A Börzsöny classic: the essence of Magas-Börzsöny

• We start the tour from the forestry memorial site in Nagy-völgy, Kemence, following the K mark towards the center of the mountain range, the Csarna Valley, and we follow this marking all the way to the parking lot of the Feketevölgy pension.
• At the pension, we switch to the P◼ mark, which climbs up to the ridge.
• On the ridge, we join the P mark, which we follow through Holló-kő to the Vár-bérc.
• We take a detour to Vár-bérc via the P▲ mark.
• From Vár-bérc, we descend following the P+ mark until a junction.
• From the top of Csarna Valley, we follow the K mark all along the valley back to the starting point.

Detailed description of the tour

Our tour starts from Kemence at the northwestern foot of the mountain range, but exactly from where is up to us. We can park next to the two huge rock slabs of the forestry memorial monument along Nagyvölgyi Road. From here, following the Börzsöny Blue Tour K marks, we venture into the famous lower part of Csarna Valley, although we still walk on asphalt until the Feketevölgy pension. (If arriving by forest railway from the settlement, you can travel directly to the pension at the final station of the railway.) This cozy accommodation is found between narrowing mountain slopes, beside a babbling stream, in the silence of the forest.

From the pension, we follow the P◼ mark ascending the slope of Jancsi Hill until we reach the P marking, where we turn left. With continuous ascent, we arrive at the clearing on Jancsi Hill, offering views—the first stop of our panoramic ridge trail.

We walk along the edge of a volcanic structure that collapsed after its activity, on the western edge of Magas-Börzsöny. The valleys below and the ridges running north form the caldera, the collapsed remnants of the volcano. Along the ridge trail passing through Holló-kő, Kövirózsás, and Vár Hill, we can admire the Börzsöny's most beautiful panoramas multiple times, which especially after leaf-fall reveal the breathtaking terrain intricacies.

Via Jancsivár

The narrow ridge of Jancsi Hill roughly resembles a rhomboid shape, widening northwest into a gently sloping plateau that archaeological excavations suggest was inhabited in prehistory and later in the Middle Ages, being a fortified area with ditches and stone ramparts. Most of the finds from a sounding excavation in 1986 belong to the Late Bronze Age urnfield culture, but 12th-13th century pottery shards were also found, proving habitation during the Árpád era. Sharp eyes can still discover the faint traces of stone ramparts and ditches along the trail.

Our path, starting with undulations, leads along a forested, rocky mountain ridge, then after a steep climb reaches another panoramic point. Perhaps the most beautiful mountain panorama in Hungary opens before us from the rocky cliff of Holló-kő, 685 m high.

Holló-kő panorama

The bold andesite rock formations of Holló-kő themselves form a wild and picturesque sight, but the view makes the place truly unique. An immense, seemingly endless space opens before us: the forest-covered inner courtyard of Magas-Börzsöny. Streams draining the rainfall onto Börzsöny have carved deep valleys with steep walls, creating a labyrinthine landscape where the inner ridges and the background peaks of Magosfa–Csóványos–Nagy-Hideg-hegy ridge present a mountain range appearing higher than reality.

Descending from Holló-kő, we reach Kövirózsás via a rocky path passing through occasional rock narrowings, crossing a mossy stone sea, then with further leveling we climb to the 730 m high peak of Vár-bérc. At the base of the huge vertical rock slab, a narrow path skirts the peak, then on the P▲ mark branching to the right, we can “twist” up to the summit.

At the top of Vár-bérc

As the name suggests, at this summit, we can glimpse ruins whose stones are layered together preserving traces both of volcanic activity that took place millions of years ago and of human construction built upon it. Although the remains of Salgóvár castle are modest, it is definitely worth climbing to the rocky summit representing the castle top, as above the trees, a limited but beautiful view unfolds to the peaks of Magas-Börzsöny and the caldera's runoff ridges, as well as towards the Visegrád Hills.

We know little about the castle itself. It was probably built by Salgó from the Hont-Pázmány clan in the latter half of the 13th century—he was the first owner of the area. The castle is first mentioned in 1386 in a document as a royal property. In 1419, Miklós Salgó is mentioned as the castle lord. Due to his crimes (minting counterfeit money and committing adultery), his properties were confiscated by King Sigismund of Luxembourg’s order, and Salgóvár was demolished in 1424. After that, the castle is only mentioned as ruins in documents.

Descent into the enclosed wilderness

Leaving the castle, we begin a longer descent on the P+ mark, then switching to the K mark, we reach the unique world of Csarna Valley enclosed by mountains. Before reaching the bottom, beautiful beech forests gradually give way to clear-felled areas—the valley’s forest has been permanently excluded from forestry management, essentially functioning as a reserve, but on its edge, large patches of forest were felled. During descent, we can have a view of the caldera rim carrying the Csóványos mountain, which forms a striking wall enclosing the landscape.

The dark beech forest closes in, and upon reaching the creek bed flowing deep below us for a long stretch, we arrive at one of the former stations of the old railway, Hamuház, whose name preserves the memory of wood ash tallow production in the 18th-19th centuries—ash tallow was once indispensable for glassmaking and linen bleaching. Near the small hut, we can still find the old station sign and rails, as well as several railway axles waiting uncertain fates lined up in the silence of the forest.

Washed-away past in the famous Csarna Valley

From here on, we walk in a forest rich in natural values, declared a strictly protected natural area since 1978. The steep ridges 200-300 meters higher enclosing the valley provide habitat for nearly 50 special plant species and numerous rare animal species.

The wild valley's lower, partly difficult-to-pass path is covered by varied woodlands. We proceed under oaks, beeches, hornbeams, and ashes, gently descending along the washed-out railway line, crossing the Csarna stream several times, which depending on the season flows gently or turbulently.

The unique atmosphere of Csarna or Fekete Valley also includes the apocalyptic sight of the section of the Kemence forest railway washed away by the stream, which led until the early 21st century all the way to the Halyagosi mountain lodge. The railway line, originally established in 1913 for timber transport and later carrying tourists, was damaged in the 1990s by repeated floods, and the planned but eventually abandoned restoration in the 2010s made the Csarna Valley widely known.

Thanks to the work of the water, the terrain is both spectacular and adventurous. It really can only be reached on foot, contributing greatly to the valley’s undisturbed nature. As a result, rare and strictly protected animal species such as the black stork, imperial eagle, and Ural owl, as well as the elusive lynx, which researchers rarely capture, have found refuge here.

At the bottom of the wilderness-like valley, we cross the mostly gentle or sometimes rushing Csarna stream several times. Its waters are home to Petényi barbel, stone loach, gudgeon, and nimble dace, and spotted salamanders are often seen among the stones. If quiet, we have a good chance of spotting game.

Following the line of the railway wreckage along a stony streambed in a wild environment, at the Feketevölgy pension the scenery changes abruptly around us. From this point on, signs of nature’s destructive work are gone. In the clearing surrounded by forest, we find accommodations, renovated rails, and an asphalt road which our mark follows. We return on the paved road already traveled at the start of the tour, while accompanying the stream and the still-operational tracks of the Kemence forest railway. At the end of the tour, it is worth visiting the Kemence Forest Railway Railway and Local History Exhibition in the village.