All-day accessible excursion around Fertőrákos

Itinerary:

• Start from the Fertőrákos Quarry, heading down along the Main Street bike path.
• Turn right on Patak Street, then cross the creek at the end of the row of houses.
• On the bike path, you reach the Tómalom lakes.
• Take the K marked path on the west side of the lake, then return on the east side on the S marked path.
• Returning to the bike path, retrace the same route back to Fertőrákos as you came.

Description of the route:

The upper part of Felsőrákos Main Street also marks the village boundary. The Sopron–Felsőrákos intercity bus arrives here, so the starting point of the route is easily accessible by public transport.

The Fertőrákos Quarry and Cave Theatre is one of the most special sights in our country. The stones quarried here were already used by the Romans to build Scarbantia (the ancient settlement on the site of today's Sopron), and in the 13th century, stones mined here were brought to the St. James Church in Lébény. Quarrying intensified in the 19th century when a Viennese entrepreneur leased the mine from the Győr bishopric – stones from the Fertőrákos quarry were transported to numerous buildings in Sopron, Győr, Vienna, and Budapest. During World War II, a cruel forced labor camp operated here, and the mine was closed in 1948. Shortly afterward, in 1951, it was declared a monument, and cultural use began: a cave theatre, nature trail and themed park were created, and in 2001 UNESCO declared Fertő Lake and the surrounding area a World Heritage Site, including the Fertőrákos quarry.

Its very well-documented history, fantastic dimensions, and prehistoric references make it a prominent cultural, natural, and geological memorial site in our country. After its renovation in 2015, you can explore the quarry inside and out: the Sziklai Benge nature trail on the surface introduces the quarry's geological values and special flora and fauna, while the viewing points offer wonderful panoramas of Fertő Lake and the entire quarry. On the nature trail’s thematic stations, you can also get historical insights, learning about the Sopronkőhida prison and the Pan-European Picnic. The cave theatre built inside the quarry’s interior is also worth visiting even when there are no performances.

Before starting our hike, we can explore the mine courtyard and inside the quarry in a wheelchair as the accessibility is arranged. After cool spaces in the summer heat, it is more tolerable to coast down the village’s main street on the bike path. Along the way, you also find a 18th-century pillory, a limestone pillar rising to the sky at the former council square, where convicted people were publicly shamed by being tied.

We descend about 1 km past the former mansions of wealthy citizens, then turn right on Patak Street in front of the bishop’s castle. Now we continue for about 1 km on a flat, paved street running in the valley. After turning left at the small bridge over the Rákos creek, we reach the natural area border on the bike path.

The climate changes and we reach the beautiful forest "tunnel" leading to the Tómalom lakes: the overlapping tree crowns above the path form a nearly regular tunnel. Initially, we walk for a long distance along a slightly ascending, gravel path on the hillside through mixed forest, which gradually turns into oak forest with some Scots pine mixed in. The route is characterized by drastic changes in environment and climatic conditions, and we roam the country's region most abundant in rain. Some shorter, 10-40 meter long, steeper sections make ascent harder, but the fine gravel forest surface is well navigable throughout.

Beyond halfway through the "tunnel" section, on the left side opens a similarly atmospheric forest path leading up to the newly built Kecske Hill lookout in 2022, but unfortunately, this is not passable with a wheelchair. (There are 2-3 short but too steep, clay road sections with collapses, but since the view of Fertő Lake from the top is only visible from the lookout anyway, it would be unnecessary to struggle up there.)

Continuing our hike, we slowly descend and arrive at the northern tip of Nagy-Tómalom. On the shore of this pleasant medium-sized body of water (unfortunately fenced on the arrival side), we find tasteful service facilities, a kayak center, and a beach area. The lake is bordered to the east by the Szárhalmi Forest and to the west by the quiet, not overly flashy street of wealthy citizens’ summer homes and residences. We circle the lake from the latter direction. The view of the water surface is impressive in places, and from the right side, you can already see several hundred meters of the Sopron city district. We turn left between Kis- and Nagy-Tómalom, leave the paved terrain, and a short fishing paradise flashes its reflecting eye at us, reaching the farthest point of our hike. Only the length and our physical condition limit the excursion here (we could continue to Sopron by turning right, which is also navigable, about 5 km), but we turn left towards the return section of our forest hike, on the other side of the lake.

We reach the beach buffet on undulating forest soil—about two-thirds into our hike, a longer rest is recommended. In summer, good swimmers with hoisting assistance can also brighten the event by bathing in the lake; unfortunately, this is not planned here for people with disabilities in this sense, but it can be solved as a group.

On the way back downhill, we can enjoy the forest "tunnel" view from a slightly bird’s-eye perspective—a reward for the final segment of our hike. Occasionally, on a fine gravel but maintained surface, the forest opens up towards us, allowing window-like views towards distant panoramas.

Upon returning to Fertőrákos, those who found the previous 12 km too easy can cross the bridge, turn left on Patak Street, and shorten the route to the starting point by steep climbs with brutal effort, but we only recommend this solution to strong helpers and wheelchair users struggling with calorie surplus.

Instead, it is better to turn right, returning along the lead road, and stop by one of the catering units offering themselves on both sides of the Main Street for a well-deserved rest. From here, it is only a few hundred meters back to the parking lot or bus stop—enriched with a lifelong experience.