Family adventure hike on the northern edge of Bükk

Itinerary

• We start on the Z trail towards the Palotaszálló from the Lillafüred narrow-gauge railway station.
• Crossing under the railway track, we make a short detour to the Lillafüred Waterfall along the unmarked Fazola promenade, then through the hanging gardens.
• On the far side of the hanging garden, we join the K+ trail along Kosztolányi Dezső promenade, which turns back towards the Hámori Lake.
• Next to Hámori Lake, we join the Z trail, which leads through Lencsés Spring and Lencsés Ridge to the head of the Forrás Valley.
• On the Forrás Valley, the P+ trail leads all the way to the Király Well.
• From Király Well, following the creek, we arrive at Csanyik meadow via the PT (Heart Circle) trail.
• From Csanyik meadow, we join the unmarked path to the Mahóca narrow-gauge railway tracks, crossing the Lillafüred country road (Vadas Jenő Street) on foot.
• We briefly follow the P and then the Z trails to get to the other side of the Szinva creek.
• Alongside the Szinva creek on an unmarked path, then on the final meters on the Z trail, we pass through Scout Park to the Majális Park bus stop.

Detailed description of the hike

Multi-generational promenades around Lillafüred

We start our route from the Lillafüred narrow-gauge railway stop, which can be reached not only by train but also easily by bus. If you don't want to occupy the kids with the fair bazaar, stalls, or playground, or don't plan to spend much time in the park, you can head straight towards Hámori Lake. However, it’s advisable to visit the Lillafüred Waterfall, reachable by a very short detour. This nearly 20-meter high waterfall features the artificially diverted Szinva stream. Originally, below the Palotaszálló, there was a travertine dam system equalizing the level differences between the Szinva and Garadna streams. Some parts, including small cave cavities and hollow formations, are still discoverable around the promenade. The stream originally branched over huge travertine blocks and was largely terraced away when building the Palotaszálló and the nearby promenades and hanging gardens.

The waterfall was diverted to the edge of the freshwater limestone block, merging into a continuous cascade, replacing the previously terraced water curtain. Currently, to ensure water supply, water is often pumped here from Hámori Lake, as the Szinva stream flows via pipes towards Miskolc to supply household drinking water, and only reaches the waterfall naturally during high karst water levels.

On one of the terraces of the stepwise promenade, you can get close to the waterfall, and with a small detour, you can also peek inside the travertine dam in the hanging garden, at the Anna Cave near the Lower Waterfall. For the exploitation of the Anna Spring above the confluence of the Szinva and Garadna, a tunnel was dug into a crack system deep within the mountain, revealing a rare freshwater limestone cave system. Beneath the natural waterfall, smaller cavities remain, forming a labyrinth of travertine curtains and tree trunk imprints. High-calcium karst water precipitates limestone crust on plants, preserving their imprints for eternity. It’s worth including this cave in the route, but the cave tours start at fixed times. Near the upper end of the hanging gardens, below the dam and the Répáshuta road, there is also a playground. You can spend several hours just around the Palotaszálló, depending on how much you want to explore this package.

We cross the dam of Hámori Lake and start along the lakeside promenade on the Palotaszálló side, following the Z trail. We have one last child challenge at the country road bend, but after passing through the arched stone gate, we enter the beech forest atmosphere above the lake. Below us stretches the water surface accessible by long stairs leading down—at the end there is a boat dock, so boating on the lake is also possible. Although the path is a bit rocky in places as it was carved into the cliff walls, the promenade is well walkable, and you can even go down to the water at some fishing spots. In the back corner of the lake, a small creek flows down from the hillside, where you can examine the water close up on its debris mound. Benches and tables line the path, and if we follow the creek above the narrow-gauge railway, we reach a spring within minutes where you can draw clean karst water.

At the lake’s end we cross the swollen Garadna creek over a concrete bridge, and on the opposite bank, we leave the lake and tourist crowd behind via a long and steep staircase. After crossing the Ómassa road, we continue on a path climbing steeply above the Garadna valley on the Lencsés side.

