Ötvös – Sümeg (OKT 8th day hike)

At the Ötvös stamp location we join the route of the National Blue Trail – we almost literally arrive in the middle of the forest, as the stamp is located far away from everything, among the trees.

We cover the first two kilometers in the friendly oak forest of Dergecsi Forest, which is cool in summer. Along the clearings, we change direction several times with sharp turns until we reach the Dabronc main road. For the next approximately one and a half kilometers, we proceed cautiously: although traffic is light, the Blue Trail runs along a public road. Initially, the edge of the forest we just got to know borders our path, but soon we reach open terrain, where fields stretching far on both sides and agricultural areas spread out.

The horizon holds more exciting details. Looking ahead, to the left of the white church tower of Gógánfa, a characteristically shaped witness hill rises from the plain of the Little Hungarian Plain: this is Somló, the Little Hungarian Plain relative among the witness hills of the Balaton Uplands. Turning right, before the elongated Rendeki Hill, a smaller conical hill emerges – this is our destination today, the castle-crowned Vár Hill of Sümeg. On the horizon, more hills line up, including Tátika and Kovácsi Hill.

Before the road leads into Gógánfa with a turn, we turn right off the asphalt after a forest strip. We continue along the edge of fields and rows of trees for about two and a half kilometers. From here, the smaller and larger peaks of the western edge of the Bakony and the northern part of the Keszthely Mountains open up. Finally, after a short section on a public road, we arrive in Kisvásárhely on a charming cart path.

The settlement developed along the Marcal in the Middle Ages never expanded significantly due to swampy areas, thus retaining its character as a tiny village to this day: the number of permanent residents barely exceeds fifty. Several guesthouses operate in the single-street village, and during summer hikes, the functioning blue well is an additional pleasure. The stamp can be found on one leg of the wooden bell tower standing in the center of the village, accompanied by benches – providing an ideal place for a short rest.

Kisvásárhely – Sümeg

Leaving the village, we almost unnoticed cross the ditch of the Marcal River, which here resembles more a brook. Just as unnoticed, we step from the territory of Zala County into Veszprém County – this is only signaled by the increasingly closer silhouette of Vár Hill at Sümeg.

We walk on grassy pastures bordered by bushes, then turning right at a lookout tower, we reach the banks of the Meleg-víz stream. A rickety yet stable wooden bridge crosses the almost luminous green water covered with duckweed. The crossing made of winding narrow planks in the reed is a favorite photo subject for many – and indeed, it is hard to resist the romantic atmosphere of the place. On the other side, we immediately enter the Nyírlaki forest, which we cross with a pleasant walk of about three kilometers. Occasionally, patches of acacia and unexpectedly appearing black pine complement the otherwise oak-dominated path.

At the border of Nyírlakpuszta, it is worth making a short detour to the Tarárnyi Chapel, standing alone deep in the forest. The neogothic style chapel built of natural stone is surrounded by a special atmosphere: its slender vaults, columned entrance, and arched windows create harmonious proportions. The blue chapel mark indicates a 400-meter round trip that truly deserves the effort.

Exiting the forest, we are almost at the border of Sümeg. As we approach the town across the fields, Vár Hill with the Sümeg Castle sitting atop rises ever more prominently from the landscape. We can enjoy the view for a long time while slowly walking to the Sümeg railway station, where the stamp is found on a post opposite the traffic office.

Since this section is short and easily manageable, one can even plan a thorough sightseeing of Sümeg for the same day. A short, winding road leads up to the castle, which has been admired from afar, so after kilometers on flat terrain, some elevation awaits at the end of the day. The carefully renovated fortress attracts visitors not only with the panoramic views from the walkable castle walls but also with the castle gate evoking medieval atmosphere, the drawbridge, period workshops, and the torture chamber.

If we devote a full day to Sümeg, we must not miss the Bishop's Palace below the castle. This outstanding monument of Baroque architecture in Hungary provides insight into the daily life and intellectual life of the era through the life of Bishop Márton Padányi Bíró.