Following the Kő-hegy trails: a scenic circular hiking tour

Itinerary

• We start from Verőce railway station following the P trail mark, heading north out of the settlement along the Les valley, walking through Magyarkút.

• Turn right onto the joining K+ trail, where we climb up to the K trail on the southern side of Magas-hegy.

• Follow the K trail of the National Blue Trail to the left, i.e., northwards!

• There is no marking to the Michalik Tamás memorial post. We can reach it on the left via a small path – use the route on the tour map for navigation!

• From the memorial post, follow the winding path along the side of Kő-hegy to the Lokó rest area.

• From Lokó rest area, follow the K trail eastwards. Where the trail turns north after the Kis-kő-hegy saddle, continue straight on the unmarked dirt road! This will lead us to the K+ trail. (Follow the route shown on the tour map!)

• Turn right on the K+ trail and head south!

• Upon reaching the K trail, turn right and continue west, then south!

• At the boundary of Magyarkút, switch to the K◼ trail! After the Irma spring, a small unmarked path turns left off the road; using this shortcut, you can walk to the P◼ trail.

• Walk up the P◼ trail to Aranyoskút through the weekend houses! At Kilátó street, it is worth taking a short detour left to the viewpoint on the top of the rocks.

• Continue on the P◼ trail.

• On the P▲ trail, you can take another right-hand detour to the former viewing terrace on Borbély-hegy, which unfortunately can no longer provide views due to overgrown vegetation.

• Resume walking down on the P▲ trail until you reach Verőce.

• Turn right onto Bereg street and continue to the P trail!

• Turn right on the P trail and soon you will return to the point where the Gyöngyök útja branches left. From there, you can return to the Csattogó valley.

Detailed description

Our route starts at the P mark winding along the Les valley, walking north out of Verőce. It is also suitable for cycling, following a gravel dirt road accompanied by dog barking, passing between weekend houses in varying conditions. On the right, we see the pyramid-shaped Borbély-hegy, which we will climb on later in the tour – to a viewing terrace from which one can now unfortunately see nothing. In summer, we cross a sea of yellow goldenrod; this invasive species is also cultivated as an ornamental but has spread as a weed since it requires no care. It is also known as a medicinal plant with anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic effects.

Soon we enter Magyarkút, a charming, quiet part of Verőce’s administrative area, initially touching only its western side. We cross a bridge over the amusingly named Gimpli stream, then together with the P trail turn left at a nice station-like relief. The path continues among holiday homes, so the dog barking continues; one tree even has a not very reassuring sign reading “Beware, bees!”, but staying on the trail, there is nothing to fear. On our left, the rocky bed of the usually dry Les valley stream meanders, while the forest gradually thickens. Occasionally, fallen mossy tree trunks arch over the stream, creating a fairy-tale wilderness atmosphere. It is hard to believe that just a few meters away on the opposite bank runs the Vác-Nógrád-Diósjenő railway line.

This brings us to the junction with the K+ trail, where we turn right. The steepest section of the tour lies ahead: on the southern side of Magas-hegy, we must overcome a 90-meter ascent over 800 meters to reach the National Blue Trail route. After breaking through a thicket, the landscape suddenly opens up. From here, turning left onto the K trail we begin a gentle ascent on the ridge towards the summit of Nagy-kő-hegy. The term “large” is relative here, referring to an elevation of only 383 meters.

View to Nagy-Gerecse from the Michalik Tamás memorial post

If you don’t want to miss one of the most splendid viewpoints of the tour, shortly after we must leave the path to the left. The K trail unfortunately does not lead there; through dense forest, a short narrow path leads to the surprisingly steep western edge of Nagy-kő-hegy, the Michalik Tamás memorial post. From here, a splendid 180-degree panorama unfolds. On the left, we can spot a shining patch of the Danube Bend in the distance, above it the Visegrád Castle, the Prédikálószék peaks, across the river the Szent Mihály-hegy; in front of us lies Szokolya in the valley, and further in the distance we can even see the flat top of Nagy-Gerecse identified by the radio tower contour. On the right, the wooded ridge of Magas-Börzsöny mountains dominates the view. From this little seeming lookout at the summit, we can identify the highest point of Börzsöny: Csóványos.

On the rocky meadow, a wooden cross and two memorial posts stand, one commemorating Michalik Tamás, a member of the Komarnicki Gyula Nature Walkers and Mountaineers Association, who died in a tragic kayaking accident on the Danube in 2013.

If we enjoy the view long enough, we may suddenly notice a surprising sound. Although the Csattogó valley lies a bit away at Verőce’s boundary, one might call the Les valley below us by the same name, because the landscape seems to echo with a rattling noise. The clatter is actually caused by trains operating on the mentioned Vác-Nógrád railway line. In some places, the train can be spotted between the trees.

