Gliding among the fairytale meadows of the Őrség

Itinerary

• We start from the center of Őriszentpéter heading towards Nagyrákos (and Zalalövő).
• In Nagyrákos we visit the local heritage house, then continue straight to the next village, Pankasz.
• In Pankasz we view the bell tower standing by the road, then continue straight through Kisrákos to Viszák.
• At Viszák we turn right, cycling through Őrimagyarósd to Szőce, where we visit the House of Peatlands and the nature trail.
• From Szőce we turn back towards Őrimagyarósd, and before the village turn left towards the Vadása Lake.
• After bathing we reach Hegyhátszentjakab and Felsőjánosfa then arrive at Pankasz, from where we return to Őriszentpéter along the known route.

Detailed Description of the Route

Traces of Traditional Life in the Őrség

Leaving Őriszentpéter, we cycle 3.4 km to our first stop, the carefully preserved village-structured Nagyrákos heritage house (Heritage House and Blacksmith's Workshop). The charming thatched roof house by the road is impossible to miss. The exhibition inside, evoking the atmosphere of the 1920s, shows how our ancestors lived and the tools they used daily. The house was actually completed at the end of the 1800s through local cooperation: a service apartment was built for the blacksmith of Nagyrákos. The museum is open by prior appointment.

In the next village, Pankasz, we can visit one of the Őrség's finest monuments, the skirted bell tower built in 1755, which is also unmistakable, located on the right side of the road after turning towards Kisrákos. Next to the freely accessible bell tower, the renovated blacksmith's workshop can also be visited (by prior appointment).

Heading to the Szőce Peat Moss Meadow!

The bell tower stands on a sloping orchard top, it is worth observing this characteristic Őrség landscape, as well as admiring the meadows along our way. The Őrség scenery is shaped by meadows and meadow orchards on hilltops beyond the forests, wet peat meadows in valley bottoms, and a large number of rivers, small marshes, and peatlands. Traditional Őrség peasant farms included not only house-surrounding but also more remote, steeply sloping meadows with scattered fruit trees, which are perhaps the most characteristic elements of the Őrség landscape.

One of the biggest biological wonders of the Őrség meadows is the story of bloodwort and the dark ant-blue butterfly. Thanks to the rich meadows, Őrség is the land of butterflies, especially daytime butterflies, with no fewer than 120 different species found here. The beautiful but endangered dark ant-blue butterfly has one of its largest populations in Europe within the Őrség National Park. Sensitive to external influences, the ant-blue butterfly is a spectacular model species for nature conservation, and its unique development is a stunning example of biological diversity, about which more can be learned at the Őrség National Park visitor center in Őriszentpéter.

Now really heading to Szőce, a peat meadow home to many protected plants, including numerous relic species remaining from after the Ice Age! On the way through Kisrákos we can see beautiful traditional houses with stone fences and large barns, then passing Viszák and Őrimagyarósd we arrive at Szőce.

After prior appointment, first visit the House of Peatlands, where we learn about the nature of peatlands, their plant and animal life, and the relationship between peatlands and people. From here starts the 900 m long nature trail towards the peatland.

The Szőce Creek valley is one of the most important parts of the Őrség National Park. The Szőce Creek valley and the meadows and hayfields along the creek were for a long time known only to locals, unaware of their special natural value, although their centuries-old traditional farming practices contributed to their preservation (the peat meadow was scientifically discovered in the 1950s). The most valuable part of the area is a chain of meadows at the valley bottom, about 14 hectares in size. The special climatic and hydrological conditions combined with centuries of farming made it possible for unique plant communities and species associated with the last Ice Age to survive here (the most significant being the peat moss peatland). A boardwalk has been built on the peat meadow, and stepping off it is strictly prohibited!

And now the eagerly awaited dip in Vadása Lake

The nationally known Vadása Lake is a deservedly popular destination: its clean water is fed by 12 springs. The 200 meter wide, 350 meter long lake is a favorite spot for hikers and beachgoers during summer months, where we can refresh and spend a pleasant afternoon (of course, there are also food options). We return to Pankasz passing through Felsőjánosfa, then return on the already traveled route to Őriszentpéter, where if well planned, we might immediately join a pleasant barn concert.