Castle ruins and mountain tops – the Somogy hill country from far away and noticeably close – green A/D, orange A

1. Route description, explanation of signs
A relatively long tour in the southern area of Lake Balaton with plenty of elevation gain, running for a large portion on unpaved roads and therefore not recommended in rainy weather.
The tour is suitable for experienced cyclists, especially for mountain bikers.
The dashed line on the map indicates an unpaved path.

2. Difficulty factors in the tour
Between the fishing lake in Sérsekszőlős and Pusztaszemes, some sections of the unpaved road are lined with wheel ruts that are covered by vegetation in several parts so please ride carefully.
When cycling from Pusztaszemes in the direction of Kőröshegy, you should ride downhill on the concrete road with caution as there are several potholes.
The forest road above Kőröshegy becomes very slippery after rain.
At Balatonföldvár you have to take main road 7 for a short stretch and then turn off the road again, please ride very carefully in this section. The route crosses the main public road 7 at Balatonszéplak, you should walk your bike over the pedestrian crossing.
The dirt road between Alirét and the Cinege rest area is loamy and very slippery for a short time after a rain.
Drinking water sources are limited on the tour so make sure you head out carrying full water bottles.

3. Ambience
There are many perspectives and details to discover as you link the most beautiful points of the Somogy hills with this about 60 kilometres long route. As you cycle through the hilly landscape, you can not only accumulate kilometres, but also collect a lot of sights: the villas from the 1800s in Balatonföldvár - a town that was built on the site of a former Celtic hillfort, the viaduct of Kőröshegy, the view from the hill Almán-tető, the ruins of the Fehérkő castle, the castle hill of the Böre castle, the hill Jódi-hegy and the fish ponds in Töreki will certainly make the tour a memorable experience. During the tour and on the map you will find many former fortresses as well as place names that include a name of a once existing castle. No coincidence: there used to be a fortress on almost every hilltop in Somogy, because the hills provided optimal protection and a wide view. These days it is also worth climbing some of these hills, now more to enjoy the landscape than watch the enemy. This round trip will not disappoint even the most experienced cyclists, as the route is also diverse in another sense: you can discover forest paths, cycle on agricultural sand roads, ride on cycle paths or low-traffic country roads. It is worth preparing yourself for the prospect that there will be fewer restaurants after the route leaves Lake Balaton, which can also be positive: with a little foresight you can plan a picnic in one of the many wonderful spots of the Somogy hills.

Municipalities on the route: Balatonföldvár, Kőröshegy, Pusztaszemes, Amáliapuszta, Sérsekszőlős, Ecseny, Töreki, Balatonszéplak, Zamárdi, Szántód, Szántodpuszta