For our next “Enyém a Balaton!” article, we jumped into our cool minivan Herbie, and drove all the way to the Eco Adventure Park in Gyenesdiás to put it – as well as ourselves – to the test. Our visit was a pleasant initiation into the world of zip lines and suspended rope courses, not because the tasks were easy to complete, but because of the ideally planned sequence of obstacles, the gradually increasing level of difficulty, and the peaceful, idyllic setting. With just the right amount of adrenaline rushing through our veins, we thoroughly enjoyed our experience in the trees.
Entertainment at Lake Balaton was once all about amusement arcades, bumper cars, and shooting galleries; today, however, it’s adventure parks that dominate the scene. Over the course of about two hours, thrill seekers can test their physical strength, logic, and problem-solving skills, overcome their fear of heights, and relive the excitement of childhood games. The parks are equally suitable for a company team-building event and a kids birthday party.
There's no need for lawnmowers when you have sheep
The “eco” title is reserved for adventure parks whose construction doesn’t have a lasting adverse effect on the environment, and whose maintenance doesn’t produce a massive ecological footprint. It’s of paramount importance that the setting up and upkeep of the obstacles don’t harm the trees, and that the maintenance of the facility is carried out in a way that doesn’t interfere with local wildlife and doesn’t contribute to noise and air pollution.
Located next to Gyenesdiás’ Lidó Beach, the village’s Eco Adventure Park is not only environmentally friendly out of principle, but also because of the properties of the venue: there’s no water or electricity, and the maintenance of the lawn is taken care of in the most natural way, with the help of sheep. The four-hectare property keeps them so well fed they hardly need supplementary feed.
We are juniors
Before jumping into everything, you have to put on protective gear comprising a helmet and a harness. The safety training together with completing the training course takes about 15 minutes, which is just enough time to get over the initial shock and get familiar with the clothing, the safety equipment and the other necessary bits.
After the introductory training you can start getting used to being up in the air. The junior courses are not much easier than the adult-level ones, but they aren’t set up as high above the ground, which definitely gives you a stronger feeling of security. Once you've learned the basics at training, you can start getting used to being up in the air. The junior courses are not much easier than the adult-level ones, but they aren’t set up as high above the ground, which definitely gives you a stronger feeling of security.
The goal is always the same: you have to follow the set path to reach the next base. If you’re lucky you have two ropes helping you to maneuver, but sometimes there’s only one you can hold onto. It’s best to grab a hold of the highest possible rope, but it depends on the obstacle. If you can’t find the proper grip the first time, don’t worry: you’ll simply need to put a little bit more effort into it, and you’ll probably be somewhat more disheveled by the end. Fortunately, it’s easy to get the hang of how to climb; you can learn fairly quickly as you go along the courses.
Tarzan goes to the adventure park
The organ pipes are definitely one of the trickiest obstacles where climbers have to make their way through vertical logs of various sizes. This section of the course kind of sneaks up on you unexpectedly after a few easier ropes and bridges, so be careful, as it’s difficult to find secure foothold.
Crossing the simple bridge made up of two parallel ropes suspended horizontally was a bit of a struggle if we’re honest, but we managed to find our inner Zen, and came out in one piece at the other end.
There’s probably not a single person whose bucket list doesn’t include swinging on a rope like Tarzan in the iconic movie. It feels exactly as awesome as we’d imagined. Here’s a piece of advice: try not to rely on the harness to carry you over the length of the rope. Believe us: your arms will be strong enough to support you as you slide from one side to the other.
Every course ends with a zip line slide, which is perhaps the easiest, most practical way of landing, but the fact of the matter is that it’s also one of the coolest, most euphoric feelings ever. There are some adult-level courses that are made up exclusively of sliding elements, but we unfortunately didn’t get to try them this time. As we were about to move on to one such course, there was a sudden clap of thunder, and we were told to get down from the pole – climbing is prohibited in the event of a storm.
You're on your own up there
The safety training is taken very seriously, but the instructors are not overbearing at all, and they don’t follow you around, solving every sticky situation for you. You’re on your own up there, and it’s up to you to find a solution. At each base you get instructions and a demonstration on how to proceed with the stage ahead, but it’s a lot like most things in life: intuition plays an important role. If you overthink it, you can get stressed out, which can make completing the obstacles a lot more difficult.
All in all, there’s nothing to worry about; there are no unsolvable obstacles because adrenaline junkies are not the main target audience, and you don’t need to be exceptionally athletic or strong to feel like you’re doing a good job. In our experience, the more you rely on your instincts, the better you’re going to do and the less bodily strength you’re going to need to use.
The skilled instructors know every inch of every course, and keep a watchful eye on climbers even when it seems like they can’t see them. If the excitement makes you forget to fasten yourself with at least one carabiner, you can count on the fact that within three seconds you’ll hear a firm voice coming from the background, reminding you that “safety regulations are there for a reason”. When we were caught being forgetful, we couldn’t tell at first where the voice was coming from, which made us feel like our conscience was speaking to us from a distant corner of the park.
Tickets for adults cost 2,900 forints; the fee for juniors is 1,000 forints less. Entry to the park costs about 10,000 forints for a family of four, but don’t forget that in summer you’ll need to pay an additional 450 forints/person to be admitted to the beach.
One of our fellow adventurers was a little girl with a mobility impairment, and it was clear that she was having a good time as well. The instructors are well trained and enthusiastic, and you can see that they wouldn’t trade their workplace for a job in an air-conditioned office. The fantastic natural landscape is only one of the attractive features that make the facility a favorite hangout of visitors to the region. Since the park is located inside Lidó Beach, it has the added benefit of offering climbers a chance to jump into the lake to bring their adrenaline level down after all the creeping and crawling.
Following a thrilling afternoon up in the trees, we thought Herbie also deserved to have some fun at the nearby beach:
