Читать книгу The Danube Cycleway Volume 2. From Budapest to the Black Sea онлайн

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The route follows part of EuroVelo route 6 (EV6), a trans-continental cycle route running from the Atlantic coast of France to the Black Sea. This is well waymarked in Hungary and Serbia, partly so in Croatia but unmarked in Romania. This guide breaks the route into 32 stages, averaging just under 54km per stage. In theory a fit cyclist covering 90km per day should be able to complete the trip in 19 days. However, this is difficult to achieve because of unequal distances between overnight accommodation, and so, unless you are camping, it is advisable to plan on taking between three and four weeks.

The main sights encountered en route include the great cities of Budapest and Belgrade and the rugged Iron Gates gorges where the Danube has forced its way through a gap between the Carpathian and Balkan mountain ranges. Although the river rushing through the gorge has been tamed by the construction of two huge dams, this is still an awe-inspiring place. The lake behind the dams has flooded Roman Emperor Trajan’s military road that followed the river and a new corniche road has been built which climbs above the gorge with spectacular views. The route ends in the Danube Delta, Europe’s largest area of natural wetland and home to an enormous variety of bird species. Although the cycleable route ends 73km short of the river mouth, it is possible (and recommended) to take a boat through the delta to the zero kilometre point where the Danube enters the Black Sea, a suitable place to conclude your adventure at the very end of Europe.