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Hiking Trail
· Upponyi-hegyhát
Kohászok route (Kohász blue trail), 4th section: Sáta – Mályinka
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We also walk along the Lázbérci Reservoir on this routePhoto: Gulyás Attila, Hungarian Hiking Association
In the shadow of the mountains winds the country's most spectacular long-distance hiking trail outside the Blue Ring, the Kohász route. On the fourth section, progressing in the northern foreland of the Bükk, the terrain shows an increasingly mountainous face as we cross the ridges of the Upponyi Mountains. The tour takes place under the spell of waters, crossing wild stream valley fords and walking along the shore of an idyllic mountain lake.
The waters, more precisely the various formations of the Csernely stream, define the transitional section of the Kohász route. The terrain between hills and mountains lacks high elevations, but the characteristic shapes of the mountains are already present. After leaving Sáta on panoramic slopes, the "barefoot" fords of the Csernely stream valley, the route’s biggest technical challenge points, follow. Beneath the massive walls of the Upponyi Gorge, we cross with dry feet, then in the forest bordering the Lázbérci reservoir, we face the Bükk plateau. We finish the hike at the foot of the mountain range in Mályinka.
Nomadic hiking experience in the backyard of the mountains
The "Kohász blue" from Salgótarján to Diósgyőr reveals a landscape mostly little walked but surprisingly rich in natural sights, undulating in the "cover" of the higher parts of the Northern Central Mountains. The 119 km route is experiencing a renaissance and is the country’s most exciting trekking to complete in a relatively short time. The route crossing the Medves area, Vajdavár area, the hills of Ózd, the Upponyi Mountains, and the Bükk leads through wild, almost completely unfrequented terrains in places, while constantly opening overwhelming views of Hungary’s most dynamic topographic terrain, framed by the long ridge of the Mátra in the south and the Bükk plateau.
On the Kohász blue there is no boring day or two alike: the landscape is surprisingly varied, spectacular views and atmospheric forest areas alternate. Sometimes short detours are needed to reach the best panoramic points (e.g., Pécs-kő, Nagy-kő in Bárna, Kalica Hill). The hike is relatively nomadic in nature: it touches few settlements, there are days you do not avoid under 25 kilometers, but the terrain is excellent for camping and bivouacking. Near Bárna, one of Hungary’s first bivouac huts awaits hikers, and the Bükk section also abounds with comfortable overnight places.
The Kohász route then and now
As the badge motif, which can be earned upon completion, shows, the route connects former iron industry centers: Salgótarján, Ózd, and Diósgyőr. The route was marked by Ózd hikers between 1968 and 1970. With the decline of the metallurgical strongholds, the popularity of the route also decreased, and nature reclaimed much of the seldom-used paths. The Kohász route revived in the early 2020s: an enthusiastic group took care of it, new stamps were made, and trail maintenance is ongoing. The hike’s certificate booklet can be downloaded before departure (see links), and completers receive a metal badge and certificate after payment.
The Kohász Route on Természetjáró
See the list of stamp sites under the "Data" menu.
Completing the entire tour depends on pace and takes 4-8 days. Completion is recommended in the following day-long sections. (The route is walkable in either direction, the segmentation is optional.)
- 1.: Salgótarján – Bárna (12 km) – Istenmezeje (25 km)
- 2.: Istenmezeje – Járdánháza (28 km)
- 3.: Járdánháza – Ózd (12 km) – Sáta (24 km)
- 4.: Sáta – Mályinka (16 km)
- 5.: Mályinka – Felsőhámor (15 km) – Diósgyőr (27 km)
The detailed description of the route can be read under the Route Description menu.
Author’s recommendation
- The route can be interrupted in Uppony or Dédestapolcsány; both villages have a good number of accommodations.
- If time allows, do not miss Kalica Hill. From Uppony, a marked path leads up to a ridge with unmatched panorama overlooking the Lázbérci reservoir.
- There is no reliable spring water along the route, but villages offer places to replenish supplies.
- After spring and rainy periods, the Csernely stream is not passable with dry feet; expect to cross the fords barefoot.
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Track types
Tips and suggestions
Certificate booklet
The certificate booklet for the hike is available here.
The hike's Facebook group for current information and help requests is available here.
Stamp locations
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Sáta, Gól pub
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Uppony, Zrínyi Street
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Mályinka, Sanyi drinks shop
Roadbook
Itinerary
- From Sáta we follow the K+ sign to the entrance of the Upponyi Gorge (to the edge of Uppony).