Climbing into the deep wilderness of Bükk

The Z marked path climbs persistently steeply on the hillside, but after a few hundred meters, we reach the forestry dozer road, formerly used by soldiers stationed at Dolka Hill. This road with two large curves leads to above the Lencsés spring, but the hiking path offers a more beautiful yet steeper way to the spring equipped with benches and shelters. Next to a covered shelter with benches and tables, a clearing invites you to stay and enjoy the karst water bubbling up barely 50 meters higher. The Lencsés spring has a reliable flow at all times. The pavilion and benches are ideal spots halfway through the ascent to gather strength. The spring and the small flow at the clearing’s edge are always great playful water sources.

Above Lencsés spring comes the steepest section of the route, but only about 50 meters elevation remains on the clay soil, which becomes slippery when wet. Keep in mind there is also a dozer road running parallel to the hiking path to the ridge, winding gently with less steepness, so you can use it if preferred. The last short climb is definitely worth taking on the Z trail, which slopes gently over the rounded ridge and turns into the dense upland beech forest.

The seemingly unremarkable sloped surface is actually full of tricks: the small stream that starts below us rushes briefly then sinks underground in a karst depression and only resurfaces much lower at the Upper spring. The "trick" is carried out through an as yet unexplored crack system; above the sinkhole, a cave mapped earlier by spelunkers, the Lilla Cave, is located a few meters above. From here, several cavities hide in the dense beech forest, some more dangerous or difficult to approach, but the emerging stream will definitely be visible. By the P+ trail, the path turns into the valley basin deep below us. This is the steepest and most challenging section of the hike.

We arrive into the Forrás Valley basin among old trees, and since many were felled by storms, the lush forest exudes a genuine primeval atmosphere. Where the path softens (at high karst water), on the left a stream bursts out from between eroded rocks, while on the opposite side a waterworks building indicates the main spring, the Upper spring. From beneath a considerable debris pile springs the karst water, though most of it unfortunately flows into pipes in the valley. A bit of water is always left flowing to keep the spring alive, so this spring really always works. Next to the path, at the edge of a forest clearing, a covered rest area and a fire pit await, and a bit higher on the rocky slope is a "enchanted" small hut. The basin surrounded by rocks and steep, rocky mountain slopes is an adventurous, wild place. The ancient trees are no longer cultivated by forestry here, so fallen trunks lie scattered around, often on the path. The shady, humid depression is an excellent habitat for decomposer fungi, so in summer and autumn, there is almost always something to discover.

Further down the valley narrows, and the creek flows through a steep channel adorned with travertine dams, when there is enough water flowing outside the pipes. Soon we exit the cliff walls' embrace, and the path connects to the dozer road. From here, a comfortable walk leads out of the wilderness, though winding quite a lot. The marshy meadows are covered with dense "aspen forests," creating extraordinary rich wildlife, evidenced by the traces. If we move quietly, we might glimpse roe deer and deer living here. The P● marked path crosses through the aspens to the Flóra spring: if motivated, this detour is also adventurous and worth exploring the truly hidden water source and the small forest clearing next to it.

After the next kilometer, the P+ trail enters a gorge again, and here an unmissable sight is the wide chamber of the Kecske Hole, occasionally an active cave mouth. For a while, you can enter the passage: it gently climbs and continuously narrows as the creek carved fissure tightens. Naturally, proceed carefully and within the comfort zone of the group to penetrate into the world of eternal darkness! In winter, bats can also be seen here, but leave them undisturbed as any disturbance can cost them their lives.

Below Kecske Hole, the valley soon widens, and at Király Well, the educational trail marked with red hearts turns right and leads out of Forrás Valley by the shortest route. Next to the small animal cemetery, we join the Mahóca narrow-gauge railway line, which leads out to Szinva Valley and the country road. It’s advisable to take a short walk to Majális Park, where the Bakancsos restaurant and the soon-to-open Bükki Eastern Gate Visitor Center await. It’s best to cross the railway tracks immediately, then cross the Szinva creek via the road bridge to the right bank. Thus, we leave the busy road as soon as possible, pass through Scout Park, and walk again beside the Szinva to reach the endpoint of our hike.