Bodri Circle - Kisfröccs

Itinerary

• Start from the parking lot on the asphalt road leading here towards Sárköz Street (northwards).
• Upon reaching Sárköz Street, turn left and continue on the asphalt road to the bus turnaround, then turn left again and continue on the vineyard lane leading up the hillside.
• The vineyard lane meanders back and forth between the vineyards – always follow the steepest asphalt road.
• Where the asphalt road ends, turn right onto the upward dirt road that leads into the forest after leaving the vineyards. Do not leave this road until you reach an asphalted vineyard lane.
• Upon reaching the vineyard lane, turn right, then at the end of the road turn left again onto the upward vineyard lane. At the end of this road, turn left again and follow the K trail. To reach the Bati Cross lookout, turn right at the next opportunity and make a roughly 200-meter detour.
• Returning from the lookout, follow the K trail, which leads into the Szarvas Gorge, from where you turn onto the K+ trail. This trail passes through a gate into a fenced vineyard and then leads out through another gate.
• Follow the K+ trail to the children's camp located in the Dark Valley, then at the fork turn left onto the K↺ trail (which runs together with the K trail for a while), which leads to a rest area at the Haramia Spring. (When emerging onto a larger field from the forest, the “official” route zigzags a bit to join the K trail, but the spring can also be reached by walking straight across the field.)
• From the spring, return to the corner of the field where you previously reached the K↺ trail, then turn right onto the K▲ trail.
• The K▲ trail leads to Óriás Hill, where at the fork keep straight, following the K trail. Shortly after, the S trail joins from the right, then at the next fork, the K turns left while the S continues straight together with the P trail – this is the path you need to follow.
• Where the S and P trails split, keep left following the P trail.
• The P trail reaches a vineyard lane and after a gentle S-curve, leaving the pine forest, turn left onto a dirt road. The steep path through the trees turns into concrete and leads to the destination, the Bodri winery parking lot.

Detailed tour description

The tour starts from the Faluhely vineyard, from the Bodri winery parking lot. The rather large concrete slab suggests that wine tourism attracts many visitors, which is no surprise given the nearby restaurant, guesthouses, and even the well-designed buildings serving economic purposes. The geographic name refers to two things: partly there may have once been a settlement here, and secondly, the term “vineyard” (dűlő) denotes an area between two roads or boundaries, usually noted by a specific name. The word originates from furrows or parcels “dűlő” running in the same direction—arable land that “leans” perpendicularly on others. The wine region itself also consists of vineyards and resembles a puzzle on the map.

From vineyard to vineyard

From the start, we head on the asphalt road leading into Faluhely vineyard towards the valley of the Cinka Stream, then after crossing the stream turn left. Looking straight towards the ridge, you can already see the first checkpoint, the Bati Cross lookout. Turning left at the nearby bus turnaround, we start climbing on the vineyard lane winding beautifully maintained vineyards. Occasionally – especially on the asphalt sections at intersections or on the ground – you might see a purple BK mark which is not very noticeable at first, so it’s recommended to use a map.

As we climb higher on the steep road leading up the hillside, the view opens better and better to the valley left behind and on the other side the Baranya valley. As far as the eye can see, vineyards surrounded by forests spread out. The Szekszárd wine region covers 2600 hectares and includes the easternmost parts of the Szekszárd Hills. The region has a millennia-old tradition of viticulture: perhaps the Celts, definitely the Romans were engaged in grape growing. Today Szekszárd is known primarily for its red wines, but this was not always the case. The Ottoman advances and rule in the 15th-16th centuries caused changes in viticulture. On one hand, the Ottoman-occupied area cut off the southern, Szerém wine region, famous for its wines, from the rest of the country. On the other, under Ottoman influence, Serbs also arrived bringing Balkan vineyard culture. Along with that, they brought the technology and grape varieties needed for red wine, such as Kadarka, likely named after the Albanian town of Shkodër. The loess soil planted on a 20–50 meter thick covering of red clay receives 2040-2050 hours of sunshine annually; the unique climate formed at the meeting of two regions, the Great Hungarian Plain and the Szekszárd Hills, also helps winemakers in their work.

