Exploring the easternmost bastion of Mátra

Itinerary

• The route in Sirok follows the K mark (with the castle at your back) up to the first hiking trail junction.
• Switching to the K+ mark, we cross the Darnó Hill.
• We make a detour to the Nyírjes Lake following the K● mark, then return to the K+ mark.
• We walk up to the Darnó peak on the K▲ mark, then return to the K+ mark.
• Descending from the hill, we follow the Z↺ mark to the edge of Recsk.
• From the edge of Recsk, the S mark leads to the village center.

Detailed description of the route

Sights in Sirok

The K+ hiking trail leading up to Darnó Hill starts from Sirok, famous for its castle, branching off from the National Blue Trail, and continues up to the Búzás-valley lake at the border of Recsk. Before embarking on the approximately 11 km walk to Recsk, it is worth exploring Sirok’s treasures: the 18th-century Roman Catholic church, the village’s former cave dwellings (some of which nowadays serve as apartments for guests), the folk culture exhibition house, and the main attraction mentioned above, the fortress towering over the settlement, whose uniqueness comes mainly from the rooms and corridors carved into the rock. The year-round open exhibition transports visitors back to the Turkish era; the fortress walls offer a wonderful panorama, and nearby, magnificent "stone sculptures" tell the legends of the area.

The special Nyírjes Lake

Another highlight of Sirok is the Nyírjes Lake, which our route also passes by. It reveals an unusual sight nestled on the southeastern wooded slope of Darnó. The lake, surrounded by lush vegetation and with changing water levels, is only a few meters deep, lying in a non-draining rhyolite tuff basin. Its uniqueness lies in the central peat moss swamp with rare peat moss species, surrounded remarkably by sessile oak and hornbeam-oak forests.

Peat mosses needing special microclimate conditions are very rare in our country. The lake is solely replenished by precipitation, so its natural condition largely depends on the season and drought. The oxygen-poor sediment layers of Nyírjes Lake—similarly to other peat bogs—preserve pollen deposited over millennia, providing researchers with exceptional insights into changes in the surrounding forests over about 10,000 years.

Studies show that since the Ice Age, dense pine forests dominated the area, gradually succeeded by beech and then oak due to warming. The bog retains species typical of Northern Europe from the Ice Age. Several sedge species, aquatic herbaceous plants, and insects can only be found here in the Mátra region. The lake’s name also comes from the downy birch that remained here, the main forest-forming tree of Iceland. The bog’s several meters thick water-saturated soil is extremely acidic, with pH 4.5 and nutrient-poor water, creating a habitat only tolerable by certain species.

Our hike started on K+ marks initially proceeds along a trail marked with three blue dots. This trail leads to Nyírjes Lake, where we make a short detour of a few meters, then return to the K+ mark and continue the comfortable ascent. The winding, wide path occasionally reveals the rock that partly makes up Darnó: at our feet or on the hillside appear colorful, visually striking rhyolite tuff blocks furrowed by erosion.

The panorama of Darnó

As we climb, the young oak forest occasionally opens views over the surroundings. Between the branches, the fortress of the neighboring Vár Hill and the houses of Sirok below often appear; later, a broader view of the eastern ridges of the Mátra main ridge behind us unfolds. This is not yet the full panorama; the true expansive sight of Darnó awaits us on the flat summit accessible by the K▲ mark.

The summit of Darnó, which has been stripped bare, has no specific lookout point. The path leads to the highest point of the hill (355 m), from where you can already see the entire northern side of the Mátra, and continuing a bit along the blackberry-laden path, we can also view the ridge offering a stunning panorama of the Heves–Borsod Hills located to our north. The panorama opening from the hilltop provides a unique perspective on the Mátra massif, though the completeness of the view is somewhat hindered by growing undergrowth and a few preserved trees. Even less experienced hikers can easily recognize the highest point of Mátra, Kékes, with its TV tower, and the somewhat more distant mass of Galya-tető.

At the Búzás Valley Lake

So far, we have mostly walked through young, open forest, but heading northwest along the Darnó ridge, we approach the shady, atmospheric oak forest near Búzás Valley Lake at the border of Recsk. After passing the Határ Hill, also marked on the map, we descend increasingly steeply towards the popular fishing lake in the area, created in 1972 by damming the Búzás stream. Soon we catch sight of the lake’s splendid 54-hectare water surface and then turn onto the Z↺ mark, which leads directly to the lake shore.

The well-kept and intimate environment both from afar and up close is not only idyllic for anglers but also offers hikers a chance to rest at this picturesque location in Mátra. It is worth walking around the lake before heading towards the weekend house settlement on the southern side. On the asphalt Road connecting Recsk, we again enjoy views of the Mátra heights and accompany our route’s end with great scenery, where numerous hospitality venues and services offer refreshment and comfort. Frequent bus services help you return to the starting point in Sirok, but direct connections to Gyöngyös or even Budapest are also available.