For those who love mountain walks, there can be few places where hikers are better catered for than in the Polish Tatras and the Slovakian Tatras.
Skilfully constructed paths make hiking in very rough terrain comparatively easy; signposting and waymarking are almost universally excellent.
Hillwalkers will be in their element here, but there are often shorter, easy suggestions for the less hardy or they can create their own treks from the detailed maps in the book (which show all waymarked routes).
In addition, those touring Slovakia or Poland by car will find that the tours lead to dozens of short walks and picnic spots, so that even those with little walking experience can make the most of these wonderful mountains.
In each of the six national parks covered in the book you can look forward to sampling local drinks and dishes at one or more of the mountain inns.
Walking in the national parks featured in this guide will undoubtedly be a very rewarding experience — the enjoyment of magnificent scenery and the excellent facilities for hikers, and perhaps also for successfully undertaking what may seem quite daunting walks in relatively high mountains.
The experience can be rewarding on another level: being among people who are obviously enjoying themselves, who don’t seem to need an array of the latest outdoor fashions, and who are quietly proud of their mountain heritage.
The Sunflower series always delivers a useful pocket guide book. The car tours, the fold-out maps and the clear symbols all make these books handy to throw in the backpack. The route descriptions are easy to follow and ensure you don’t miss any highlights. These books are good value for money. (K, Amazon)