north, or stay on the red waymarks and miss out the village. Herl"any has a Geyser erupting every 36 hours, a pizzeria and a "buffet", which is a bar selling drinks and snacks.

Finally there is the border section where the E3 follows the forested ridge between Slovakia and Poland. The trail literally follows the border stones, going straight up and down mountains with some very steep sections. Unless you leave the ridge for accommodation and food you will need to wild camp and carry five days or so of food from the last shop in Slovakia at Terna. Water sources are scarce so you will need to carry plenty and have marked the location of springs when planning. This means a lot of weight to carry up and down steep slippery slopes. I did not reach the end of this section but do not imagine it changes much. If ever I repeated this part I would next time include deviations off the trail for accommodation and variety. The rain and mist probably did not help my appreciation of the route.

Points of interest on the mountainous parts include a couple of ruined castles, a First World War cemetery and a monument to a Second World War battle.

E3: Jawor to Zdynia: Day 116

Another day of steep ascents and descents until I turned off onto the road to Zdynia.

Although there was a dense mist, today there was no rain for which I was thankful. Among the mist, groups of bright yellow marsh marigolds in wetter areas added bright points to the day. The low points were the many steep, uphill sections and ridiculous downhills. Going down from Płaziny's summit was particularly memorable as it dropped over a 100 metres in elevation. The gradient was extreme and the earth was slippery due to the recent rain. Fallen leaves gave no purchase. My trekking poles were essential to stop me sliding. I slipped once onto my bottom, I was close on several occasions. For part of the way a rope had been attached to the trees to help. Such steep gradients up and down were enervating and made me glad I was leaving this path today. I thought fondly of the Alps where paths tend to take an oblique route up mountains, zig-zagging gracefully rather than just heading straight up in a brutal assault.

At a crossroads in the track I was faced with a "No Entry" sign due to tree felling, a crossed out person made the message clear in any language. The path to my left might have offered a means to bypass the work which I could hear in the distance, however this also had a warning sign. Details on this second sign were confused in that they described a route that ended at the pass where I now stood. I decided to simply ignore the "No Entry" and continued up the trail. I encountered no foresters, from the noise they were working to the left of me.

Javorina was one of the higher peaks I crossed today. Sadly all I could see from the specially built viewing platform was white mist, the information board showed that on a clear day many distant mountains were visible. 

The most interesting sight on this section was a First World War cemetery. Apparently the front between the Austrian and Hungarian troops to the south and the Russians to the north, ran along here. The hundreds buried from both sides were from a particularly deadly battle in March 1915.

After that I left the E3 on which I had been heading east and turned north into Poland on a quiet and very straight road. I will pick up the northern part of this loop of the E3 tomorrow and follow it west, making progress towards the Atlantic Ocean where the E3 finally ends.

Each side of the road there were large areas of richly coloured grass dotted with dandelions and being grazed by cows. Higher up the hillside the trees began, part of the forest I had been walking through for the last few days. 

Although I thought of Poland as a Roman Catholic country, along the road I noticed a church that looked distinctly Orthodox with bulbous spires. By its door (sadly locked) a board said it was built as a Greek Catholic Church in 1903 but is now used as an Orthodox Church. In the same enclosure, in front of the church, was a children's football pitch which seemed incongrous but I thought a pleasing combination. I saw another Orthodox church a little way of the road a few miles later. Zdynia was signed in both the Latin alphabet and Cyrillic. Investigations on the internet suggested that the Orthodox Churches and Cyrillic script was associated with the Lemko ethnic group (a subgroup of the Rusyns) which were concentrated in this area.

I had booked accommodation in a cabin although had a little trouble entering as the owner was in Ukraine. Now I am in I have various things drying over doors.

E3: Pusta to Jawor: Day 115

Another day of climbing up and down steep hills in mixed woodland.

Overnight rain meant that I packed away a very wet tent mixed in with fallen leaves, the rest of my belongings were just damp. Light rain was still falling, which slowly morphed into a misty day with drops of water falling from the trees whenever the wind blew. If I brushed against leaves beside or above the path they transfered their water to me, so my waterproofs stayed on, usually with my hood up. Large pools of brown water collected at low points on the track which I had to work away around.

Today was similar to yesterday walking through mixed woodland, up and down hills. At times the path edged fields, kept for hay. The fields were often on the Polish side and woodland on the Slovak side, differences in land use in each country. I was amused by the use of plastic bottles as insulators on sections of electric fence. Among the grasses there were pink and yellow Elder-Flowered Orchids (according to my App).

