Eger/Lake Balaton, Hungary

Between visits to Budapest I had time to fit in two other Hungarian destinations and started out at the small town of Eger, deep in Hungarian wine country in the north-east. I arrived at Tulipan Camping, a basic campsite but surrounded by vinyards and it is the location which makes it a great place to stop.

The town itself is a mix of twin-spired churches, pastel coloured buildings and a picturesque stream lined with flower boxes running through the centre.

First though, a history lesson. Eger castle was the scene of one of Hungary's finest victories in 1552 where 2000 Hungarians led by Istvan Dobo held out against a 100,000 strong army of Turks. The soldiers were cut off from support and drank away the wine supply at the castle, staining their beards bright red. The Turks thought the Hungarians were getting their strength from drinking the blood of bulls and now Bikaver ("Bulls Blood") wine is the famous Hungarian vintage still produced in the town. The Turks later did take the castle but this is as far north as the Ottoman army reached and reminders of this rich history can be found all over the town.

Starting at the castle itself, it is somewhat disappointing given it's illustrious history but large areas were closed off for maintenance when I visited. At least you get a great view from the walls over the town though.

At the bottom of the hill is the minaret of an old mosque, the most northern point of the Turkish advance (the mosque was destroyed but the Hungarians couldn't pull down the pencil-like tower). The view at the top is great but it feels very offputting to look down as the platform juts out over the edge of the thin tower and leaves you feeling a bit unsupported. Climbing up and down the steps is a bit of a squeeze too.

The big baroque Minorite Church is close by and overlooks the main town square. It gives the quaint little town a nice centrepoint and inside it is a mixture of pink and white marble walls and intricately painted domed ceilings. Out in the main square is a statue of Istvan Dobo.

There also the neo-classical Basilica on the outskirts of town and it's a much more lavish affair. The white and yellow exterior is adorned with stone carved pillars and statuettes while inside the ceiling is painted with bibilcal scenes spreading out from the central dome.

Eger's highlight, and by some distance, is the excellent wine valley which lies just a stone's throw from the campsite and within easy staggering distance. The Valley Of Beautiful Women (a name that I hope was either ironic or tinted with the wine equivallent of "beer-goggles") is a huge network of little caves and cellars where you can sample the local wines - including the legendary Bull's Blood.

Prices are as low as 25p for a glass of house red and go up to around £10 if you are after something special. Wine can be bought by the pitcher, bottle or you can bring a container and they will fill it up for you to take away. Meanwhile, there are gypsy-type bands playing at some of the cellars (castle-shaped Borozoja being my favourite) and the locals get up to dance along - it felt like my own little corner of heaven.

After a few days in Eger, I loaded the van for Siofok (not Suffolk) on the edge of Lake Balaton - officially known as "Hungary's Summer Capital". I stayed at the gigantic and packed full Aranypart Campsite, right on the edge of the lake, and the place was buzzing for the weekend with some sort of unofficial competition for who can play the loudest commercial club music. Not the best of starts.

The lake itself is a paradise of warm clear bluey-green water and soft sand stretching out for miles while on a clear day you can see the hills on the other side. The downside is that the town is very resort-like and the lake-side is lined with fairground rides and kids running riot. This means that during the day it lacks any kind of tranquility in peak season.

Just off the coast is a raised platform with a water-ski/wakeboarding run and it is clear to tell the 12-year old locals who can wakeboard like pros from the tourists in life jackets who can't even make it a metre before falling over.

Enjoy my first video, this guy was amazing until he fell when I started filming.

Instead, I decided to book a 2-hour wind-surfing lesson with a guy called Attila (the Hun?). It was a day without much wind making the initial learning easy but once I had mastered the basics of wind control, steering and a couple of turns, it was very frustrating that I could hardly pick up any speed. I definitely enjoyed it though and can't wait to do it again if I get the chance.

The town of Siofok itself it actually quite nice once you get away from the beach. In the middle is a big wooden water tower which you can normally climb to the top of but they are currently building a roundabout around it. By the tower is a little park filled with sculptures and surrounded by little local shops and seems to be an oasis of tranquility from the lights of the beach-promenade.

Also, just around the corner is a bizzre little church with Madonna-style shoulder pads and Dame Edna spectacles making the whole building look like a wierd owl.

Initially, I was a bit disappointed with Siofok and wished I had picked a quieter spot to enjoy my time at the lake but as the weekend finished and the crowds pulled away it takes on a whole new side. You can sit in the evening on the edge of the lake as it gets darker and the still water becomes exactly the same colour as the sky, the faraway bass of the bars and the crickets in the grass provide the soundtrack and the lights begin to sparkle on the other side of the lake. With a glass of Bull's Blood in my hand, I can't help feeling that this country is just fantastic.