The vineyard lane suddenly transitions into an unmarked forest path without any intermediate sections. The easternmost arms of the Szekszárd Hills forests reach here where, with some luck, you might spot big game. During heat, it can be especially refreshing to enter the shade of the trees, following the dirt road straight until reaching the next vineyard. Upon reaching concrete road, turn right to continue again between vineyards, this time in the Baranya valley vineyard. After a few hundred meters on level ground, turn left and follow the steadily ascending vineyard lane to the lookout. The Bati Cross lookout – the first checkpoint – stands on a 280-meter high hill, rising 20 meters above ground level. From the platform 15 meters high, a 360-degree panoramic view opens: to the east stretches the endless plains of the Great Hungarian Plain before the feet of the Szekszárd Hills; to the west-southwest, the hills ripple; looking north, the southern part of Mezőföld appears, while southwards the well-known Baranya valley and Faluhely vineyard are visible. The popular excursion site has resting places equipped with benches, tables, and fire pits.

Gorges, vineyards, dark valley

From the lookout, return to the vineyard lane where the K trail passes and turn right. On the opposite fence, you can see a map of the Heimann Estate vineyards, showing which vineyard is mainly planted with which grape. Typical varieties include Olaszrizling, Chardonnay, Kadarka, Kékfrankos, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zweigelt. The Szekszárd Bikavér and Fuxli (Siller) are perhaps the most notable local wines. Generally, several vineyards are blended in Szekszárd’s base wines to ensure consistent quality, and many varietal wines also represent blends of different vineyards of the same grape variety.

A few steps from here lies the Bati Cross. According to its inscription, the stone cross was erected in 1887, commemorating a village destroyed during the Turkish era (Bat village stood near Kakasd). The word’s origin is interesting: “báta” means puddle or pond in Serbian, while in Turkish it referred to a swampy place or marsh. The waters flowing through the flat or gently undulating terrain beneath the hills often pooled in swamps in this area (see also: Bátaszék).

After leaving the cross, just a few steps and we are already in the Szarvas Gorge. Gorges here refer to loess gullies formed partly by rainfall and partly by human activity on the loess-covered hills. These can be quite deep and wide, once passable by wagon and nowadays also by car, and as narrow as the Szarvas Gorge, where only a narrow path winds between 2-4 meter high walls. Exiting several hundred meters long gorges, we leave the Rockanbauer Pál South Transdanubian Blue Trail trail and join the K+ trail. The path leads between Bodzás vineyard towards the Dark Valley (Sötét-völgy) allowing one last glance over the Mezőföld plain, then shortly continues into a steep, technical path descending into the valley. The valley path suddenly reaches the edge of a larger meadow, where the huts of the Dark Valley Children’s Camp appear. Where the small camp fence ends, turn left onto the trail marked K and K↺, along which you can also see information boards of the Dark Valley educational trail for a while.

Land of bandits and giants

The K↺ trail leads to a pleasant meadow beside the Haramia Spring. The spring is one of the oldest spring enclosures in the Szekszárd Hills, and its name refers to the bandits who may have once settled around the plentiful well. Leaving the spring, return to the meadow's corner previously reached on the K↺ trail, then turn right onto the K▲ trail leading to Óriás Hill. While the hill is not giant-sized, it is the highest point in the Szekszárd Hills (285 m) and there is a steep climb up it: the triangle trail marker crosses all contour lines perpendicularly along this straight path. At the hilltop (second checkpoint), reaching a four-way junction, continue on the K trail, then on the side of a meadow (with a nice view of Bati Cross lookout and Mezőföld), first the S trail arrives from the right, then the K turns left. Following the S trail, it soon joins the P trail and we continue to Gurovica Hill (the S trail eventually bends right). First on a dirt road, then continuing on a concrete vineyard lane – now in Gurovica vineyard. Wonderful views open of Tót Valley, and beyond that, the Gemenc forest and the endless plains of the Great Hungarian Plain.

After leaving the pine-covered Gurovica peak, take the first dirt road to the left. As tempting as the concrete vineyard lane a few steps away may be, keep left on the steep dirt road descending, which soon merges into the concrete road of Faluhely vineyard and gently leads to the finish. After checking in, a ceramic plaque can be collected at the Optimus Restaurant at the finish, and naturally, there is the possibility to enjoy a small spritzer.