I crossed a road adorned with Border Crossing Signs, after which my main goal was Lacková or Lackowa, depending on whether you spelt it the Slovak or Polish way. It was a mountain which the map showed as a short ridge surrounded by closely spaced contours. I stopped at the base to pick up water from a spring then began the long, extremely steep climb. Last night's rains had made the ground extremely slippery. To gain a grip on the slope I tried to step from rock to rock, from one tree root to another. My trekking poles proved essential to stabilise me on the slick incline. I dug their points into the ground to gain a purchase. At times i almost had to use my hands. By using much of my reserves of energy I eventually reached the top of slope, after which there was a gentler walk to the absolute summit. 

At that symmit two Polish flags were boldly waving in the breeze. A lady with a Belgian Shepherd dog was there when I arrived. She asked me to take a photo of her below the summit sign, and did the same for me while her dog sat obediently. Having confirmed I was camping, she asked if I was afraid of the bears. There are so few about I told her "no" and added I had not spotted any of their footprints, which are obvious being rather large. She must had taken pity of me camping in the wet as she gave me two bars of chocolate, explaining she did not need them as she would be home in a few hours where her husband would have cooked dinner for her. There were a few people out today for a Sunday walk, and one mountain biker struggling with the mud.

There was a steep descent down Lukowa which was followed in a few kilometres time by a similarly long and steep ascent of another mountain. This happened a few times today. The trail was following the border and I assume when it was defined in 1920 (or maybe in the later 1958 treaty) they decided it should follow the ridgeline. Unfortunately the ridgeline has several steep gradients which the border, and so the E3, slavishly follows. I wondered how they defined the exact location, did each country appoint a surveyor to ensure the other party did not cheat? Did they agree to use the same instrument to make the measurements? 

The steep gradients and monotonous nature of the woodland made me decide that tomorrow I will make a shortcut. By crossing to Zdynia by road 977 I will avoid walking further east only to return heading west a few kilometres to the north. Skipping part of the E3 route is not a decision I like to take, but I am walking for enjoyment rather than to survey the entire trail. By crossing by Zdynia I will also have completed at least a part of the loop.

Jawor was the final mountain I climbed over before deciding on a spot to camp on ground, only gently sloping, on a old path among the trees.

E3: Sedlo Priehyby to Pusta: Day 114

A tiring, wet day, but one in which I saw wild animals and reached the Polish border.

It was raining this morning as I packed up a very wet tent and collected water from the nearby spring. The wet weather continued throughout the day. Trees were engulfed in mist as I walked along. Shreds of clouds crossed nearby hills on the occasions when I see them. Even when the rain stopped there was plenty of water dripping from the leaves.

Shortly after I set off I disturbed an elk with an impressive set of antlers. It stood up and looked at me, I stood still, and we stared at each other for a few moments. Then it raced off. Later I saw two wild boar on the path; big, brown and hairy. They quickly scarpered on seeing me. Finally a deer was grazing by the track, but ran off as soon as it spotted me.

There were the usual energy sapping uphill struggles to frequent summits, followed by descents that were painful on the knees. Such downhill sections were distressing as I knew I would shortly have to make up the height again. The highest mountain was Mincol at 1153 metres. There appeared to be two summits at Mincol, one with a large cross and the other with a concrete column, not sure which was the highest. As the mountain top was covered with blueberry bushes and similar low vegetation there might have been a view on a good day, but today there was mostly whiteness. 

After many more summits and dealing with numerous trees which had fallen across the track, I descended to a low saddle by the village of Obručné in a break in the rain. The trail does not pass through the village and there were no shops or other facilities according to Google, so I immediately started the next section.

I had now reached the Polish border. For a few days the E3 follows the border heading east. It then turns around and heads west a few miles into Poland. Some people cut out this huge loop. I planned to follow it, although there will be the temptation to shortcut it at various points. I did wonder why such a large loop was included in the E3. One explanation relates to the EB (Eisenbach Budapest) trail. This is an old trail dating from 1983, before the fall of the Iron Curtain. Running through multiple countries, in those pre-Schengen, more authoritarian times it was necessary for the path to cross between countries at official border crossings. The E3 follows much of the older EB route, so perhaps this is why it heads east to cross at what was an official crossing point at the Dukla Pass.

The border was marked by frequent squat concrete rectangles painted white with red tops. There was an S on one side and P on the. other. I followed these posts on a track heading generally uphill. The track wandered around the posts so sometimes I was in Slovakia and then a few yards later I was in Poland.

