Road Route, Stage 7: Travel Guide Detva - Heľpa

It will be a hard, but scenic stage today. You are approaching deep forests and higher mountains of central Slovakia. 

From Detva, climb up to the picturesque rural areas of Podpoľanie region with dispersed settlements, farms and traditional terrace fields. Hriňová is the last town before a long ascent to highland villages and plateau of Poľana mountain. 

There is a grocery store in Lom nad Rimavicou, a village with the highest elevation in Slovakia (1000 metres above sea level). After passing other villages of Sihla and Drábsko and a mountain plateau, a long descent to Čierny Balog awaits you.

Before Čierny Balog, make a stop at the open-air forestry museum Vydrovo and if you have some energy left, take a walk on educational trail there. Čierny Balog is well known for its narrow gauge  railway, slow and steamy but popular especially for families with kids.

One more hill to pass and you are in Brezno, a local centre with a picturesque square, museum in a bell tower and cafés. From Brezno, consider taking a 15: 08 train to Heľpa arriving at 15:43. There is no problem to take a bicycle to the train, you just need to buy the ticket for bicycle for 1,50€. The only other train leaves at 19:08.

Road from Brezno to Heľpa can be busier with traffic, despite not crazy. It passes several villages and follows the Hron valley. But with taking a train, you would save some 26 kilometres, which may be handy after ascents of today and before ascents of tomorrow. 🙂