With our Danube Mark 2 cycling tour over and Budapest well-exlored, it was time to move on. Our idea was to head to the High Tatras, which form the western end of the Carpathian Mountain Range in northern Slovakia, and do some walking. The fair Nello's knees have started to grind down and she can no longer carry a heavy backpack for long-distances, so our walking modus operandi is changing. For this trip, we would base ourselves in a pleasant Penzion in the little mountain resort town of Tatranska Lomnica and use it as a base for a series of day-walks.

Thus, we hired ourselves a car in downtown Pest and left the busy Hungarian capital under the guidance of our trusty car GPS that we had brought with us. We trusted it implicitly, to the extent that I didn't even check out a route before following the directions of our even-tempered cyberguide. She did an excellent job, navigating us through the passing thunderstorms, highways and back country roads of Hungary and Slovakia. However, listening to an Australian-accented robovoice pronouncing Hungarian road and town names can be very amusing.

A first view of the Tatra Mountains

Our arrival in the Tatras was a bit of a surprise. After an hour or so of climbing over steep little passes and following winding roads through the foothills, I got the impression that the mountains just got continually large and more rugged. It was a shock then to arrive at a broad flat plain, but one in which the northern horizon was dominated by the cloud-covered peaks of the Tatras, rising abruptly from the flatlands. With the suns rays beaming through some holes in the cloud, it was a spectacular entry.

It must be said that the weather was consuming our thoughts a little - with the promise of heavy rain and storms later in the week. Lets hope that we have enough fine days to get into the heart of the magnificent Tatra Mountains.

From our bedroom window we could see the dark Lomnicki Massif, its several peaks ominously capped by dense cloud. Still today, only a few showers were forecast, so the fair Nello and I decided we would head high for the views of the High Tatras. Our target was Velka Svistovksa, a smaller peak on the eastern spur of Lomnicki.

The front slopes, that lead up to Lomnicki's sheer rock face, are part of a ski field - no point wasting time and energy on a climb up these ski slopes, we caught the cable car. It was while purchasing tickets that I realised we would not be alone, as I joined the end of a queue of hikers waiting to head up. Hiking is a popular sport in the Tatras and on a school holiday weekend, there were lots of people planning to walk this popular route.

Thus, the first 800 m of ascent were over in 15 minutes, as we emerged from the cable car to face the dark rock wall of Lomnicki, its peaks disappearing into the cloud. A little below us lay the small glacial lake, Skalnate Pleso. We descended to cross a bridge over its outlet, water tumbling down towards the broad valley below.

Once on the other side, the route was directly up through scatterings of bluebells, a good way to warm up in the cold mountain air, before turning to cross the steep-sided slope of granite boulder scree. There were spectacular views out over the valley as sunlight and cloud alternated above. Turning a corner, we were greeted with the sight of a long line of walkers zig-zagging their way up the boulder field to Velka Svistovka. We were also greeted with gusts of icy wind breaking through the high pass.

The climb was a steady one and, by the time we reached the rocky peak, a broad vista of mountain and plain had opened out on all sides. The west was dominated by the dark peaks of Kesmarsky and Huncovsky Stit, while way below to the north, sun glinted off the green waters of Zelene Pleso, high in the neighbouring valley surrounded by a magnificent cirque of peaks. The mountain chalet on its edge was our destination.

We put on our goretexes before starting out as the icy wind blowing across the ridge was starting to chill. The slope on the northern flank was even steeper and the rocky path quickly zig-zagged its way down. Not long into the descent, the first short sharp shower fell - dark clouds spilled over from the mountains, dropped their load and soon the sun followed. The path now passed through a region of stunted pines to reach the one serious obstacle of the descent, a narrow defile down which a small mountain stream was tumbling. A set of chains made its tricky descent a lot easier, though the arrival of the second sharp shower was not particularly welcome.

Track below Kezmarsky Stit

Once below the defile, the slope began to flatten out, and patches of wildflowers began to light up the path. Once again the sun was out and, as we emerged from the scrubby pine to reach Zelene Pleso, its green waters were sparkling.

The green waters of Zelene Pleso, backed by Jastrabia Veža and Kozi Stit

What a lovely setting, surrounded by towering dark peaks. The chalet on the lake provides hot meals and drinks and it was time for a late lunch - unfortunately, half of Slovakia seemed to have the same idea and the bustling crowds were a bit of a downer to the Tatra experience so far.

Zeleny Potok (stream)

In the High Tatra conifer forest

When we finally managed to get served and eat our lunch, it was time for the long walk down the valley of Dolina Bielej Vody - a descent of over 600m in 8km, that followed the tumbling waters flowing out of Zelene Pleso and down the valley. The track was wide and the slope gentle, but for the most part it consisted of loose uneven rocks - very tiring for the feet.

As we descended, the vegetation changed, passing through pines into tall spruce forest before eventually flattening out. It was here that the last and heaviest downpour hit us. Luckily, the road surface was now more even and we quickly pulled out our umbrellas - no point getting wet with only a kilometre or two to go.