Towards the end of the afternoon I reached a steel observation tower. I climbed its steep staircases but could not see much that I could at ground level. There was a little shelter with bench seating and tables next to the grey tower. Taking advantage of the dryness under the shelter I put on a knee support as my knee was suffering with all the ups and downs. Inevitably it was at the bottom of the pack requiring much unpacking. The repacking was not too successful and my rucksack continued rather oddly shaped. At a nearby spring I topped up with water. I then needed to leave the forest and cross some fields. Unfortunately a farmer had strung electric fences everywhere, combined with warnings of a dangerous dog (judging by the picture). I worked my way around the fences but was glad to return to the forest where the tracks were generally good.

As it approached 5:30 pm I decided to pitch camp on finding a suitable flat spot under conifers a little before the Pusta summit. I then spent some time trying to dry the tent. It is still raining gently and rain is forecast for tomorrow as well.

E3: Vel'ky Saris to Sedlo Priehyby: Day 113

A good day covering a reasonable distance with good views and lunch at a mountain hut.

I left my hotel early as I discovered there was a mountain hut on my route where I could have lunch if I arrived in time. First I followed the road into the next village Kanaš. Although only 7:30, men were out cutting the grass along the sides of the road. A stream of cars were coming towards me, off to work I assumed. Entering the side roads of Kanaš between the detached bungalows, the traffic died down. The rows a different coloured bins outside the houses looked very organised: blue for paper, yellow for plastic, etc.. Soon I was on a path through woodland, climbing steadily through the trees. 

I was pleased to find a spring with running water coming from the little house constructed on top of it. There were even a few baskets in which someone who cared about the place, was trying grow flowers. After the spring it was downhill through an open field to the road into Terňa. 

At Terňa I stopped at the Coop Supermarket for a few more supplies including a banana and kitkat for a late breakfast sitting on a wall by the church, watching the comings and goings. Then a little more road walking, uphill, by a large field of yellow rape to the next village of Hradisko.

After Hradisko there was more climbing, although not too steeply through the woods along a ridge. Intermittently there would be a cross or small shrine, a sign of the country's religiosity. Often there would be crude benches beside them making them suitable spots for a picnic. I also crossed the E8, a European Long Distance Path I have yet to walk.

Today the trees were more varied. In addition to the usual beech I crossed an area of hornbeam and there were lesser numbers of field maple, hazel, crab apple and other species. Higher up, above 900 metres there were also birch trees and conifers; spruce and larch. Some of the conifers were in stands, no doubt planted by foresters, others were mixed in with the deciduous trees. In places there were meadows at or beside the top of the ridge, above the trees lower down. This meant I could see the surrounding forested hillsides and maybe more distant fields and mountain ranges.

Rain was forecast around 11:00 and again late in the afternoon. This duly arrived causing me to stop and put on my waterproofs with the difficult decision of whether it was worth struggling into my waterproof trousers. Although the rain makes walking less pleasant I was glad it was falling as the farmers needed it and I hoped it would make the springs more reliable.

As planned I reached the mountain hut, Chata Čergov, in time for lunch. It was among a scattered collection of buildings which included a short ski lift. There was no obvious sign announcing the hut until you climbed the steps up to the door, where opening times were posted. As I was within these times I opened the door and boldly walked in. A man with a paint roller in hand seemed surprised to see a customer but after he had called another man and a woman, it was established that I would like something to eat. Chicken and chips were offered and accepted, I declined a vodka or rum, and we agreed on coffee and water. I ate my lunch, as the only customer, watching an ice hockey match on the large TV. The fast moving sport is immensely popular in Slovakia.

After just over 30 kilometres I decided to stop, not wanting to be too tired tomorrow. I am camped on an area of grass, probably the most comfortable spot of my trip so far, closed to a free flowing, piped spring where I can top up my water supply in the morning. 

As I lie here in the cosiness of my sleeping bag a cuckoo and blackbird is singing, and beyond them others in the background. 

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.

E3: Rest day in Prešov: Day 111

A rest day in which I visited the old centre of Prešov.

This morning I caught the trolley bus into the centre of Prešov. I remembered these vehicles from my youth in Britain. They have long since dissappeared in the UK but I still wondered how the long arms stayed attached to the overhead wires (they are pushed onto the wire by springs according to the Internet).

