Cserhátsurány – Hollókő (Day 43 of the OKT Hike)

Cserhátsurány stands out somewhat from the surrounding towns in terms of both population and attractions. The most interesting of these is the Catholic church, which also appears on the Kéktúra stamp and is located in the southern part of the village. It’s worth making a short detour to see its octagonal tower, its Gothic pointed-arch windows, and the fact that its current sanctuary was originally the nave of the 14th-century building.

The village also has another church, three castles, and two general stores—almost all of which are along the Blue Trail. At the end of Petőfi Street, after stamping our passports at an information board, we head north, passing Coopot and then Jánossy Castle. The latter attracts the eye from afar with its striking features: the historic complex stands out thanks to its whitewashed walls, onion-domed corner and watchtowers, and the lion statues guarding its parapet fence. It is privately owned and not open to the public.

After passing the Lutheran church and the other general store, we leave the village behind. At a poorly marked Y-junction, we turn right and walk along the border between a plowed field and a strip of forest until the trees finally close in—mostly oaks, as befits the name of the region. We’re on a gentle but surprisingly long and—especially after rain—quite exhausting climb until we reach the nearly 400-meter-high summit of Hegyes Hill. From there, we descend steadily to the fields of Nógrádsipek, which we then climb back up, and, accompanied by a beautiful view opening onto the village’s basin, we wind our way down to the main street. Heading south along this street, we find one of the Nógrádsipek stamps in the village center .

There are two mansions belonging to the Balás family, the village’s former landowners—the one on the left, across from the green space, is abandoned and locked up, but the other has been beautifully renovated and serves as a library, community center, and school building. The Blue Trail also passes by the Catholic church and then continues on for a long stretch to the bus turnaround at the end of the cul-de-sac village. Along the way, the K stamp marker branches off, leading to the Korona Café, our next stamping stop.

In the villages along the trail, it’s worth noting the characteristic houses of Palóc architecture, with their gabled roofs, whose vertical surfaces were often decorated with symbols—or perhaps monograms—referring to the head of the family’s religion or occupation. In the absence of a chimney, smoke from the oven also escaped through the open attic space.

Nógrádsipek – Hollókő

We leave Nógrádsipek via the valley of the Rimóc-Sipeki Stream, then follow the trail running along its edge. To the right, the K● trail branches off toward the Dobos-kút campsite and rest area; continuing in the direction of the Blue Trail, it gradually climbs up to the saddle of Pusztavár Hill. By taking the KL trail branching off to the left, you can make a detour of about 1 kilometer to visit the modest ruins of Sztrahora Castle —the detour isn’t necessarily worth it, but there’s also a view from the summit.

The Blue Trail descends to the saddle of Remete Hill, from where you can set out on another adventure: following the S and then the S▲ trail markers, you can reach the geodetic tower standing on the summit of Dobogó-tető. Climbing it is officially prohibited, but it’s physically possible—the ladders are still there. The landscape stretches from the Börzsöny to the Mátra, and the Carpathians are visible to the north. The next 3 km pass relatively uneventfully—until we reach Sós-puszta, where the hillside offers a wide view. Against the backdrop of this picturesque scene, on a clear day, the central, highest part of the Low Tatra ridge rises.

Cutting through a wooded ridge and then descending into a stream valley, we approach Hollókő Castle, which can be reached via several trails. The easiest way is to head right, following the PT and then the K● trail markers, passing by the Várkút Spring on the way up. The ruins of the fortress, restored beginning in the 1990s, offer a romantic sight on the slopes of the Cserhát, though its history is similar to that of many other Hungarian castles. Built after the Tatar invasion, it was later expanded; as a border fortress, it fell into Turkish hands, and was eventually destroyed following the Rákóczi War of Independence. It can be visited by purchasing an admission ticket.

From the ruins, we descend along the KL trail back to the Blue Trail, which we had previously joined in the Old Village of Hollókő. The World Heritage Site owes its current form to a number of factors, including the 1909 fire, after which uniform, Palóc-style houses were built. Of these, 67 are now protected, and some house businesses (restaurants, workshops, exhibition houses), but most serve as residences—this “living” preservation of tradition also played a role in its inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987.

Walking along the street in the Old Village, we arrive at the bus stop, next to which we find the tour’s final stamp on an information board .