The landscape changes from Lokó rest area

Continuing along a romantic, still unmarked but well-trodden path among rugged, mossy oaks stubbornly resisting the hillside slope, we reach Lokó rest area, where we reconnect with the National Blue Trail route, reaching the highest point of the hike at Nagy-kő-hegy summit. The wooden shelter with a tiled roof – also a stamping point – was built in 2009 by voluntary donations for the 60th anniversary of the Lokomotív Tourist Association, designed by architect Kálmán Zsuffa. A few meters before, there is a smaller viewpoint offering a view of the Danube Bend and Nagy-Gerecse just like from the Michalik Tamás memorial post, although Magas-Börzsöny is hidden.

We continue on the National Blue Trail. Leaving Lokó rest behind, as we reach the eastern side of the hill, the landscape magically changes; walking among the dense sweet gale casting shade and fallen tree trunks covered with litter, we might feel like suddenly stepping into autumn even in summer.

We stay on the K trail roughly until the Kis-kő-hegy saddle. After it turns sharply left, we continue straight on the unmarked forestry road for 600-700 meters until we reach the K+ trail, which we follow turning right, southbound. Through denser forest from Nagy-rét, the forestry road winds until we rejoin the National Blue Trail on another section.

In the ancient volcano caldera

From here, Szendehely is not far to the left, but we turn right and soon see Aranyos-kút, where benches, a fire pit, and a spring with a natural stone socket await those wishing to rest. We continue on a wide dirt road, with Keskeny-bükki stream on our left. We are walking in the erosion caldera remains of the Magyarkút layered volcano from the first phase of Börzsöny volcanism, of which only the ridge formed by Keskeny-Bükk, Csapás-hegy, and Borbély-hegy remains visible. The terrace strip about ten meters above the stream is covered with sediment from hot springs formed during post-volcanic activity.

Crossing the stream, through a dense elm forest mixed with debris, we slowly return to Magyarkút, this time touching the eastern side of the settlement. Here we pass the Irma spring, the area’s namesake, an imposing, drinkable water source called Magyar-kút. Right next to it is the Kocsma a pipáshoz, a simple, family-like pub with a garden seating area – although nearing the end of the tour, it’s worth sitting for at least a drink, enjoying the peaceful surroundings under umbrellas.

After Irma spring, we cut through the street on a path heading left, then join the P ◼ trail. Behind us, a bit back along the trail, we find the Gonzaga Saint Aloysius tourist chapel, consecrated in 1933 in honor of the patron saint of youth, built by the MÁV Gépgyári Sports Club Tourist Department. The hussar-towered building was designed next to the remains of an Árpád-era church. A mass is held there once a year on June 15th.

Following this is the most boring section of the tour: we must climb up the asphalt road next to the Papsom ditch into another holiday area of Verőce, Aranyoskút. Meanwhile, we again tackle about 100 meters of elevation gain before, still following the P ◼ trail, we turn sharply right at the top of the settlement part. On the climb, it’s worth stopping and looking back, as from here we can again spot the distant peak of Csóványos.

Farewell with the most beautiful panorama of the tour

Walking along a charming street among weekend homes, be alert as after a left turn, the Aranyoskút lookout is well signposted, although no trail leads there, only Kilátó street, but the panorama is unmissable. Keeping a respectable distance from the rocky edges, we reach a spot from where we can surprisingly closely scan along the Danube's course: from the Szentendre Island spanning the river, opposite Dunabogdány, under us Verőce. The most impressive view is offered by the Visegrád Castle; it is clear why it was built at such a strategically perfect location. To the left above, we spot Mogyoró-hegy lookout, further the Prédikálószék peaks, behind which the long ridge of Dobogókő stretches. The left bank of the Danube Bend is dominated by the massif of Szent Mihály-hegy, below which shines the tower of Nagymaros's Holy Cross Exaltation Church, renovated in 2018.

Returning to the P ◼ trail, we descend along a narrow path leaving Aranyoskút's houses behind. Soon, we see the P▲ trail branching towards the summit of Borbély-hegy, marking the rim of the former volcanic crater mentioned at the beginning of the tour. At the 283 m summit, is also a railing-protected viewing terrace built by the MÁV Gépgyári Sports Club Tourist Department in the 1930s, but overgrowth now obscures the view. If we make the twice 400-meter detour for it, just below to the left, we can walk to the ruins of a building, from where we get some view, but it cannot match the Aranyoskút panorama.

Nothing remains but to continue following the P▲ trail down the slope of Magyar-máli-dűlő to Verőce. The tourist path enters the settlement at the once more lively Magyarkút-Verőce railway station. If we wish to return to Csattogó valley, it is advisable to turn off the trail onto Bereg street, which takes us directly to the P trail. Turning right there, we soon reach Gyöngyök útja that branches left into the valley, and thus arrive back at the starting and ending point of our tour.