Slovakia only came into existence in 1993, a short period in the Second World War is excluded, and I wondered what made it coalesce into a distinct entity. For centuries it had been part of either the Ottoman or the Austro-Hungarian Empire, so how had a unique Slovak identity remained? The Slovak language is of the Slavic group similar to Czech and other Eastern European languages. I could understand why Slovaks were distinct from Hungarians with their quite different language, and I imagine the Slovaks were second class citizens compared with Hungarians during the Empire period, which would have engendered solidarity. In addition, perhaps the Carpathian Mountains, which I would be following, gave a natural boundary with Poland.  However I was surprised about the split from the people of the Czech Republic. I asked a man selling coffee from a trailer in the central area of the old town. He said it was partly because Slovakia came under Hungarian influence while the Czechs were under Austrian influence during the Empire period. In addition he said the Slovaks were quite religious and the Czechs were not. Although Roman Catholicism is the main religion in both countries Wikipedia states that in Slovakia 68.8% of the people count themselves as Christians as opposed to only in 11.7% in the Czech Republic.

Today I visited the Roman Catholic Cathedral in the centre of Prešov. When I first tried to enter a well attended service was in progress so I returned later. Even then, there were many people in the pews praying. I joined them with a pray for the health of my knee and my wife's happiness. Sunlight shining through the modern stained glass windows cast soft orange coloured light patterns over the nearby pews. I also visited the Greek Catholic Cathedral. This denomination accepts the leadership of the pope but follows the Orthodox Christian rites dating from Byzantine times. Although I tried to visit the Synagogue it was locked up despite signs stating it should be open. As in similar places in Eastern Europe the Jewish population was decimated in the Second World War.

Lining the main strip of the old town, beyond the lines of young maple trees, were buildings all dating from before the First World War, with ornate rendering on the outside. Each building was painted in a different pastel colour. Visiting one for cake and another for a more healthy salad for lunch, I noted how they both had barrel vaulted ceilings inside.

After some shopping, chores and eating pancakes for dinner I watched the Slovak news on the TV in my room. I guessed the subjects, one of which was about the current drought in Slovakia affecting the crops. I confirmed this by an internet search. Made me worry that there would not be any water at the springs. The maize and sunflower crops on the TV also looked pretty miserable. Was it a result of the changing climate? I worried about all the verdent beech trees, would the forests which covered the hills I was walking through survive?

E3: Čierna Hora to Prešov: Day 110

A woodland walk into Prešov in persistent rain, followed by my enjoyment of hotel and city life.

I slept soundly despite the rounded rocks beneath me, however as 6 am approached I needed a wee and decided to pack up. On leaving my tent I admired the surrounding white wood anemones covering the ground, and the mist making more distant trees fade into whiteness.

My morning began with a climb to the top of Čierna Hora, my first summit at 1073 metres, the highest on my trip so far. A few ups and downs followed as I meandered along paths through the mist shrouded woodland. Then a long, steep uphill section seemed unending. However at the top I was pleased as sign indicated that I had reached the top of Tri Chotáre, at 1025 metres, it was almost the last big mountain on my route today. The fingerposts were reassuring, slowly decreasing the amount of time needed to reach Prešov. After Tri Chotáre there was an area of meadow, with seats under a shelter and an information board. I had passed several such shelters on my trip but this one had a "living roof" with wild flowers and grasses growing on it, which I thought my neighbours at home would like. Although the information board was in Slovak, I gained the impression that the meadow was being managed to encourage biodiversity. I guess deer could graze on the grass then dissappear into the surrounding woodland if disturbed. However the nearby hunting tower suggested that they risked being shot.

As I continued I heard gunshots off to my right. Not hunters as there were too many in close succession. Later I saw a few green army trucks, so I assume the shots were soldiers practicing.

Although I had no need to climb the final hill, I walked up the short distance to the castle ruins on top, called Zbojnicky Hrad. Dating from the 13th century only a few low walls were now standing, topped by a fraying Slovak flag. A board was illustrated with the panorama before it, labelling all the places you could see, except today you could not. It had been raining continuously since shortly after I set off this morning (and my tent was wet from overnight rain). The views varied from white mist to low clouds.

Nevertheless from the castle I knew it was a short distance to the village of Ruská Nová Ves where there was a Coop supermarket. Ignoring the men with beer bottles outside I went in and bought a Coke and some chocolate which I ate in the dry of a bus shelter. Greatly revived I continued along the road into Prešov. 

I am now booked into a hotel for two nights. A chance to regain strength and rest my left knee which is now swollen (on the plus side my back ache seems to have been chased away by my continued movement). As I was extremely wet on entering the hotel I was a little embarrassed as I dripped on the floor. Fortunately the receptionist made no comment. Clothes are drapped around the room drying. Despite the discomfort of walking in the rain in full waterproofs I am hoping that it causes the springs to flow again. It is also needed to maintain the vivid green of all the beech trees, and water the occasional hawthorns now in flower. After my chores I visited a patisserie for a latte and cheesecake, part of a nearby retail park, I was in that part of town.