- From Uppony we follow the K sign to the Sanyi drinks shop in Mályinka.
Detailed description of the route
Sáta – Uppony: wading through a secluded gorge
We leave Sáta following the K+ sign – since the Kohász blue joins the National Blue Trail in the next village, it was necessary to distinguish between the two. We find the stamp at the Gól pub. The K+ sign leads us out from among the houses, and we can walk again through hilly terrain with panoramic views. There is a wide view of the village enclosed in the valley and its hills; the green (or yellow in summer) grass carpet is dotted with groups of pine trees. We turn into a pine forest, then descend through a naturally appearing beech forest, touching the Halatvén well, into one of the most beautiful but clearly most adventurous sections of the Kohász route, the valley of the Csernely stream.
In front of the Bükk mountains, a winding stream breaks through the Upponyi Mountains and, before it flows into the Bán stream heading to the Sajó, it is dammed into a reservoir. However, the range carved a deep valley during the mountain uplift, and since it was not regulated and the terrain has not been developed, it spreads wide, forming difficult to cross fords on the forest path. According to oral tradition, Vidróczki himself named the stream because he and his companions hid for a long time in the secluded valley from the law.
Looking at the landscape, the story is not far-fetched, as the valley’s numerous bends, steep terrain, and high walls make it truly secluded and labyrinthine. Except in the dry summer periods, the stream is difficult to cross; expect to take off your hiking shoes for the repeated crossings. From this beautiful, unique atmosphere valley, we arrive in Uppony, where we find the next stamp on an information board at the village edge.
Uppony – Dédestapolcsány – Mályinka: lakeside idyll
We cross the village quickly; before its end, the karst scrub forest and limestone rocky ridge extension of Kalica Hill define the view. By bypassing this "rock tongue," we enter the country's deepest gorge, the strictly protected Upponyi Gorge, again following the K sign, as here the National Blue Trail and the Kohász route merge. (It's worth taking the medium length detour to Kalica Hill: from there you can see the whole Lázbérci reservoir, the depth of the Upponyi Gorge, and in the background, the now truly vast mass of the Bükk.)
On one side, dry slopes, on the other green hills rise steeply above us like a wall, and the asphalt road passes through between them to reach the shore of the Lázbérci reservoir. The lake was dammed from 1967 for two years, "swallowing" the country road running through the valley. The picturesque water mass is embraced by forest on all sides; covered rest areas line around it, alongside an asphalt road. In the strictly protected area, black storks breed, but great crested grebes, northern divers, and fish eagles also occur, and peregrine falcons and Eurasian eagle-owls live on the rocky cliffs.
At the end of the relaxing lakeside section, we enter Dédestapolcsány, where a shop and pub operate. Leaving the village, follows the second half of the longest asphalt section of the route: the mass of the Bükk rising opposite entices us onto the road to Mályinka. The stamp can be requested at the Sanyi pub from behind the counter, where we can also prepare for the upcoming challenge: crossing the Little Plateau.
Kalica-tető
Lázbérci-víztározó
Papréte Vendégház
Ökoturisztikai Látogatóközpont Mályinka
Public transport
- The starting point of the route is near the Sáta, convenience store bus stop.
- The closest bus stop to the end point is Mályinka, fire station.
- You can leave the route at the Uppony town hall bus stop.
- The Dédestapolcsány, Lake Street turn bus stop is also a possible exit point.
Get Timetable to destination
Directions
- In Sáta, at the K+ sign, heading toward the center of the settlement, you will find the pub where the stamp is located and where the route starts (270 m, no elevation gain).
- In Mályinka, the bus stop can be found along the K and then the branching K+ sign (380 m, 18 m elevation gain).
- In Uppony, the bus stop is found by turning left onto Széchenyi István Street (200 m, no elevation gain).
- In Dédestapolcsány, the bus stop is located along the sign route.
Parking
- Parking is possible near the starting point in Sáta.
- You can also park in Mályinka at the route end.
- It is advisable to leave the car in Eger for the full section; from there (though with transfers) both endpoints are reachable.
- Parking is also possible in Dédestapolcsány, from where both endpoints are reachable by bus, though with fewer services.
Coordinates
Author’s map recommendations
- Bükk, Upponyi Mountains tourist map
Equipment
Basic hiking equipment: broken-in hiking boots, season-appropriate clothing, drinking water, food. For navigation, the Természetjáró app.
Localization
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
User Questions