Csiga-route nature trail

Itinerary: 

The very well-marked nature trail introduces the forest to visitors through 8 information boards:

• Welcome board at the bus turnaround
• What kind of forest are we in? (2)
• The economic function of the forest (3)
• The protective role of the forest (4)
• The public welfare functions of the forest (5)
• Mushrooms (6)
• Forest animals (7)
• Sounds of nature (8)

You can return on foot from the lookout to the bus turnaround via the concrete road leading back to Zalakaros (500 m). 

Detailed description of the route:

Let's slow down, this is the Csiga-route nature trail!

Although everyone knows it, it’s always useful to repeat, and we keep realizing the truth of the saying: the forest really slows you down and relaxes you. This is the message of the beautifully crafted welcome board of the Csiga-route nature trail for adults at the edge of Zalakaros. The Csiga-route nature trail, only 1152 m long with a slight ascent, primarily addresses beginner hikers, but its carefully executed signs also provide an experience for skilled children. This simple but excellent nature trail definitely deserves a morning between two swims.

The very carefully marked trail actually starts on the nationally marked blue well-trodden path in the atmospheric forest, offering kids numerous smaller and larger, but all beautiful and impressive signs (the smaller ones for example introduce frog shelters, forest birds, etc.). The skillfully drawn larger signs bring the usual topics, but among them smaller, also finely drawn signs have been placed at proper intervals, which kids simply adore and run the whole way to see. Adults who slow down will even find hammocks to experience contemplation in one place. 

At the first stop (Board 2: What kind of forest are we in, or let’s see the wood for the trees), we get acquainted with the trees of the surrounding park forest and some of its inhabitants, partly interactively with rotating elements. The Board 3 about the economic functions of the forest (what firewood is made from?) introduces the visitor to these functions. This board is an excellent example of presenting information which might be boring on many other nature trails in a suitable quantity and very high standard here, making it more digestible and less scientific. Between boards 2 and 3, we can also find two plant observation points and, with a few steps of detour, a nest box area surrounded hopefully by many birds if we can stay quiet!

The protective role of the forest (Protecting ourselves too) is presented by Board 4, which simply explains that by protecting the forest, we also protect ourselves. After point 4, there is a runoff reservoir that protects Zalakaros from flash floods.

At point 5 (Public welfare functions - let’s hike and get smarter!), we can glance at the famous forests of Zala County, since we are in the homeland of forests. Board 6 presents Mushrooms (poisonous and mild), while Board 7 introduces Forest animals (wild and mild). The final Board 8 introduces the forest walker to the sounds of nature.

Below us the Balaton

No matter how slowly we walk the nature trail, we reach the lookout relatively quickly since the trail is short. It is worth climbing the impressive height lookout, from above a magnificent view unfolds before our eyes: behind the Kis-Balaton plain rises the Balaton, while the horizon is closed by the ridges of the Keszthely Mountains and the wonderful witness hills of the Tapolca basin. After marveling at the height, the "kiln-style gastro corner" under the lookout – as the Kilátó Borozó calls itself – is a perfect place to end the day.