For dinner I caught a bus into the old centre to visit a restaurant the Internet recommended for Slovak food. The place was not obvious from the street, although there was a sign that led below an arch, then a closed door with Slovak words on it. I tentatively opened the door and walked down steps. The restaurant was in the old, brick vaulted cellars. Eventually a waitress approached, said sit down and gave me a long menu. There were two other tables each with several burly men in black sweat shirts. The waitress returned before I had time to digest the numerous offerings, so I asked her to recommend a Slovak dish. She said something with dumplings and pointed to a page in the menu. I picked the top item and also asked for soup. The chicken noodle soup had lots of carrots which was welcome as I was missing vegetables. For the main course the dumplings were like gnocchi in a cheese sauce with bits of bacon on top. 

I successfully caught the bus back to the hotel and am now in bed on the fifth floor, with the curtains open so I can see the orange street lights and those in the surrounding appartment blocks. Cities always look good in the dark.

E3: Herl'any to Čierna Hora: Day 109

A day following a wooded ridge.

A little after I had left Herl'any, as I was beginning the climb back up to the ridge line following green waymarks, I met another hiker. He was a Slovak, out for the day, aiming for a viewpoint.  As we were following the same track at similar speeds and he had a little English, we shared a few words before he turned off for his destination. After swapping our planned destinations and commenting on the surrounding trees I asked about the lack of water from springs. He said that there had been very little rain recently. On later checking the Internet I read that Slovakia had the driest April since records began. Despite this I did find some water at the two springs I investigated today. Many of the springs have a depression dug out to collect the water, on top of which a little house is placed to stop it being filled with leaves etc.. At the springs I visited there was water in the depression but it was still, there was no flow. I collected some but added a water purification tablets as the water was stagnant.

This morning was sunny as I rejoined the trail marked with red stripes, but later it clouded over and grew dark. Rain was forecast but it only amounted to a few short showers. Apart from a few modest meadows today was all through trees, mainly beech. On one steep slope crossed by my track, many trees had been uprooted by a storm, those that the wind had pushed over crashed into others causing their trunks to break in a mass of splinters. Fortunately the fallen trees had been cleared off the track otherwise my passage would have been much delayed by having to go over, under or around them.

There was much climbing up hills today, at times very steeply. Along the ridge there are numerous summits, some the route bypassed but for others it was a climb up followed by the inevitable deacent, sometimes steeply. Due to the trees there were few views, the exceptions were where trees had been cut down. Some summits were marked by outcrops of volcanic rock, one peak had a profusion of towers and aerials another had a simple wooden cross. As I reached higher elevations, the beech trees had smaller leaves, maybe at the cooler higher altitudes growth had been delayed. My total ascent today was well over 1200 metres, which is appreciable, so my tiredness is to be expected after walking around 27 kilometres. I would have liked to walk further to minimise the effort needed to reach Prešov tomorrow but the map suggested I had walked far enough and I was tired. Seeing a seemingly flat area I decided to pitch my tent, before the next climb up to the top of Čierna Hora. Sadly, the ground was less even than it looked with hidden stones, too big to be removed. I will just curl myself around them when I sleep tonight.

When I went out to brush my teeth the mist had gathered around the trees and a song thrush was singing me a sweet goodnight.

E3: Dargovský Priesmyk to Herl'any: Day 108

A tiring day up into the mountains and back down again, rewarded by a pleasant stay at Herl'any, although I missed the Geyser.

I was pleased this morning that my back did not make my walking excessively painful, and my left knee was also in abeyance. Fortunate as even without these maladies I struggled with the climb and then the descent today.

First, after a short walk I reached Dargovský Priesmyk, a pass crossed by a busy road. Between December 1944 and January 1945 heavy fighting took place here between the advancing Soviet Red Army and German troops, with many casualties, especially on the Soviet side. A memorial to the fallen Soviet troops lies on one side of the road. I was impressed that wreaths, albeit of artificial flowers, had been left there. Evidence that the loss of life is still remembered. A Second World War tank and self propelled gun stood on one side of the road, next to where several lorries were parked. From the state of the kiosk and what may once have been a restaurant, they had closed some time ago.

A little after the pass, the trail began rising steeply. After climbing through the forest I reached an area where the trees had been clear felled. Densely spaced beech saplings had grown from the beech mast that had dropped on the ground from the long gone trees, creating a bright green, furry cloak across the valley. Curiously, the foresters had left the occasional tree uncut, some were dead but others were still bearing leaves. Standing alone, defiant, they looked vulnerable to being felled by high winds. Higher up I entered meadows with a few more flowers, as well as speedwells and dandelions there were (according to my App) green strawberry and yellow hawkweed (and later, under the trees, delicate white sand rockcress). The lack of trees meant I could see the surrounding area.

