Tisza Lake loop: a true classic

Itinerary

• From the Harbor promenade, cycle up the dam beside the buffet row, then turn left – from here to Abádszalók you just need to keep cycling on the dam.
• At the border of Abádszalók, reaching the Abádi harbor, turn right along its fence and continue on the dam. You can cycle through the beach gate and also out the other side.
• After leaving the Abádszalók beach, the tour continues on the dam, then you have to cross the Kisköre dam, circle the road following the dam, then at the first intersection continue straight – Platan row leads to the dam.
• Up to Poroszló, the fences of several beach and harbor areas cross your path on the dam, but you can cycle through all of them.
• In Poroszló, upon reaching road 33, turn right onto the parallel bike path leading to Tiszafüred.
• Arriving at Tiszafüred, you can return to the starting point of the tour via the road parallel to the railway (Kistisza Street).

Detailed description of the tour

The tour around Tisza Lake starts from the lake's "capital", Tiszafüred – but from an accessibility point of view, Poroszló or Abádszalók is also a similarly good choice. Before departure at the Tisza riverside, you can refresh yourself at the buffet row, but in summer, on a good day, the sandy free beach is really inviting, as well as the water adventure park for children or the possibility to rent different water rides (pedal boats, SUP, kayaks). Here you can also find the Morotva Cyclist Rest Park connected to the EuroVelo 11 (Tisza route) bike path, which offers rest areas, places for cooking outdoors, and even sunbathing on a small peninsula. (EuroVelo 11 runs north-south from Norway's Nordkapp through Eastern Europe. Its endpoint is Athens, with the Hungarian section running from Hollóháza to Szeged, passing Tokaj along the Tisza.) When cycling with children, it is worth visiting the Adventure Island experience park, where adventurers can observe the wildlife of Tisza Lake walking across planks, alongside an adventure course, climbing wall, and archery.

You can get to know the diverse aquatic wildlife during organized canoe tours or by walking on nature trails (e.g. Pákász Nature Trail, Tiszavirág Floodplain Walk). The artificial lake created with the commissioning of the Kisköre water lock in 1973 is home to about 200 bird species, 50 fish species, and more than 30 dragonfly species. Anglers enjoy species such as bream, carp, pike-perch, or catfish, while bird watchers can observe numerous heron species breeding here alongside migratory wild geese and ducks – according to experts, about 80-100,000 migratory birds stay simultaneously at the reservoir during spring migration.

Returning from the shore or water onto the bike path, you cycle from Tiszafüred through Kisköre all the way to Poroszló on the dam, usually on good quality pavement. Only with permission from the Middle Tisza Regional Water Directorate can vehicles access the dam, and unlike a few years ago, it seems they strictly select who receives authorization documents, as we only encountered a police car on the road up to Abádszalók.

Thus, the only natural factor which might make progress difficult is the wind, as there is absolutely no altitude difference. In summer, the sun and scorching heat can also take much of the biker's strength since you practically never ride in the shade on the route. Fortunately, in every decent small harbor, you can find refreshment in buffets operating under shade-giving trees – and smaller and larger harbors appear along the way every 5-10 kilometers.

Between Tiszafüred and Abádszalók, the water surface is rarely visible; vegetation covering about 55% of the reservoir dominates the shore, providing an excellent refuge for animals, but there are no beaches on this approximately 25-kilometer section. Similarly, the bike path does not enter settlements; all are located farther from the dam, with only occasional church towers visible in the distance.

At Abádszalók, reaching the fence of the Tisza Lake beach, don't be alarmed; cyclists approaching the dam can pass through a small gate allowing access. At the largest Tisza Lake beach, besides two water slides, you can try water skiing, jet skiing, and water bobbing, or rent pedal boats and kayaks. Those planning to circle the lake in two days should find accommodation here – partly because it's roughly halfway through the route, and partly due to the good range of services available in Abádszalók.

Heading towards Kisköre, here is where you leave the dam for the first time on the lake shore, going up to the Kisköre dam, but first it's worth checking out the fish ladder. This artificial stream about one and a half kilometers long ensures continuous ecological connection between Tisza Lake and the Tisza River, which can be sometimes 10 meters lower in water level. Next to the route, through a window in the shaft, anyone can observe the movement of fish. The hydropower plant itself can be visited by groups with prior registration (from June to August every Wednesday and Thursday at 10 o'clock without registration, individually as well). About 1.5 kilometers south from the dam is another traffic engineering curiosity: the joint rail-road bridge in Kisköre is the last of its kind in the country.

Leaving Kisköre over the Jászsági main canal, we return to the dam, and heading towards Poroszló on the opposite shore, we can see more of the lake, with less shoreline reed. However, you can still find smaller and larger harbors, and it is worth stopping for a swim at the Sarud beach just before the last ten kilometers.

In the last settlement on our route, Poroszló, the free beach and the Tisza Lake Ökocenter compete for the attention of cyclists. The latter presents the natural treasures of Tisza Lake and the Tisza Valley interactively and playfully, showcasing the river and its rich wildlife. Its main attraction is Europe's largest freshwater aquarium system, but you can also admire the flora and fauna live: the Ökocenter harbor is the starting point for demonstration water tours and small boat trips, and the Tisza Lake Water Walkway and Nature Trail also awaits visitors here.

Leaving the dam behind in Poroszló, cycle back to Tiszafüred on the bike path parallel to the 33 main road and over bike bridges. Before the last bridge, you can gather strength for the last few kilometers at the Fehér Amúr Fish Restaurant. Arriving in Tiszafüred, the first thing that catches the eye is the Tisza Lake Cycling Center building. Cyclists can enjoy numerous services here: a resting place, buffet, bike repair, bike wash, changing rooms, showers in the building, and it is also possible to rent bikes, tandems, bike trailers, or helmet cameras here.

Although many think cycling on a dam all day is not exciting, that is definitely not true for the Tisza Lake bike path. More athletic cyclists can circle the lake in a day (even twice), with older children or friends fitting the classic round trip into 24 hours, while with younger ones the distance can be split into two or even three days. Whether you circle the lake in one or several days, it offers a worthwhile experience for everyone at Hungary’s second-largest water surface.