E4 European long distance path

The European walking route E4

The E4 European long distance path or E4 path is one of the European long-distance paths. Starting at its westernmost point in Portugal it continues through Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria to end in Greece. It visits the Greek island of Crete as well as Cyprus.

Its length is more than 10,000 km, but the route through Romania and part of Bulgaria is not yet completely defined.

Spain

Main article: GR 7 (Spain)

From: Tarifa, southernmost point of mainland Spain
through mountains of Andalucia, Murcia and Valencia via Ronda, Alhama de Granada, Moratalla, Alcoi, Requena, Morella (GR7)
2300 km
Puigcerda in Pyrenees E of Andorra
Catalan coast at Ulldecona (GR8), Tarragona via Catalan coast path (GR92), Montserrat (GR172), then GR4 into Pyrenees
450 km

France

Montagne Noire Via Mont Canigou and Carcassonne (GR 36),
Villefort through Haut Languedoc and Cévennes (GR 71, GR 7, GR 72),
Ardèche and Rhône valleys east via GR 44, GR 4, GR 42, 429, Swiss border near Geneva
N through Vercors, Grenoble, Chartreuse and Culoz (GR 9)
1100 km

Switzerland

Follows the Jura ridgeway through the north of the country ending at village Dielsdorf. (300 km)

From Dielsdorf, the E4 continues along S shores of Lake Constance via following settlements to village Rheineck at German borders. (150 km)

Niederglatt - Bülach - Freienstein-Teufen - Irchel - Buch am Irchel - Dorf - Andelfingen - Truttikon - Oberstammheim - Stein am Rhein - Mammern - Steckborn - Berlingen - Mannebach - Ermatingen - Gottlieben - Kreuzlingen - Münsterlingen - Güttingen - Uttwil - Romanshorn - Egnach - Arbon - Steinach - Tübach - Goldach - Rorschacherberg - Buchberg - Rheineck

Germany/Austria

Trail labels of the 'E4' and the 'Österreichischer Weitwanderweg 01' near Fontanella, Austria

Alternative 1:
On the route of Nordalpine Weitwanderweg 01 (Nordalpine route 01) are exposed stretches - for experienced mountain walkers only

1. Western section of the route – 495 km
through Bregenzer Wald, Lechquellengebirge, Lechtaler Alps, Wetterstein-gebirge, Karwendelgebirge and Rofangebirge:

Bregenz (440 m) – Lustenauer Hut (1250 m) – 22 km, middle difficult tour
Lustenauer Hut (1250 m) – Damüls (1428 m) – 33 km, difficult tour
Damüls (1428 m) – Biberacher Hut (1846 m) – 18 km, very difficult tour
Biberacher Hut (1846 m) – Göppinger Hut (2245 m) – 16 km, difficult tour
Göppinger Hut (2245 m) – Ravensburger Hut (2234 m) – 31 km, very difficult tour
Ravensburger Hut (2234 m) – Stuttgarter Hut (2303 m) – 20 km, difficult tour
Stuttgarter Hut (2303 m) – Ansbacher Hut (2376 m) – 28 km, very difficult tour
Ansbacher Hut (2376 m) – Memminger Hut (2242 m), 25 km, very difficult tour
Memminger Hut (2242 m) – Steinsee Hut (2040 m) – 20 km, very difficult tour
Steinsee Hut (2040 m) – Anhalter Hut (2040 m) – 25 km, difficult tour
Anhalter Hut (2040 m) – Fernpass (1209 m) – 35 km, difficult tour
Fernpass (1209 m) – Ehrwald (994 m) – 20 km, middle difficult tour
Ehrwald (994 m) – Meiler Hut (2366 m) – 39 km, difficult tour
Meiler Hut (2366 m) – Scharnitz (964 m) – 30 km, middle difficult tour
Scharnitz (964 m) – Falken Hut (1846 m) – 30 km, middle difficult tour
Falken Hut (1846 m) – Murach am Achsensee (958 m) – 35 km, middle difficult tour
Maurach am Achsensee (958 m) – Steinberg am Rofan (1010 m) – 25 km, difficult tour
Steinberg am Rofan (1010 m) – Kufstein (504 m) – 43 km, easy tour

2. Middle section of the route – 441 km
through Kaisergebirge, Chiemgau Alps, Loferer Steingebirge, Hochkönig and Steinernes Meer, Tennengebirge, Dachstein Mountains and Totes Gebirge:

Kufstein (504 m) – Stripsenjoch Haus (1580 m) – 19 km, middle difficult tour
Stripsenjoch Haus (1580 m) – Straubinger Haus (1598 m) – 35 km, middle difficult tour
Straubinger Haus (1598 m) – Schmidt-Zabierow Hut (1966 m) – 39 km, difficult tour
Schmidt-Zabierow Hut (1966 m) – Lofer (626 m) – 16 km, middle difficult tour
Lofer (626 m) – Ingolstatter Haus (2199 m) – 31 km, middle difficult tour
Ingolstatter Haus (2199 m) – Riemann Haus (2177 m) – 8 km, middle difficult tour
Riemann Haus (2177 m) – Franz-Eduard-Matras Haus (2941 m) – 25 km, very difficult tour on glacier
Franz-Eduard-Matras Haus (2941 m) – Werfen (548 m) – 27 km, difficult tour on glacier
Werfen (548 m) – Lungötz (828 m) – 33 km, middle difficult tour
Lungötz (828 m) – Adamek Hut (2196 m) – 29 km, very difficult tour
Adamek Hut (2196 m) – Simony Hut (2206 m) – 12 km, very difficult tour on glacier
Simony Hut (2206 m) – Bad Goisern (500 m) – 32 km, middle difficult tour
Bad Goisern (500 m) – Loser Hut (1497 m) – 34 km, middle difficult tour
Loser Hut (1497 m) – Pühringer Hut (1638 m) – 25 km, middle difficult tour
Pühringer Hut (1638 m) – Priel Refuge Hut (1422 m) – 20 km, difficult tour
Priel Refuge Hut (1422 m) – Vorderstoder (660 m) – 18 km, middle difficult tour
Vorderstoder (660 m) – Spital am Pyhrn (647 m) – 38 km, middle difficult tour

3. Eastern section of the route – 478 km
Through Rax, Semmeringgebiet, Bucklige Welt and Rosaliengebirge

Spital am Pyhrn (647 m) – Admont (641 m) – 24 km, middle difficult tour
Admont (641 m) – Hess Hut (1699 m) – 35 km, middle difficult tour
Hess Hut (1699 m) – Radmer an der Stube (702 m) – 20 km, difficult tour
Radmer an der Stube (702 m) – Eisenerz (769 m) – 20 km, middle difficult tour
Eisenerz (769 m) – Sonnschien Hut (1525 m) – 25 km, middle difficult tour
Sonnschien Hut (1525 m) – Voisthaler Hut (1660 m) – 1660 m) – 17 km, middle difficult tour
Voisthaler Hut (1660 m) – Turnaueralm (1570 m) – 25 km, middle difficult tour
Turnaueralm (1570 m) – Neuberg, Krampen im Mürztal (756 m) – 31 km, middle difficult tour
Neuberg, Krampen im Mürztal (756 m) – Schneealpen Haus (1788 m) – 31 km, middle difficult tour
Schneealpen Haus (1788 m) – Karl-Ludwig Haus (1803 m) – 21 km, difficult tour
Karl-Ludwig Haus (1803 m) – Waxriegel Haus (1361 m) – 12 km, middle difficult tour
Waxriegel Haus (1361 m) – Maria Schutz (760 m) – 30 km, middle difficult tour
Maria Schutz (760 m) – Hochwolkersdorf (625 m) – 48 km, easy tour
Hochwolkersdorf (625 m) – Mattersburg (256 m) – 17 km, easy tour

After town Mattersburg the route of the E4 leaves the Nordalpine Weitwanderweg 01, and goes on other paths further.

Mattersburg (256 m) – Rust (123 m) – 32 km, easy tour
Rust (123 m) – Drassburg (234 m) – 20 km, easy tour
Drassburg (234 m) – Kabersdorf (320 m) – 28 km, easy tour
Kabersdorf (320 m) – Hochstrass (421 m) – 25 km, easy tour
Hochstrass (421 m) – Köszeg (271 m, border crossing point in Hungary) – 17 km, easy tour

Remark:
Generally there are detours on the route of E4 to avoid the very difficult sections.
You can find map sketches and description about the whole route in the book „Von Neusiedler See zum Bodensee – Nordalpiner Weitwanderweg 01” in German.

Alternative 2:
Subalpine route
to: Salzburg
Through Allgäu and Upper Bavaria via Neuschwanstein, Unterammergau, Bavarian Lakes (04) 550 km
to: Wienerwald
via Salzkammergut (04)
550 km
to: Hainburg an der Donau
E Austrian border path (07)
150 km

Hungary

The path of European walking route E4 in Hungary

On the route of the Országos Kéktúra (National Blue Trail) – 1118 km
Through the Little Hungarian Plain and along the Transdanubian Mountains and the North Hungarian Mountains.

Town Kőszeg (border crossing point) – peak of Irottkő – town Sárvár through the Mountains of Kőszeg and the Little Hungarian Plain – 70 km
Town Sárvár – town Sümeg through the Little Hungarian Plain – 70 km
Town Sümeg – town Keszthely and Lake Balaton through the Highland of Balaton – 47 km
Town Keszthely – town Tapolca – village Nagyvázsony through the Basin of Tapolca and the Highland of Balaton. On the basin the path climbs almost every spent volcano: Badacsony, Gulács, Csobánc and Szent György Mountain – 83 km
Village Nagyvázsony – village Városlőd – town Zirc – village Bodajk through the Bakony Mountains – 118 km
Village Bodajk – village Szárliget through the Vértes Mountains – 48 km
Village Szárliget – town Dorog through the Hilly Country of Gerecse – 67 km
Town Dorog – Budapest through the Pilis Mountains and Mountains of Buda – 40 km
Budapest – peak of Dobogókö (700 m) – village Visegrád, Danube Bend through the Buda and Pilis Mountains – 61 km
Village Visegrád – village Nagymaros – with ferry across the Danube
Village Nagymaros – peak of Hegyes-kö (centre mountain of Danube Bend) – village Kóspallag – peak of Csóványos (938 m) – village Nógrád through the Börzsöny Mountains – 38 km
Village Nógrád – village Becske – village Hollókő, it is a World Heritage Site – village Mátraverebély through the Hilly Country of Cserhát – 119 km
Village Mátraverebély – peak of Galyatetö – peak of Kékestető, 1014 m, the highest point of Hungary – village Sirok – village Szarvaskő through the Mátra Mountains – 65 km
Village Szarvaskő – village Bélapátfalva – village Bánkút – village Putnok – through the Bükk Mountains – 55 km
Village Putnok – village Aggtelek, its stalactite cave is a World Heritage Site – village Bódvaszilas through the Hilly Country of Aggtelek – 62 km
Village Bódvaszilas – village Boldogkőváralja through the Hilly Country of Cserehát – 65 km
Village Boldogkőváralja – town Sátoraljaújhely through the Zemplén Mountains – 55 km

In Sátoraljaújhely the route of the E4 leaves the path of the National Blue Trail and goes further on the route of Blue Tour of the Plain

On the route of Alföldi Kéktúra (Blue Tour of the Plain) – 262 km
Through the Great Hungarian Plain

Town Sátoraljaujhely – town Kisvárda – 63 km
Town Kisvárda – town Nyirbátor – 46 km
Town Nyirbátor – town Bánk – 75 km
Town Bánk – village Nagykereki – 78 km

After village Nagykereki the E4 leaves the path of Alföldi Kéktúra and goes to village Ártánd (border crossing point) – appr. 6 km

Remark:
You can find detailed hiker maps and travelogues about the section of the Országos Kéktúra in Hungarian in the following books:
Az Országos Kéktúra Írottkötöl Budapest, Hüvösvölgyig
Az Országos Kéktúra Budapest, Hüvösvölgytöl Hollóházáig

There are websites of Hungarian hikers about the completion of the Országos Kéktúra:

Romania

The route of the E4 through Romania is not yet clearly defined. No organization is responsible for the trail's upkeep in Romania.[1]

Bulgaria

Pirin - sign to Vihren

In Bulgaria, the marked trail begins on the village square of the Sofia suburb of Dragalevtsi. It passes the terminals of the Dragalevtsi chairlift, the ski resort Aleko and the highest peak of the Vitosha mountains, Cherni Vrah, and then leads down the other side of Vitosha, through the Verila hills to Rila.

In the Rila and Pirin Mountains, it is not marked as such, but the main trail leading through those mountains, marked in red, should be followed. Coming from Verila, the trail enters Rila following the Saparevska Vada irrigation ditch. It passes through the Seven Rila Lakes area and then climbs onto the ridge passing Malyovitsa peak. It continues via the shelter Kobilino Branishte, the hut at Ribni Ezera and the hut Macedonia towards the Predel saddle which separates Rila from Pirin.

From Predela, it reaches the main ridge of Pirin via the hut Yavorov and follows it via the three highest peaks of Pirin (Banski Suhodol, Kutelo and Vihren) and the ridge Koncheto, before descending to the Vihren refuge. It continues on the ridge until the Vinarska Porta saddle, and then runs along Tevno Lake and down the Zhelezina stream towards Pirin hut. From there it is the only marked trail leading through the Central Pirin range, passing the peak Orelyak and the hut Popovi Livadi. It ends at Petrovo near the Greek border, where a bus to Kulata on the border can be taken. Total length within Bulgaria is 250 km.

Greece

E4 on Crete

Introduction

There is little up-to-date information available on E4 through Greece, and while a route exists from the Bulgarian border to the foot of the Peloponnese peninsula, it may inadequately way marked. E4 continues, via ferry from Yithio (Gythio), through Crete. E4 had originally been planned to start out from the Republic of Macedonia rather than Bulgaria.

The Greek National Tourist Office suggest that: "The E4 is ideal for hiking from May 15 until early October". However, the north can still be rainy in May, and it should be more settled in Central Greece and the Peloponnese by early May. Also snow may be a problem on Mt Olympus until mid-June (Cicerone Guide) and possibly other high places. The Tourist Office comments further: "The areas have a typical Mediterranean climate, with warm dry summers and considerable differences in day and night temperatures. Snowfall starts in November and snow is likely to linger into June".[2]

A walk can take longer than anticipated because of poor way marking, or because paths are blocked, or dangerously eroded, and streams and rivers may be impassable. Walkers should therefore be prepared for long diversions, and never presume that you will reach the intended destination, including the final one, on time, or on a specific day. Flexible planning is advisable. Some sections follow paved roads, but there should be little traffic, in the spring and autumn.

Accommodation is not available every night, so that lightweight camping, or bivouac gear, is necessary, as well as several days supply of food. Bears, are found in the far north of Greece, so that the safely guidelines for hiking in bear country, should be followed, especially with regard to the storing of food. The Cicerone guide offers invaluable advice on sleeping and eating. In spring, in some areas, there may be springs and/or fast flowing streams, though ample reserves of water should still be carried. With regard to accommodation maps should not be trusted and even if there is a hotel it may only open in July and August, or at weekends. Mountain refuges may not be open. Coffee shops may provide simple meals. Some mountain villages are uninhabited in the winter and will only begin to come alive again after Easter, and not fully until high summer.

The Hellenic Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing is the organisation, along with associated clubs, which has established and maintains E4, and it has published a leaflet about E4 with text in English, French and German, as well as descriptions of E4 and E6, with maps, in English and German.

An overview of walking in Greece, including sections of E4, can be found in The Mountains of Greece by Tim Salmon and there is a guide book in German to the E.4 in the Peloppnnes by Rolf Roost (see bibliography). However, additional, current local information should be sought whenever possible

Addresses

Bibliography

Maps

Maps from Anavasi cover much of the route and some can be bought with a guide book, including the Taygetos 1:50,000 sheet.

Route of E.4 in Mainland Greece

From Kulata (Bulgaria) the way crosses the border to Promachon (Promachonas). The route was originally planned to cross from the Republic of Macedonia to Florina.

See the Oreivatein web pages for fuller details. There is a separate more detailed page for the section from the Bulgarian border to Florina.

Way marking

Aluminum signs: on white background a yellow Rombus with black frameworks, in which stands with black writing E4/6. Color-signs on rocks and trees: white background, a yellow parallelogram on the left and a black on the right.

Place Names

Because of the transliteration from the Greek alphabet, the spelling of place names can be confusing (some places also have an official and a local, or old, name).

Northern Greece

Promachon (Promachonas), Rodhopoli, Doirani, Archangelos, Pella, Loutraki, Skopos, Florina (300 km).

Nymphaeo, Amyntaeo (Amyndeo), Rizomata, Dion, Litochoro (Litohoro), Olympus, Kokkinopilos, Meteora, Agrafa, Krassochori, Viviani (Viniani).

Central Greece

Karpenissi, Artotina], Kaloskopi, Delfi (Delphi), Itea (900 km, from Florina)

Peloponnese

Diakofto, Kalavryta, Vytina, Tripoli, Sparti, Mystras, Refuge of Taygetos, Kastania, Gythio[n] (Yithio) (300 km). Ferry to Kastelli Kissamou, Crete.

Crete

See the web pages below for details of routes in Crete. There are in addition guide books listed in the bibliography above.

Cyprus

Introduction

This new section of the E4 was inaugurated in 2005, and is 539 km long. It connects Larnaka and Pafos international airports, traversing the Troodos mountain range and Akamas peninsula. A brochure has been published by the Cyprus Tourist Organisation (for online information, see external links above).

In 2014 the Orientaction club has produced 1/25000 hiking maps of the mountainous region of Cyprus which include a large part of the E4 trail.

References

  1. ↑ "E4". Maps and more informations. European Ramblers' Association. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  2. ↑ GNTO web site

External links

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