I reached a summit called "Lazy" which I thought ironic after the long climb. Attached to a fingerpost indicating directions and timings there was a metal box. Inside was a book and pen where people had recorded their visit. I added a note then looked for any others written in English. There was only one, entered on the 4th May which said "May the Fourth be with you".

Further on, back in the trees I reached a fingerpost which had the E3 continuing in two different directions. I was not aware there were options. The trails in Slovakia had been well marked with fingerposts referencing the E3 and the colour of the waymarks painted on trees and rocks along the trail that it followed. The waymarks were three horizontal stripes: white; a colour, then white again. I had been following those with a red stripe, but the sign indicated that to reach Herl'any, my next planned destination, I needed to switch to the blue stripes. Both red and blue waymarks were signed as the E3.

The blue route descended along a path which became indistinct. Beech saplings and fallen or felled trees obscured the path. Finding which way to go was a puzzle, pushing through the vegetation more difficult still. If it were not for the occasional blue waymarks I would have given up and found another route. After entering more mature forest, where the shade from the tall trees discouraged the growth of saplings or any other vegetation, the route became easier to follow.

The next challenge was a steep downhill section, strewn with moss covered boulders. Fortunately the weather was sunny and the earth dry today. If the ground had been wet, negotiating the slope would have resulted in many slips and slides with painful consequences if I had hit a rock.

At the bottom the route crossed a track but the inward section was blocked by stacked tree trunks, recently cut. Rising a few metres the pile of wood extended laterally for 30 metres or more. Finding a way around took a few attempts pushing through nettles and branches over uneven ground. Eventually I reconnected with the blue waymarks. 

All the climbing up mountains and over rocks made me excessively tired although I had only walked 15 kilometres. The timings on the fingerposts to reach places was optimistic for the pace I was able to maintain. I was very glad to reach my accommodation. It was the only place on booking.com in the area, a modern semi-detached house. 

After showering and completing my chores, I drapped my washing over the outside chairs and walked down to the Herl'any Geyser. Here water erupts on an irregular basis from a hole drilled in the 19th century. I waited a while before checking the village website, where I discovered that the next eruption was not expected until midday tomorrow. Still it was enjoyable sitting watching families enjoying the sunshine in the surrounding park, and observing visiting cyclists out for a Sunday ride.

I have been trying to convince myself that I can walk along the E3 to the town of Prešov in two days, in theory 24 kilometres each day, with a few mountains to conquer. However as I have not yet booked accommodation there, which implies a lack of confidence.

E3: Woods after Jezero Izra to Dargovský Priesmyk: Day 107

In addition to passing through a landscape of trees I visited Slanec and its castle.

Walking was painful when I started out today, the right side of my back did not want my right leg to move. I told myself that the agony would subside as I continued to walk, and so it proved. Then my left knee became painful, so around lunchtime I put on my knee support but it was of limited benefit. 

Slanec was further from where I camped than I expected, taking me over two hours to reach the road leading into it. The E3 does not go through the village, diverting to the north of it. However my plan was to visit the village centre for some supplies and refreshments and rejoin the E3 by the castle ruins which stand over the town. 

With such thoughts I entered Slanec, picking up more water from the shop. Sadly the cukráreň was closed, despite it being advertised as open, so I missed my hoped for coffee and cake. Then I climbed up to Slanec castle.

The castle dated from the 13th century and was built on a steep sided hill. Despite its defensive position it fell and was abandoned in the 17th century, only a wall and a tower remain. Rusty scaffolding encased the section of wall.

Most of my walk today was on forestry roads, either gravel or tarmac. A few sections diverted onto paths. These were often overgrown with beech saplings and nettles, or blocked by fallen trees, so eventually I chose the tarmac if the opportunity allowed. Among the chatter of the bird song, I frequently heard cuckoos  calling. At one point I disturbed a deer which ran off. Being Saturday there were many cyclists out for a ride, free wheeling down the hills, and a few people out for a walk. A serious group carrying rucksacks passed me going in the opposite direction but did not stop to say "hello" or Ahoy.

I have passed a few signs saying Ťažba Dreva, which Google Translate told me meant "Wood felling". The rest of the sign I examined today with Google said entry was prohibited. At that point I had already passed through the area. No wood felling was a taking place, although there were stacks of logs and an old machine used to drag tree trunks down to the road.

