Blacksmiths' trail (Blacksmith blue), section 5: Mályinka – Diósgyőr

Itinerary

• From Sanyi pub to the wooden bell tower in Mályinka, we follow the K mark.
• At the bell tower, we turn left onto the K+ mark, which we follow all the way to Diósgyőr.

Detailed description of the hike

Mályinka – Szentlélek: on the gorge path to the plateau

The Mályinka stamp can be requested at the counter of Sanyi pub, where you can also prepare for the upcoming challenge: crossing the Kis-plateau. Next to the 18th-century bell tower built without nails, a sign indicates the split into two blue trails: the “blacksmith blue” continues left on the K+ mark. Leaving the village, we cross the foothills of Bagoly Hill and immediately get “hit in the face” by the Bükk wilderness on the other side: we descend into the primeval beech forest of the Csondró Valley.

The natural, unmade narrow valley is bordered by imposing rock ridges, some even cut through by the stream. The spotted salamander is common here, so be careful where you step, especially after rain! Fallen trees are not rare, so progress can be slow and difficult. Next to the path through the wild, impenetrable forest stands the huge Odvas Stone, accessible by an unmarked trail. On top of the rock block there is a viewpoint, and in one lower hollow a cave shelter has been created; although neglected, it is a good campsite in bad weather, and tents can also be pitched on the terrace in front of the cave. Below, the Ámor spring bursts forth; beyond that the valley narrows into a gorge with several ten-meter-high rock cliffs under which the stream flows, forming waterfalls. Among the dripping waterfalls on the travertine formations, at one point you must advance in the stream bed. Further upstream, you can see a few more cascades, and when exiting the valley you can drink at the Mária spring that feeds the stream – there is also a resting place and a forester’s house here.

The K+ mark makes a loop, first passing among majestic beech woods, then piercing through younger forest to reach behind the Látó Stones, which can be climbed by rock steps. The view is unparalleled and also the last chance on the hike to look northwards: to the Uppony Mountains surrounding the Lázbérc reservoir, the rocky Csondró Valley just walked through, and the not-so-distant Carpathians. (On a clear day, the High Tatras crown the view.) Watch out, since a K mark joins again here, but this does not indicate the Blacksmith’s trail, rather the local Bükk Blue! Stay on the K+ mark, from which only a few meter detour is needed at the Szentlélek inn to collect the stamp placed at the far end of the house (towards the Látó Stones). A few meters before that, you can also see the relatively intact, sizable ruins of the Pauline monastery. The building has stood here since the 14th century; it was deserted during the Turkish era, but the stones were not scattered thanks to its secluded location.

Szentlélek – Felsőhámor: following the footsteps of blacksmiths along the Garadna

We head east past dilapidated forester’s houses and quickly reach the inner side of the Kis-plateau. A short detour leads to the Köpüs spring resting place with a rain shelter and a fire pit, which can be a comfortable campsite for the night. The Szentlélek valley is a true wilderness where species sensitive to disturbance have settled, such as the wildcat; a Bükk wolf pack also passes here. At the end of the valley, we join the equally primeval Háróm-kúti valley, which we only follow briefly: at a fork, crossing the stream, we turn left and a short climb follows, leading to the Helyiipari spring. In the friendly clearing around the spring there is a resting place and a hiking pantheon established by nature hikers from Diósgyőr.

From the spring, we quickly descend to the Garadna valley, where we walk along the edge of the asphalt road for a while. We leave the trout farm behind and shortly reach the frontier blast furnace of Frigyes Fazola, which is actually one of the most important points on the Blacksmiths' trail: the iron industry of Diósgyőr originated here. Built in 1812 to replace the Ómassa predecessor, it last smelted iron ore in 1872, subsequently fell into ruin, but was renovated in the 1950s. The surrounding mountains provided wood, limestone the slag, and Garadna the water; the operation also required the damming of the Hámori Lake. Next to one of the country’s oldest industrial monuments, there is also a museum presenting the history of ironmaking, and the narrow-gauge railway stops here, too.

The marked hiking trail leaves the asphalt only much lower, before the end of Hámori Lake, where you can cross the wide stream on a notched wooden beam – not an easy feat with a large backpack. On the marshy area before the lake, a lush alder forest spreads, followed by the sight of an elongated standing water squeezed into a narrow valley. The lake created for a steady water supply of the Újmassa hammer steels (originally formed naturally but much smaller) is best admired from the nearby wooded mountain location and the adjacent promenade.

The narrow path avoiding the rocks ends at Palotaszálló reaching Lillafüred. Here, first on the road to the left, then continuing through the hanging gardens, the Blacksmiths' trail continues (still on the K+ mark). At the meeting point of the Szinva and Garadna streams, the hanging gardens were created on a travertine dam built from the stream waters; from their edges or from a terrace beneath, the country’s highest waterfall can be viewed. The current height of the 20-meter Alsó Waterfall was achieved during the construction of Palotaszálló and the terrain alteration, so it is partly artificial. Further down, we reach the streets of Felsőhámor split by the stream and the Ironworks Museum. The stamp hangs on its fence.

Felsőhámor – Diósgyőr: the detached mountain block

We leave the village at its lower end touching the rock, passing the cemetery, and crossing the railway. First on a forest path, then climbing steeply on a scrubby trail and later on a forestry road, we ascend to the eastern block detached from the main mass of Bükk. (On the way, from a fork, a very short detour leads to the “breathing spot” where you can sit and enjoy a panorama opening above the young forest to the northeastern extensions of the mountains.) Circling the sinkholes of the small plateau and crossing a meadow, we start the last descent of the hike. From the junction on the kastlón, only a few minutes detour leads to the Fehérkőláp tourist house where you can eat and sleep; the white stone rock lookout is also nearby.

Although we might not expect much from this outlying, less popular part of Bükk, the route descending to Diósgyőr is surprisingly charming. The Blacksmiths' trail winds through dense, medieval forest, then further down on paths under pines. Before entering the town, we can still enjoy a narrow view of the neighboring valley from two points with small detours. The pleasant, consistently descending path is a great farewell to the Blacksmiths' trail, which finally follows the streets of Diósgyőr only briefly. The closing stamp of the hike is found on a post in front of the entrance to the Digép-Tüzép site, visible from the Muhi street intersection. At the gate of the former Diósgyőr steelworks, the worn-out view characteristic of the declining mining settlement bids farewell to this phenomenal hiking route.