Where to go cycling with children? Banská Štiavnica – circuit by Veľké Richnavské Lake

Summer - the time when children spend more time not only with parents but also with grandparents. And since we at Za horami za dolami are not only parents but also grandparents, we agreed to enjoy a warm summer day with cycling combined with swimming.

And since we all know that the more children, the more fun and less whining, a word led to another and from day to day we organized a cycling trip. The choice was Veľké Richnavské Lake and its surroundings.

Two dads with 3 children and the three old grandparents joined us. And since the offer was enticing, the neighbor Luki also joined. What could be better than having fun with friends and combining cycling with a pleasant cooldown in the waters of the reservoir, and to cap it all off with a good lunch and a portion of excellent ice cream.

We traveled to the reservoir by private cars, comfortably parked by the buffet. After checking the proper wearing of cycling helmets and explaining the cycling route, we started covering the first meters. The route starts at the buffets, with quite a challenging climb in the first half. On a paved older asphalt road, which in the second half is replaced by a dirt road, we reach the summit meadow. We have with us the smiling six-year-old Dori, who was helped by her dad pulling her with a tether in this part. A pleasant surprise is that in this heat, no insects bother us. The boys Šimonko, Lukáš, and Aďo are cyclists and manage the initial climb without assistance. We comfortably enter a forest road with descents in the initial part. The boys enjoy them and, to the pleasant surprise of the dad and with our help and support, our young lady also descends them. And if she doesn’t dare to get down, it doesn’t matter, as long as she enjoys cycling. After this slightly adrenaline-filled beginning, a pleasant four-kilometer ride follows on a flat forest road in the shade of the trees. The children enjoy this part and in some sections, they race each other.

We reach the asphalt road. We stop at a spring where we replenish fluids and find ourselves at the cottages, which lead us past the buffets to the dam at the lake. Here, we split into two groups; the first is eager and longs to cool down in the waters of the lake, and the second added 1.5 km of cycling with a small loop around the cottage area. After completing this part of the route, we happily join the splashing cycling mates, enjoying the waters of Richnavské Lake. And since time passed, the young cyclists began to announce the need to replenish lost energy. After a short consultation, the lunch break is on our route - Koliba Štiavnická Anča, where there is also ice cream. The little cyclists were really hungry, and the sight of empty plates surprised and, above all, pleased us adults given the portion sizes. Dorka had fun in the children’s corner, and the last highlight of this successful trip was ice cream and excellent coffee.

So, cycling parents and grandparents, give it a try, it’s really worth it, and if you still have energy after cycling and swimming, stop by Banská Štiavnica, where you will definitely find plenty of activities.