Horehronie’s valleys are dotted with remains of the region’s industrial past, including railways once used to transport timber. Relics include a railway carriage in the village of Telgárt converted into Depo Café, which serves coff ee and cake. Some 35 miles to the west, the narrow-guage railway at Čierny Hron is an obligatory school trip for Slovakian children. The trains passing through here were terrorised in the 18th century by local folk hero and bandit Jakub Surovec, who gave the spoils to the poor. The railway still runs — there are even reenactments of his hold-ups, with musicians such as Maroš Smrečan playing the accordion to entertain passengers.