Accessible hike in the Szalajka Valley

Itinerary:

• Follow the Z marking throughout the valley until the Little Lake.
• At the junction after the Rock Spring, select the Z▲ marking; this leads to the Upper Lake, the turning point of our route.

Detailed route description:

In Szilvásvárad, our hike starts among the buildings of the Lipizzaner Equestrian Centre, a modern architectural complex completed in 2018, on a long promenade that leads straight on a wide, good-quality surface to the Szilvásvárad Forest Railway Fatelep stop, an industrial monument still in operation.

The valley and the stream running lively within it get their name from the Latin "sal alcalis" — Szalajka, popularly known as "hamuzsír". Hamuzsír was an indispensable raw material for glass production, as was wood — the logging of which reached industrial scale by the early 1900s, when the narrow-gauge railway was built. After mining and logging activities declined, the charming forest railway started serving tourism. The tastefully built stations and platforms, as well as the stylish forest stops, prove this role suits the narrow-gauge railway well.

Another special natural feature of the area stems from its karst region characteristics: limestone dissolves in water, creating numerous cavities, caves, water-washed depressions, and formations underground, some of which surrealistically and romantically decorate the surface environment. The main spring of the Szalajka stream, the Szalajka spring, may hide a yet unexplored underground cave system with interconnected passages.

As we start, on our right side is the Fatelep station, and on the left side a buffet forest reflecting the area's popularity. The gently ascending path leads through the valley. The Szalajka stream meanders alternately on our right or left, its crystal-clear water home to brown trout for a long time. Trout breeding in the valley started about 100 years ago, so the stream bed has been dammed at several points, creating artificial ponds for brown and rainbow trout. It is therefore no surprise that on the paved path, buffets and restaurants appear every 500–1000 meters offering the region's centuries-old gastronomic delicacy, smoked trout roasted in a wood-fired oven.

The mixed forest colors rise contrastively above the lush green banks and meadows, with ancient trees and shrubs alternating. We cross several tastefully built wooden-railed bridges. Later we curve widely by a wildlife park and arrive at the Szalajka-Halastó station, where the narrow-gauge railway tracks charmingly curve. Here, like before, scattered log tables and benches wait for those wishing to rest. In this setting, we find the first larger body of water, the Big Lake, which captivates visitors with wild ducks, fish swimming in its clear waters, and a marshy "crown."

We pass the lake in a semicircle, then after a short steeper section, the experience intensifies as we reach the very different Little Lake, resting under a carpet of aquatic plants on the right side of the path. Larger fish "take siestas" under the plant cover, where the water is so clear that only light refraction reveals its depth.

On terrain bordered by rocks, we leave behind the romantic cavity of the Rock Spring, the trout breeding site, and the smokehouse, then after a longer forest stretch, sometimes steeper, we arrive at the main attraction of the route, the Veil Waterfall.

One of our country’s most spectacular natural formations is famous not for its height but much more for its length: water cascades down 17 meters, passing over 18 tufa steps. When rainfall falling on the Bükk limestone covering is absorbed on the surface, water penetrates deep underground through cracks and fractures toward the mountain edge, then emerges at the base of the plateau as a plentiful spring feeding shorter and longer streams. The functioning of the Szalajka spring is the result of this process. However, when the stream emerges on the surface, the previously dissolved limestone content begins to precipitate. The resulting porous tufa covers obstacles in the streambed (e.g., tree trunks), which is the reason for the spectacular steps. The water tumbling over natural steps creates a roaring sound that transforms the Veil Waterfall's special beauty. It is worth visiting during heavy precipitation periods, such as after snowmelt, as the waterfall reveals its charms at varying flow rates in the smaller cascades.

A steeper but slip-resistant paved strip leads us up to the Gloriette Clearing: the huge, well-kept grassy meadow is bowled by colorful mountains; the size and view are breathtaking, and it’s worth taking a break here in the atmospheric meadow. Continuing, after leaving the narrow-gauge railway's terminus, our path winds along the tracks on now an unpaved gravel surface toward the southwestern tip of the Upper Lake. The spectacular landscape is also complemented by encounters with the very sensitive spotted salamander. About two-thirds of the lake can be explored by wheelchair from the left side; this is where the uphill part of our hike in this magnificent forest environment ends.

Those who are tired or short on time can return to the Gloriette Clearing, where from the Szalajka–Veil Waterfall stop they can enjoy the pleasures of narrow-gauge train travel. However, the route is so rich and refreshing that spending as much time as possible in nature is recommended, and it is also worthwhile to walk the return route on foot.