Karancs mountain retreat

A cosy retreat in the Northern Mountains of Hungary, equipped with all modern conveniences, plus an open-air heated swimming pool and sauna. The house stands in the middle of a huge plot with lots of facilities, trampoline, sandpit, swings, fireplace, big covered terrace etc. surrounded by woods and a little creek in front, within walking distance to two historical fortresses, Salgo and Somosko. It's a fully separate apartment on the first floor of my house. I live on the ground floor, but I don't use the garden, the pool, the sauna and other facilities in the garden if there are guests in the house. The garden is so huge that you can choose which gate you prefer to enter from the street. There is a covered car parking space for the quests. You can access the apartment via a staircase from outside from the back of the garden. We have just built a nice little heated pool with upstream swimming option in the garden, complete with a sauna house, both of which you can freely use as our guest. (the pool is open roughly from May to September, but you can use the sauna at any season). The house is perfectly equipped with all modern conveniences, yet it's built a few steps outside the village, sits in the middle of a huge plot with fruit trees and pines and is surrounded by woods on all sides and a little creek and a small freshwater spring across the road. The views from the upper floor apartment are stunning, looking over lush hillsides and the tallest mountain in the region, Mount Karancs. The 60 square meters apartment has wooden floor and its very own fireplace. In the winter two additional heating panels and an aircon add to the warm and cosy atmosphere. In the summer, the airconditioner helps to moderate the temperature. The main room/living room has a double pull out sofa and the other bedroom also has a double pull out sofa plus matresses that can be doubled up, used as single ones, or arranged in any way to suit your needs. To add to the cosy feeling, there are home woven textiles and rugs on the floor and a huge bookshelf with Hungarian and international classics and other books, some dating back to the 1960s. Within walking distance (3-4km) there are two ancient castle ruins: the ruins of Salgo on the Hungarian side and the ruins of Somosko on the Slovakian side (can be visited with a passport or ID card). There are hundreds of kilometers of running, cycling and cross country skiing trails in the countryside and you can literally start on the doorstep. We're happy to give you mountain bikes free of charge for your adventures. If you're less keen on leaving the house or the garden, there's a very strong broadband and wifi connection (covering the garden area as well.) We have a fireplace where you can barbecue or just make a fire and sit around in the evenings. We have a big pavilion in the garden, where you can make grill dishes and eat and relax even in bad weather. If you're coming with kids, they can play soccer in the huge garden, use the trampoline, the sandpit, the slide, climb trees or use one of our 5 swings!!! hanging from the walnut and cherry trees:) Guest have full and free access to the garden, pool and sauna and barbecue pit which they don't have to share with anybody. There is a covered car parking space for the quests inside the plot. We also provide 3 mountain bikes (2 with child seats) free of charge if you need them. I'm fully available to answer questions by phone or email or in person during your stay but you will have your privacy of course. It is a remote and magical hidden corner of Northern Hungary. I have spent my whole life here and would not live anywhere else: the forests are green and unspoilt, the air is fresh, there are many cool fresh water springs, castle ruins, the forests are full of mushrooms and berries in summer and autumn, the seasons bring in beautiful colours and there are hundreds of hiking, biking and cross country skiing trails. Driving your own car is perhaps the easiest way to get around especially if you are planning daytrips to locations a bit further (it is a very good base from which to explore famous destinations in Hungary and Slovakia. But that said, if you are happy to explore nearby, you can have a wonderful and relaxing holiday simply hiking and biking everywhere, we have a dozen historical castles and ruins within walking and biking distance. We are happy to give you bycicles free of charge and also happy to pick you up from the station if you are coming by public transport. We don't have any pets but we welcome guests with small dogs (or orher pets negotiable) that are happy to sleep inside the apartment. We are happy to provide blankets if needed.