On reaching route's end at the main road, we checked to discover that the next bus was 40 minutes away - with the possibility of more rain, it didn't seem too extravagant to grab one of the taxis waiting for tired hikers and head back to the warmth of our penzion. Thus ended our first hike in the High Tatra Mountains - the instant takeaways were magnificent scenery, uneven feet-tiring rocky tracks, crowds of people and rapidly-changing weather. Let's see if tomorrow confirms these impressions.

Looking out the window, Lomnicki was sporting only a token cap of cloud and the weather forecast was for only a chance of a shower. We decided to do one of the longer day-walks, a trip that incorporated visits to three of the Tatra Mountains most beautiful lakes. For that, we needed to drive to Štrbské Pleso, some 20 km to the east. At 1395m, it is also Slovakia's highest town.

We parked in the centrum car park, to buy a few muesli bars, jelly babies, rolls for lunch etc for the walk, and from the speed at which it was filling up decided that parking places were at a premium and this would be the start of our walk. Our first impression of crowds of people was confirmed. In holiday season, the mountain villages of the Tatras are like ant nests, with columns of walkers pouring out in different directions - we joined one column heading north past Štrbské Pleso, the first and largest of the lakes. While we prefer walking in solitude, the fair Nello and I were impressed by the fact that so many people of all ages enjoy walking here - families with babies in backpacks and in utero, muscly legged 3- and 4-years olds skipping along, athletic teens and young adults, a few old fogies like us and even some dogs - so different from home.

The climb soon levelled out to a traverse of the steep, forested slope. Gaps opened up at times to reveal the plains below and the sheer rock face of Ostrva Peak ahead, as we crossed the occasional boulder scree and babbling stream.

Eventually, we reached a junction with a sealed road and followed it quickly down to the shores of Popradske Pleso, a beautiful glacial lake at the base of the 450m high Ostrva rockface. It was the perfect spot for lunch, and with most of the crowd eating at the lakeside chalet, we enjoyed our packed lunch on an outdoor seat. However, it was decision time - the fair Nello's dodgy knees had not liked the steep, uneven descent of yesterday and were complaining already. She decided to stay at the lake and enjoy its magnificent surrounds, while I made a dash for Veľké Hincovo Pleso, the top lake, 4km further and 500m higher up the valley of Mengusovska Dolina. Our third impression was confirmed - The High Tatras truly have superb mountain scenery.

Back on the rocky foot track (oops! I promised not to mention that any more), I headed quickly up the valley beneath the shade of the tall spruce trees. Suddenly, these gave way to low and scrubby pines and views opened out of the route ahead - it was a steep wall, with a track zig-zagging its way upwards.

Passing the track junction to Ryzvy, the highest peak in Poland (yes, we are very close to the Polish-Slovakian border) and crossing a babbling stream beneath a small waterfall, the steep climb began. The advice of a long-ago Nepalese guide came back - "bistari, bistari" (slowly, slowly), so I steadily headed upwards, stopping only to take in the magnificent views down the peak-lined valley.

At a bit over 2000m the track levelled out - I had reached the terrace that held Veľké Hincovo pleso. Passing a couple of smaller tarns in this magnificent cirque of sheer-walled peaks, I crossed its barren floor to reach the lake shore. High above, the ridge line marked the Polish border. I scanned its horizon to see whether some Polish chamois might be watching, but no.

Then it was time to descend again - part way down, I stopped to take off my sweatshirt and, attracted by a slight movement, looked up. A hundred metres above, I was being watched by a couple of Slovakian chamois. It was a highlight, as the High Tatras are one of the last hold-outs of this endangered species. To add to the faunal delights, a lone marmot whistled its warning from the far slope.

That aside, I noticed one curious thing - the absence of humanity. It was late and no more people were coming up and, for a while, I was on my own going down - the serenity of the mountains embraced. Then, it was rapidly down the path to catch up with the fair Nello at Popradske Lake, compare notes of her exploration of the lake and its memorial cemetery to all the climbers lost in the Tatras, and head for home.

To avoid a complete retracing of steps, we opted to follow the quiet, sealed service road down the valley - softer on the foot and, at times, lined with wildflowers, it gave us a bit of variation before returning us to the centrum car park and a drive back to "home" at Tatranska Lomnicki As we left the car park, the first of the days showers arrived.

It had been another great, if tiring, day in the mountains and I suspect we were going to sleep very well.

With the weather forecast not looking good (rain and thunderstorms developing), it seemed a good day to take a rest. So what do you do when not walking in the High Tatras. Well, after catching up with a bit of correspondence, we walked down to the station and caught the local train from Tatransky Lomnicky back to Štrbské Pleso village.

Here we had time for a stroll around this clear glacial lake and a bite of lunch on its shoreline. Feeling in need of an upper body workout, we rented a row boat and had a leisurely row on Štrbské Pleso as the sky above gradually darkened. The sound of distant thunder decided for us when to head back to shore, and, by the time the rain began to bucket down, we were happily esconced under the shelter of a cafe awning, sipping mugs of rich hot chocolate.

It was a good way to get our energy back and it was certainly not a day to be out on an exposed slope in the mountains.