September 10th Stage 39 Szentendre to Budapest to Szentendre

September 10^th  Stage 39  Szentendre to Budapest to Szentendre   62 kms

We had decided to deal with Budapest as we had Vienna: camp a little outside the city limits, ride into the centre and back, and then drive round the city and do something similar from the other side. Although by the main road it is only 15 or so kilometres to the city, by the bicycle paths which first follow the shoreline of the river and then work a circuitous way through some housing development before eventually emerging on the grand quay almost opposite the Houses of Parliament, it is much further.

It was worth it though even if I did miss the way at two important moments because the other option of the main road is not nice. From the very attractive front at Szentendre there is a good cycle track, not always paved and quite rough in a couple of places, which serpentines round the inlets, runs straight along embankments, crosses small bridges and goes for some time through delightful woodland. After the city limit is passed the contrast with the entrance into Vienna is stark. The concrete underpasses and overpasses of Vienna are replaced by a wide, shady gravel pathway flanked by cafes and small restaurants which, by the time I returned in the very early evening were thronged with people relaxing after work or jogging and cycling.

Things get more awkward as the centre approaches. I missed the official, well-marked city bicycle lane which weaves through a large housing estate of high rise apartments and had to risk the main road for a couple of kilometres before arriving on the wide but very busy quay leading to the Szechenyi Chain Bridge. Whilst there were one or two people on benches quietly enjoying the view across the river to Pest, or even reading, most seemed to be rushing around, many of them on bicycles. As the afternoon wore on the bicycles became more numerous and more hectic. I competed with them and rode along the entire quay to the Lagymanyos bridge which I crossed and descended  into the maelstrom of trams and traffic on the other side. I discovered a little later that a discreet, dusty short cut back under the bridge which amazingly is actually indicated in the other direction with the official Euro 6 signs, would have avoided this. However, I did at least succeed in finding the Kvassay ut which effectively is the way out of the city towards Csepel and the village of Lakihegy  which is where the motorway crosses the route and where I will start from tomorrow.

Having done what needed to be done I turned tail and thoroughly enjoyed battling the bikes and the traffic back to the riverside cafes and eventually the campsite in Szentendre.

62 kms  Total from Schaffhausen 1316 kms  Total from Galway 3226 kms