Warning - Felso-Borovnyak (Hungary) BIG 854 is a joke

Please be aware that this climb is set on an off-road in the woods for last few km. The map showing the road to this big is completely wrong. I spent all the day looking for it and didn't find it. Here is the description of two legs of this climb so others are warned.

I went from Eger to Silvasvarad. After the town you have to turn right to a parking lot next narrow rail. At he end of the parking lot you turn to a a narrow tarmac road going along the Szalajka spring. You have to turn left after 800 metres to another narrow tarmac road and here is where the climb really starts. It is really nice road in the woods with quite good surface up to some point arounf 6th kilometer. You will then have some small descent over some very shitty surface and then climb to a crossroad with a small cottage house on the right with a sign saying Csurgoi Erdeszhaz and pinting left. At this point you have to options: to turn left and go few hundred meters on tarmac and then push or carry you bike in the woods in the mud to a place called Bankut or go straight ahead few hundred meters and reach the height of 879 meters which is the highest point on this road. If you go straight ahead you will soon have very nice descent to a town called Repashuta.

If you decide to go to Bankut then you will have to search for Felso Borovnyak somewhere in the woods. I did around 7km in the mud carrying my bike and all in all ended up in Bankut where is a small restaurant where you can at least eat something. From there you will have few kilometres of horrible descent over reminscent of a tarmac to a crossing where you have to turn left to a town called Malyinka. Half of the descent from there will be nice, half over very bad surface. This is a North leg of the climb.

A word to our Hungarian friends: please respect athe climbers and their precious time as you would expect they will do the same to you. DON'T SET UP IDIOTIC CLIMBS WHERE THERE ARE NO PAVED ROADS. Challenge BIG is about road climbing and road cycling is over paved roads. Simple rule: no pave - no climb. If you want to set up mountain bike off road climbs move to another web site. If you do the map of the climb please do it correctly so others can use it. I will post Bike Route Toaster profile of proper roads later on.

Dear jajacek,

I'm so sorry that you had a wrong story with Felső-Borovnyák climb!
Please let me I add some comments.

1. The BIG rule isn't call "only for roadbikes". Quote from the BIG rules
Point 3.3
5th principle : the bigs must be mainly surfaced roads, giving some place to gravelled roads only when they give obviously an additional interest.

This BIG is same.

I was many BIGs which have a gravel or paved road. For example: Monte Paularo, Hochwurzen, Nebelhorn...were fantastic.

2. The roads - when I choose to the list - were better. When buildet the NATO locator stage, many heavy trucks went on the road up and down. The roads were damage.

3. Anybody call me for the instructoins for this BIG I can help.

Conclusions - I think this BIG hasn't got a perfect asphalt but be match in the superlist. Over than 40 top around after 900 m height, highest ragstone terrace in Europe, beatiful landscape, low traffic...

 IS'NT A JOKE, SO NICE!!!

I like it and I have ironing in this year.

I wish you great emotions for your following BIGs!

Regards, Gabor Kreicsi

Dear Gabor,

Thanks for answering. I might be wrong but I always thought BIG is about road bikes. I was on Tatras meeting last year and I don't remember anyone not on the road bike.

I did Dobogoko, Kekesteto and Galyateto and they are fine and accessible by a road bike. Felso Borovnyak is not and you must agree that BIG member shouldn't have to ask for directions from country manager but should instead use a map that is correctly prepared and this one is simply wrong. There isn't even a sign pointing to Felso Borovnyak neither from Silvasvarad side nor from Bankut side. We asked in the restaurant in Bankut and nobody was able to help.

Anyway I had good time in Hungary and I will surely come back. I wish you had more good road climbs in Bukk and Matra Mountains. We were passing Aggtelek area with a car and it seems like a great area for cycling.

Dear jajacek!

No problem!

I think the BIGs - which have gravel roads - are must place in the superliste1000.
Like latest Review picture...
http://bigascensions.free.fr/cover.jpg

Many people don't know the precisely names.  In this situation most people know only Bánkút. When I was on the Giant-mountains I searched Vrbatova Bouda. It was a fog and I coud see only 50 meters far. Nobody was know, they said only the top of the name "Kotel". I was only 300 meters far. 
Maybe is light for me becouse I know it, but I think the map is OK.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3566/3352473524_43e218e879_o.jpg

Thank you very much for your good words! We are wating for you in Hungary!
Maybe for the National challenge.
http://www.blszsz.hu/shke/uj1/admin/images/letoltesek/images/hungarian_list.pdf

Best regards,
Gabor Kreicsi

Regarding Vrbatova Bouda it must be in fog all the time
I was there in September and it was terribly foggy though I had no problem finding it.

Two pictures about our climbing to the Vrbatova Bouda in 2009.

Where is the top?
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2183/2118060420_792b1f15ba_o.jpg

Catch it!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2017/2118062380_73668e6bc9_o.jpg