Excursion at Várhegy Forest Reserve

Itinerary:

• From Síkfőkút we start on the P+ trail among the holiday homes, then climb on the S trail over Cseres-tető to the Novaji hut.
• From the Novaji hut we follow the P+ trail to Vasbánya saddle, from where we continue on the Z trail along the side of Kövesdi-tető.
• We climb up to the Várhegy on the Z▲ trail, then descend on the P▲ trail to the Várkúti tourist house.
• We continue descending on the Z◼ trail in the Kánya Stream valley, and finally arrive at Síkfőkút together with the connecting S● trail.

About the hike in detail:

In the forests above Síkfőkút

We start from Síkfőkút at the bus stop of the hotel by the lake, going right, uphill on the P+ trail, which climbs out of the valley basin on a staircase between houses, then joins the street leading between holiday homes. Turning left on the S trail on the uppermost Gyöngyvirág Street, we exit the holiday home row set in the forest. From here, the continuous oak forest is no longer disturbed by houses and uniformly covers Cseres-tető with its well-maintained naturalness. As its name suggests, Turkey oak dominates here. The altitude and southern exposure benefit warmth-loving species, with a rich shrub layer due to increased sunlight exposure.

We cross Cseres-tető near the peak at about 500 meters, then after a short descent reach the saddle behind the hill, at the Novaji hut. This heavily ruined brick building was built in the early last century to accommodate forest workers. It now serves as a sad memorial to the forest way of life that disappeared in the 20th century. After the hut, we follow a pleasant ridge on the southern side of Vasbánya hill. Here grows a much looser, park-like downy oak, in accordance with the more exposed conditions on the hilltop. Due to shallower soil cover on the ridge and more extreme weather, only low, gnarled trees grow. The trunks are thickly covered in moss, and lush soft-stemmed plants thrive between the trees. After a nearly level section of ridge, the path skirts left around the steep hilltop and comfortably traverses to Vasbánya saddle. Here we can rest in a shady forest resting place under clearly visible, large-rooted trees. Rest is needed, as the last section of the trail offers the real challenge.

In the Várhegy Forest Reserve

At Vasbánya saddle, turning onto the Z trail, we enter the buffer zone of the strictly protected forest reserve. The path is set into an atmospheric oak forest while gradually climbing the hillside toward the summit region. Crossing a rocky ridge, the sparse oak forest opens up, allowing views back to the asymmetrical peak of Cseres-tető and the surrounding wooded hills traveled earlier. Among the wooded lands of Bükkalja, rooftops of Noszvaj, Bükkzsérc, and Szomolya can be spotted, while the rock-named Mezőkövesd, the Matyó capital, only emerges from the misty plain of the Alföld on especially clear days.

From the trail continuing level on the far side of the ridge, we soon branch off to a steeper path climbing through the saddle. The Z▲ trail leads from the saddle to the Várhegy peak, throne behind natural defensive lines. The ascent is steep but short. Upon reaching the flat summit rim, we cross a distinctive ribbon-like trench line. As the highest point in the area, the hilltop served as a fortified refuge for local inhabitants over millennia. Even Neolithic humans discovered the natural fortification, but the Kiétei culture clearly built trenches, and it continued to serve as a refuge in the Iron Age after the Bronze Age. Excavations suggest the fortifications were renewed in the 13th century.

The hilltop wedged between the trenches narrows and then widens again after a constriction. From here begins the descending section of our circular route on the P▲ trail, but before that, we climb to the western summit point of the hill. There is actually no sweeping view here (although there was a lookout tower in the mid-20th century), but the moss-covered rocks and the winding ancient forest create a palpable atmosphere. This steep, rocky area hosts one of the last naturally preserved forests in the country, the core area of the Várhegy forest reserve.

Returning from the peak, we follow the steep P▲ trail, which cuts into the southeastern hillside at the middle narrowing of the summit. Proceed cautiously on the rocky path! The few hundred meters below the peak are extremely steep. The P▲ trail arrives at the saddle between Várhegy and Bükkös-tető, now in a gentler terrain, from where we proceed on a wide forest road following the connecting P trail to the Várkúti tourist house.

Descent along the Kánya Stream

After Várhegy’s wild massif, the shelter and resting place at the edge of a clearing brings relief after the strenuous descent, even if the place tends to be crowded with tourists on weekends. In the clearing surrounded by ancient oak trees, a Marian shrine welcomes forest visitors. Forest workers who labored in hazardous conditions regularly erected such shrines on the mountain, along the Mátra and Bükk ranges, dedicated to the protective Virgin Mary. Opposite the house, at the clearing’s edge, a spring flows, the Vár-well. Our descending route continues here on the Z◼ trail, following the increasingly deepening Kánya Stream valley. The water flow under the well disappears among stones during dry periods, but the terrain clearly reflects the slow yet certain effect of water erosion. The ever-deepening valley is an idyllic home for old beech forest mixed with maple, ash, and oak. The trail follows the valley’s course with unbroken steepness. Most of the elevation loss during our hike occurs along this barely two-kilometer stretch.

In the Eocene limestone-cut valley, numerous karst water springs emerge inside the mountain block. The minor springs of László- and István-wells fade on the debris valley floor, but the last spring has a significant basin and even a small pond created. A resting area near the Attila-well invites refreshment and contemplation. The dense, old forest covering the deep valley bottom allows only minimal light, ideal for summer’s warm afternoons to cleanse near the end of our journey. From here only a short rocky section remains to Síkfőkút on the S● trail, where the popular holiday resort confronts us with increasing tourist crowds. The valley’s end has strongly suffered from popularity: asphalt and parking lots stretch along the last section by the lake shore to the Síkfőkút Hotel, where our circular route concludes.