(source: Košice Region Tourism)
The easternmost hoľa (the grassy area of the hills above the tree cover) in Slovakia – Kojšovská hoľa along with the border village of Jablonov nad Turňou – are adapting to current trends. Especially cycling. Thanks to the Terra Incognita regional subsidy scheme, cyclists will find a new facility with chargers, service and even a bike rental at both of these locations. The region supported two projects with a similar cycling purpose in the amount of €27,380.
Let this guide be your key to the most ravishingly beautiful secrets of the Košice Region (www.spectacularslovakia.sk) (source: Spectacular Slovakia)
The resulting product will make a visit to these sought-after places even more attractive, as it will add a practical dimension to the wonderful views of the surrounding nature and create additional strategic points to literally "recharge your batteries", Košice Region Tourism announces.
Kojšovská hoľa is one of the most popular places in the Košice region. It is visited by hikers who have decided to conquer the SNP route (which stretches along all Slovakia), as well as families with children.
We can find a similar place in the Gemer region. The surroundings of the Granárium guesthouse in Jablonov nad Turňou also offer an adventure of undulating terrain, caves, castles and gorges.
"So I'm glad that both cycling infrastructure projects passed the evaluation and were implemented,” said Rastislav Trnka, chief of the Košice self-governing region.
At both locations along the new east side, visitors from the surrounding area will find a multifunctional charging stand for various types of e-bikes, such as Bafang, Yamaha, Shimano or Specialized, which has already been installed on Kojšovka and served e-bikers for free over the summer. There is a container with a modern solar charging station for e-bikes on the grounds of the Granárium guesthouse, and from next year it will also serve as a bicycle rental and a lockable garage for staying guests.
“I'm glad that cycling is appealing to more and more people literally hungry to discover the treasures of our region from the seat of a bicycle. So the region is trying to do its best in building a modern cycling infrastructure," adds Trnka.
Batteries can be charged on the main ridge of Volovské Mountains
Kojšovská hoľa is one of the highest points belonging to the main ridge of the Volovské vrchy Mountains, a popular destination for residents of Košice, Gelnica and Medzev. Thanks to the considerable elevation, bikers from all over the region come here to test their fitness, including those with e-bikes. Thanks to electric bicycles this ridge has become more visited, so the construction of a stand allowing you to charge your bike comfortably for free, or inflate your tires, is more than welcome.
"I have to say that in the destinations of the Košice region, we are keenly aware of the needs of the cycling community, constantly growing thanks to the arrival of electric bicycles,” Lenka Jurková Vargová, director of the Košice Region Tourism Organisation, highlights the advantages of the location.
These opened up new possibilities even for the less skilled and enabled them to reach less accessible locations.
“However, I want to point out that charging stands are not only for cyclists. Every tourist, cross-country skier, ski alpinist or dog trekker can use the sockets on the bike stand to charge their phone, tablet or laptop for free,” Jurková Vargová added. “While waiting for the batteries to charge, visitors can take a walk to the weather station at the top of Kojšovka, or to the nearby photo point with a view of our mountains.”
Cyclists also welcomed in Slovak Karst
Jablonov nad Turňou is a border village that attracts visitors with its exceptional site of a renovated medieval granary, where tourists can stay, eat and recharge their batteries. A solar charger for eBike has been added to the premises of the Granárium guesthouse, along with a container-designed workshop with tools and a bicycle garage. In the future, the creators of the project are also planning a bicycle rental and the further expansion of services for athletes.
"In the village of Jablonov nad Turňou itself, there are considerable height differences, and guests often come to us on bicycles that they want to recharge or at least safely store before a hike,” explains project creator Silvia Pápaiová. “That's why the idea arose to build a place on the grounds of the boarding house, which would satisfy the needs of both the guests staying there and the public, who would only come to us for a coffee and something good to eat. In the future, we also want to differentiate ourselves a little and rent out bicycles to people who visit us, so that they can visit all the gems of this location. Slovak and Hungarian caves, Zádielska Tiesňava, Hájske Falls, Hrhovské Falls, Silická Planina and Lake Úhorná are nearby.”
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