Along Gönc's past from the spa to the knight's castle

Itinerary:

• From Gönc we follow the P◼ signs to reach the source area of the Kis Creek.
• From the creek valley, we make a detour eastwards (straight) on the P sign towards the Amadé Castle.
• We reach the castle ruins via the PL sign, then return the same way.
• Starting back on the P sign, we descend in the Kis Creek valley to the ruins of the Gönc Paulite monastery.
• We return to Gönc on the P+ sign.
• The bus stop is reached by following the P◼ signs (to the right).

Detailed description of the route:

From Gönc to the Kis Creek valley

We start the hike from the center of Gönc following the P◼ signs. If at the junction on Kossuth Street where the sign turns right we continue straight for a few steps, we can peek into the Hussite House, which now operates as a folk museum, on the left side of the road. Our sign goes from the roundabout along Rákóczi Street, circles the Saint Imre Catholic Church, and climbs the hills above the village through a small valley. We arrive at the side of the Blehi Creek via the agricultural road between the cemetery and orchards, crossing the slope at the foot of Kakukk Hill. Around us, the hills are covered with blackberry and apricot plantations.

Until the end of the 19th century, viticulture flourished on the hills around Gönc, as the continuation of the Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region, stretching right up to the foothills of the volcanic mountains. Although the colder climate flowing into the Hernád valley caused the quality of grapes and wine here to be below that of Tokaj-Hegyalja, this product was still valuable to the region, as also indicated by the surviving Gönc barrel as a unique unit of measure. However, the phylloxera, the root louse imported from America, dealt a fatal blow to the local vineyards: hardly 1.5% of the former planted stock was replanted above the Hernád valley. In this region, the state supported orchards more, which is how the Gönc apricot spread and became famous, remaining a defining product of the area since then.

On the side of the Blehi Creek, we reach the asphalt road below the apricot orchards, leading us into the foothill forest. Here, roadside acacias dominate, which have spread across the wine-producing areas as valuable economic trees, serving as resistant material for vine poles. Like the root louse, the acacia also originates from America, and as an invasive species, it displaces native tree stands, leading to species-poor vegetation at its base. We cross the creek and climb along the gentle hillside following the Helle valley. The acacia grove turns into a planted forest of pine, also foreign to the Tokaj Mountains. Under the orderly rows of pine stumps, acacias represent the growing regeneration. The steepness increases at the upper part of the valley, and then the trail continues through the wide oak forests. Near the valley head, we arrive at a forest management road, which we follow only for a few dozen meters southwards, then follow a short section to Dobogó saddle on a path overgrown with old road cuts.

At the saddle, as well as in the shaded forest on the other side, beech trees dominate, marking our entry into the more protected ancient world of the volcanic mountains. After a short descent of a few hundred meters, we reach the upper section of the Kis Creek winding through the hornbeam-shaded forest, where just before the creekside walk continues, we take a short but strenuous detour to the projection of Amadé Castle perched high above us.

Taking Amadé Castle

The steep cliff on which the castle once stood is well over 200 meters above us, and the steepness of the mountainside is also considerable. It is no coincidence that Aba Amadé built his fortress here: indeed a well-defensible, strategic point on the rocky ridge running north from Téglás Rock. We climb the trail marked P through a former clear-cut area with young, then old beech trees. Occasionally, the intertwined branches of young beeches lash out. First, we reach Kis-Amadé Hill, where the steepness temporarily eases, then we wind upwards through old beech forest on the rocky ridge of Nagy-Amadé Hill. Beneath the rocky crest, we bypass a few trenches and wall remains, finally reaching the castle area on the PL sign at the rocky ridge forming the natural eastern walls.

The panorama, though limited, offers a characteristic view of the inner areas of the Tokaj Mountains. We have a long view over the (Gönc) Nagy Creek valley from around the Paulite monastery to the spring area. The surrounding forested hills form the mountain range’s highest continuous terrain, where away from settlements, one of nature’s last refuges remains: forests frequented by large predators and protected meadows. The village only leaves traces at the northern foothills, allowing views to the fields above Telkibánya, a small corner of the Hernád valley, and Kassa in the distance. To the north, the view disappears at the ridges of the Carpathians, joined to our mountain range via the Great Milic massif, which closes the vista northeastward as the highest mountain group.

The steep cliff below us is a legacy of the Ice Age climate, which carved out the harder andesite lava layer from the side of the stratovolcano. We can see examples of this cryoplanation frost weathering around our narrowly defined mountain group near Téglás Rock, Sólyom Rock, Fekete Rock, and above Rivnyák farm.

Climbing back from the cliff and leaving the ruins, we descend the already traveled path into the Kis valley and continue northwards on the P sign alongside the creek.

In the Kis Creek valley

Shortly below the fork, we are greeted by a small clearing, and on its far side, we enter the creekside forest on a path starting among old benches and tables. For a few kilometers, we follow the deeply incised stream in the shaded, old beech forest. We pass a pine forest earlier on, then wind with the creek through a primeval forest-like, wild area with large, mossy stones.

Emerging from the winding valley gorge, the path finds a defined forestry road, leaving the babbling stream. Descending gently, it reaches the ruins of the Paulite monastery on the oak-covered slope of Dobogó Hill. The church ruins rising among centuries-old oaks fill the small forested area with reverence. Entering between the walls, we can see surprisingly well-preserved decorated capitals, carved pillars, an arched ceiling, and gate remains, as well as the rose window’s site in the ruins hidden deep in the forest. The local settlements’ hikers conservatively restored the ruins through the determined work of the Hernád Valley Department of the Hungarian Tourist Association in the early 20th century. They also built a shelter to help with the work, offering refuge with a spacious terrace for visitors. Unfortunately, the residence beside the church could not be saved, though its size and location suggest it was a multi-story cloister with arcaded corridors, a classic monastery style. The ruins spread over a large area with strongly undulating terrain marking the monks’ former living quarters.

Back to Gönc

Behind the monastery ruins, the hiking trail forks. The P sign continues towards Telkibánya and Hollóháza, but we turn back westwards on the P+ sign to return to our starting point. The forestry road leading out of the valley gently climbs, soon reaching its highest point. Next to a pine forest, bypassing a shallow cut, we begin our descent to Gönc. Leaving the steep northern slope, we cross the rolling Dobogó side through the cart road leading to the village, which from here leaves the continuous forests and passes across meadows, groves, and orchards to Gönc.

From the highest meadows is a beautiful view of the Hernád valley and the Carpathian ridge rising opposite. The hills above Kassa, the Slovak Ore Mountains, formerly called the Gömör-Szepesi Ore Mountains, have peaks exceeding 1,000 meters, from which the raw materials rich in ores were mined for the steelworks of Košice from Aranyida to Dobšiná.

Through the rolling hills of Sikora, we enter the village next to the old spa. Unfortunately, the bathing site supplied by the thermal spring is no longer functioning, so if you want to take a dip at the end of the hike to soak your tired limbs, you will find the local swimming pool next to the Reformed church on the other side.

Turning right from Rákóczi Street, turning off on the P◼ signs, we return to the center, closing the loop.