There are not as many flowers on the wayside as I might have expected, although there were areas of white flowers which my App identified as coralroot bittercress. I have passed occasional crucifixes, often mass produced affairs. One today had a candle in a red glass candle holder. I was surprised it had been lit in a fairly remote location. 

Later in my trip I planed to collect water from springs. I had waymarked their locations on my gps and checked the ones on my route today. Sadly at the first, close to Slanec, only an occasional drip came from the pipe which collected the spring water. Later in the day I stopped at a second spring which was also failing to deliver any water. This had implications, if I could not obtain water from springs later in my trip, lengthy diversions to villages lower down the wooded mountains would be necessary. 

Tonight I am again wild camping but I have not reached the area I had planned to stop. I was too ambitious in my planning, underestimating the mileage. My various failings are also slowing me down. So tomorrow I have booked a house to stay in at a village I am passing.

E3: Aqua Maria Resort to woods after Jezero Izra: Day 106

A slow day along roads through villages and then into wooded hills.

My back was fortunately not as bad this morning as I feared, although I had difficulty getting my right leg into my trousers because of it. However, my left knee was painful and I had a headache. After completing my morning exercises and a couple of painkillers I felt considerably better. I stood on the terrace of the hotel waiting for breakfast to start at 7:30, where I admired the house martins swooping over the surroundings, periodically returning to their nests under the eaves. As soon as 7:30 arrived there was a rush for the buffet, blocking my access, but I was happy to wait, not wanting to push myself too much today.

Up until 1 pm I was principally walking on roads, mostly quiet ones among fields of rape and other crops. Four villages were on my route today. I stopped at the Coop supermarkets at the first two. At each one I bought a 500 ml can of non alcoholic Radler, the equivalent of shandy in Britain, less stickily sweet than alternative soft drinks. I made a point of drinking them as I thought my headache this morning might have been due to not drinking enough yesterday. The downside of this was while I was sheltering from a vicious hailstorm in a picnic area at Kazimir, the third village, I was desperate for a wee. The picnic area was beside the ruin of a castle. Only one wall remained of the building which was on top of a mound. There were two heavy showers today, interspersed with cloudy skies and periods of sunshine.

A little before the final village of Byšta I unexpectedly came across a restaurant which claimed to be open. On entering there were a few people around, two of which were engaged in fitting a new green baize to the snooker table, another two were busy preparing a hamper of some kind. Nobody was eating and I felt rather self conscious, however on asking I was told they were doing a limited food offering and I ordered a kebab (it was that or a pizza). This came with chips and salad, a larger meal than I was anticipating, however I am wild camping tonight so it will save dipping into my food supplies too much.

After Byšta my route took me into wooded hills, many oak and beech. There were many uphill and downhill sections as I crossed small valleys along the side of a ridge. I was serenaded by numerous birds, mostly unseen and saw a few fire salamanders.

Around 4 pm I reached a lake in the hills, surronded by trees, called Jezero Izra. A pretty spot with a few people enjoying its peace, and I sat a while looking at the reflections. Sadly the café that once existed was now a dilapidated building, the roof caved in and partly burnt.

After the lake the trail became difficult. Trees spread across it, some had been cut down, others had just fallen bringing others down with them. Climbing over or around the trees caused me considerable delay.

At around 6 pm I decided it was time to find a spot to camp. Being on the side of a ridge flat spots were difficult to find and there were faded "no camping" signs. I picked a spot away from the main track on a patch of ground only slightly sloping. The pegs did not hold too well in last year's beech leaves however there is little wind to disturb them so I am hoping for a quiet night.

E3: Slovenské Nové Mesto to Aqua Maria Resort: Day 105

A painful start to a varied day which included catching the train from Košice to Slovenské Nové Mesto and then walking to the Aqua Maria Resort.

My back ache seemed worse this morning and my exercises failed to free it up. The walk to the railway station was a little painful. At the station, by the time I had worked out which train to catch, buy a ticket and identify platform it ran from, the train had left. Not that I was too upset as it gave me time before the next train to visit a cukráreň for a latte and an excellent cake (a roulade filled with cream and berry compote). I was also able to visit the Catholic Cathedral. Sitting in a pew I prayed that things would go well at home and that my back would fix itself. Then I felt guilty for asking God for things for myself, is that sinful? The thought was prompted by the line of people queuing by the confession box. Tourists wandered around taking photos of the gilded altars while local people bowed and muttered prays.

The train was a local one stopping at every station. Passing Slanec I glimpsed the castle ruins I would walk by in a few days time. Stepping down from the train onto the low, apology for a platform at Nové Mesto was especially difficult as my back problems restricted my leg movements. An elderly lady descending from the carraige in front of mine was having a similar issue.

