Nomad rowing on the Hortobágy-Berettyó

This route covers the lower course of the more than 160 km long Hortobágy-Berettyó main canal: the river flows about 6 km south of our starting point into the Hármas-Körös. The start point is located on the southern side of the downtown foot of the Mezőtúr road bridge. From May to September, two piers make water boarding comfortable; without them, we can start from the gravel launch area. We immediately paddle under the bridge and start paddling upriver. Above the bridge, the Berettyó widens, at low water levels remain on the left side, that is, the right bank. At medium and higher water levels, it is worth paddling along the left bank, on the right side; here stands the water and the birds nesting in the elongated, flat middle area are closer. On the left, there is a nice view of the imposing town hall, the Reformed church, and the fire department tower. After 1 km of paddling, we arrive at the railway bridge.

After the bridge, a scene opens up as if the Berettyó splits into three branches. This is because the middle section, the main channel, is dredged, and on both sides, vegetation settles on the soil strips that have surfaced, forming long, reed-cattail green bands. On our route, this is typical everywhere on the wider parts; at medium and higher water levels, we can safely wander across the shallower, parallel bands. At low water levels, this is not possible, moreover, these dry out in several places. However, all this can be seen quite well in advance, and in the worst case, we risk only turning back and a bit of extra paddling.

About 500 meters after the railway bridge, the Berettyó continuously narrows, turning from "three lanes" into a single lane, then the first bends come; first a right, then a left bend disrupts the straight line, making the environment and paddling more exciting. On this section, on our left is the Álomzug, on the right the Szandazug. (In the Great Plain, grasslands surrounded by river bends are called zug.) After the bends, there is another 1 km straight section, then a left-right bend combination, followed by a long "two-lane" section. The main branch is always on the right bank, meaning for us — still paddling upriver — the left side.

During the route, beside reeds, cattails, and sedges, water plants color the aquatic flora such as water lilies, fairy curtains, and spatterdocks. In terms of birds, the most encountered are coots, mallards, water rails, night herons, egrets, and among the more noticeable sizes, grey and purple herons and swans. Civilization is reminded only by a few fishing piers and sometimes the locks of side irrigation canals.

Soon, another large (left) bend makes the atmosphere wilder. After this, around 8 km, another straight section follows: here you can decide whether to continue further or be satisfied with 16-17 km and turn back.