Hungary – Kékes (1,014 m)
🕒 Summit at 13:42
📍 Coordinates: 47.872° N, 20.008° E
🗺️ Route: Mátrafüred – Blue Trail – Kékes Summit – Return
🚗 Transport to region: 230 km total
• 99 km drive Glavaš → Split Airport
• 24 km bus Split Airport → Split Bus Station
• 19 km overnight bus Split → Budapest
• 88 km drive Budapest → Mátrafüred (trailhead)
💤 Accommodation: Overnight on the bus from Split to Budapest
🌤️ Conditions: Hot, sunny, calm — perfect forest weather
🚍 Crossing borders overnight
After finishing Dinara in Croatia, I drove back to Split Airport, returned the car, and took a short bus to the city’s main station. That night, I boarded a FlixBus bound for Budapest, another overnight journey through the Balkans, the rhythm of travel that had become second nature by now.
Arriving early in the morning, I was met by my Hungarian friend, Farkas, who kindly offered to join me for the climb. It felt good to have company again after so many solitary summits.
🥾 Forest trails and good pace
We began hiking at 11:54 from Mátrafüred, following the Blue Trail through the shady forests of the Mátra Mountains. The day was hot but pleasant, with sunlight breaking through tall beech trees and a gentle breeze keeping the pace comfortable.
It was one of those rare, easygoing climbs, no rushing, no altitude stress, just conversation, laughter, and steady movement. We reached the Kékes summit at 13:42, marked by the large TV tower and viewpoint area. The air was still, the view wide and green, stretching far across northern Hungary.
🍖 The reward
After a short rest and photos on the top, we descended slowly, reaching the car at 16:53. Instead of heading straight back, we stopped at a local Hungarian restaurant, where we shared an incredible meat board, traditional, rich, and full of flavour.
After weeks of airports, gas-station food, and mountain snacks, that meal felt like pure luxury. Sitting outside in the afternoon sun, talking with Farkas over cold drinks, was a reminder of what makes this journey human: friendship, small moments, and gratitude.
💭 Reflection
Kékes wasn’t about challenge or endurance. It was about connection, a pause in the storm of travel to share a good hike, good food, and a sense of normality before diving back into the long road north.
📅 Date: 27 August 2025