Nové Mesto is just over the border from the larger Hungarian town of Sátoraljaújhely. In 1918 the old Austro-Hungarian Empire was divided up and the boundary of the new country, Czechoslovakia, cut the railway station off from the town it served.

Limping out of Nové Mesto I followed quiet, single lane roads around fields of yellow rape and wheat. The roads were remarkably straight before making right angles turns. As my route gained a little height I passed lines of vines stretching up the hillside, part of the Slovak Tokaj wine region. I lunched beside the vines on a burek bought in Košice, a spiral of greasy pastry stuffed with, in my case, cheese. Nightingales sang loudly from roadside trees.

Two villages followed, Malá Tŕňa and Vel'ká Tŕňa (little and big Tŕňa) with detached, largely single storey houses, many with barking dogs. At the first village there were tree branches decorated with streamers attached to gate posts. Apparently they are the local version of the maypole, called máj in Slovakia. They celebrate the arrival of spring, youth and love.

I overtook an elderly man who said something I could not understand but may have been advising that I could catch a bus. I mimed walking movements with my hands. After the second village I left the road and followed a track over wooded hills. Many birds serenaded me, too many different types for my App to identify.

After rising up and down the track deposited me by the Aqua Maria Resort and my bed for the night. Dinner was stewed beef wrapped in a pancake with which I ordered a side order of grilled vegetables to get my five a day.

E3: Luton Airport to Košice: Day 104

A day of travelling, returning to the Slovak city of Košice.

As I woke up in a budget hotels at Luton Airport my body raised objections to crossing the room, much less my planned weeks of walking. Persistent pain in my lower right back had been hovering around for the last two weeks; my arthritic left knee was no better than usual, and I was a few kilograms above my normal weight and feeling fat. I had not spoken of my ailments with my wife or anyone else for fear they might try and persuade me to delay my long planned trip. Instead I convinced myself that it would all sort itself out after a few weeks of hiking, certainly, sitting on trains and buses yesterday did not help. If I sucked my tummy in I still looked OK in the bedroom mirror with a slight sign of muscles below my ribs, although maybe a four pack instead of a full six pack.

My mood was further dulled as my expectations of this trip were lower than on previous treks. Based on various blogs and vlogs I expected much walking through woodland, rain trickling down my neck, and poor visibility obscuring any distant vistas. However, as I walked unevenly down to breakfast with my stiff and painful back, I mused that things often turn out differently to what you expect. As it was part of the E3, and my trek from the Black Sea to the Atlantic I was committed to walking it.

Luton Airport was much the same except for visibly armed police wandering around, stubby, semi automatic rifles at the ready, maybe because of the recently increased level of terrorist threat. A police dog handler led a small spaniel around who vigorously wagged its tail as it sniffed people's bags.

Once in departures I chose a latte from at a self service screen at a café, an extensive range of strange and unusual drinks were listed such as blueberry matcha and turmeric chai latte. Mine just had coffee and (cows') milk.

A few hours later, after flying over miles of brilliant white cloud, I descended towards Košice airport. Once below the clouds I looked down on ridges and valleys of intelocking spurs clothed with trees. I had read that forests cover 44% of Slovakia and suspected I would pass quite a few trees on my route. Košice came in sight, seemly a mass of apartment blocks, stood up like cream dominos across the city. However I knew from my previous visit that it had an attractive old centre.

On landing I was introduced to the EES, the system that will record when I enter and leave the Schengen area. This involved being photographed and having the finger prints of my right hand taken.

With the help of Google Translate I managed to acquire a bus ticket from the machine in front of the airport, before boarding the number 23 bus which conveniently arrived a few minutes later. I copied the other passengers validating their tickets at the device by the bus's door, then we were off into town.

My hotel looked dusty on the outside but was clean on the inside with a friendly, English speaking receptionist. After settling in I visited a supermarket in the Avpark mall to get supplies and then went to a restaurant recommended by the receptionist. Portions could have been bigger, I should have ordered the soup as well as the main course of pig's cheeks and mashed potatoes but it did leave room for dessert (crêpe with strawberries,  mascapone, almonds and cream). 

The central, old part of Košice is lovely. I would have looked inside the cathedral  but a couple of men hanging around outside made me suspicious so I merely enjoyed the intricate masonary and coloured roof tiles on the outside. The fountains I had seen last time were dancing to a popular song. For a while I sat and watched the pulsating drops of water, coloured red and orange by the lighting before heading back to my bed.