From Diósjenő to Csóványos

Itinerary

• From the bus stop in Diósjenő on Arany János Street, we start uphill toward the Börzsöny on the Z trail.
• Before the saddle of Magas-hegy, we take a detour on the PL marked path to the ruins of Csehvár, then return the same way.
• We climb to Csóványos on the Z trail.
• From the main peak, we descend on the K trail to the clearing of Fultán Cross.
• On the K◼ trail, we walk to the Hárombarát saddle.
• We turn right on the Z trail and return to Diósjenő.

Detailed description of the hike

Diósjenő

Diósjenő, located at the foot of the Börzsöny mountains in a remote setting, takes its name from the Jenő tribe from the time of the Hungarian conquest, with the prefix added later after the walnut trees cultivated here. Its first mention is interesting because it appears in a record listing settlements whose residents between 1214 and 1235 underwent the trial by fire in the cathedral of Nagyvárad. Haláp and Jenő from Nógrád county are mentioned. The village was destroyed during the Tatar invasion and endured the Turkish era with a diminished population. The people of Diósjenő, belonging to the western branch of the Palóc ethnic group, were long engaged mainly in forestry. They were known as skilled woodcarvers, especially notable in making cart parts. Their products appeared in large numbers at markets in the Great Hungarian Plain and even reached the Zakopane market. The craftsmen of Diósjenő were gladly employed seasonally by estates to carve and repair their agricultural tools.

Ruins of Csehvár

We start our hike from the Arany János Street bus stop on the Z trail. We walk out of the village through characteristically long houses toward the edge, with a view toward the dense forest-covered eastern peaks of Börzsöny. The closest is the elevation of Csehvár, the first target of our hike. These are relatively low cones with steep sides facing the foothills, just the forerunners of the 800–900-meter ridges awaiting us inside the mountain range. A huge linden tree and a crucifix mark the village boundary, from where we soon join the asphalt road leading from Diósjenő to Kemence. After a few dozen steps, we turn left off it and start ascending the side of Csehvár.

Our winding path through a beautiful grassy oak forest runs together with the Forestry and Forest History educational trail, whose stations teach us many interesting facts about the history of the giant trees in the area. After crossing the excavation road leading to the valley of the Szén stream, a steeper climb follows. In the exhausting, breath-taking hillside, beeches mix in, and the terrain becomes so steep that a wooden staircase has been built. At the top of the climb, the PL trail branches to the left, taking us to the summit. We cross a short but steep rocky and crumbling path through a trench ring and arrive at the leafy, wooded cone of Csehvár. Only slight remains of the Árpád-era fortress destroyed during the Turkish period remain, and a distinct earthwork rampart encircling the summit recalls this. The summit is an excellent observation point dominating the whole area, making it first-class from a defense perspective. However, due to growing trees, today we only get a limited view toward the foothills. The name refers either to Axamit, a Hussite mercenary leader, or to the Lévai Cseh family owning the area, who successively held this small eagle's nest.

On the Ételhordó road                          

Returning to the Z trail, we cross the saddle between Csehvár and Magas-hegy, then descend to a small open area called Gál meadow. The rocky road here once had the rails of a narrow-gauge railway used to transport wood from Musli spring to the loading dock of Mázsaház. We cross the cobble-strewn ford of the Kemence stream and begin a continuous climb of about 450 meters in elevation towards Csóványos. On the hillside of Cigányvár, we walk in a hornbeam-beech forest along the Ételhordó road. The name dates back to before 1945 when food was transported here from Diósjenő for the inhabitants of the Nyír-rét hunting lodge. Beech gradually takes over dominance as we ascend, finally walking entirely in the hall of silver trunks. At Hárombarát saddle stood a hunting lodge in the early 20th century where three local forest owners in good relation (Baron Groote Kelemen, Baron Falkenhausen Ernő, Almássy Ede) liked to spend their time.

In the church of beeches

Joining a wide forestry road, we continue marching on the slope of Málna hill, then along a narrow ridge under the leafy canopy of a tranquil beech forest. To our right deepens the gorge valley of the Pogányvári stream. Here everything seems quieter and slower as if time stands still… The crowns of the tall trunks bend toward each other like dark green arches. Otto Herman compared the beech forest to a Gothic cathedral: "How many times did I sneak out of the house, immersed in the beech forest, the only church in which I can truly be devout in heart and mind! And what a church this is! Its floor is covered by pale yellow leaves, so beautifully as if not the wind but a careful hand had sprinkled them. The trunks stand so straight, so boldly as the columns of a Gothic church, but not so somber, because their bark is nice light gray, streaked with white, and moss does the marbling for them. The crowns also meet like the vault ribs of Gothic vaulting; but the vaulting of the beech forest is laughing green, and through its oculus not the attic's dirt but the clear blue sky peeks in, rays slipping through the trembling leaves cast playing shadows over the trunks, and if they find a spring, like a mirror they reflect back so that mysterious Maries are drawn on some trunk's midsection."

The experience intensifies when suddenly, as if by magic, we arrive among redwoods. The ancestors of this alien species were planted in Börzsöny in the 18th century and still color the mountain range in several places. Unfortunately, the warming climate, uneven precipitation, extreme weather causing windfalls, snow and frost damage seriously threaten these forests in our country, but for now, we can still admire the magnificent beechwoods and rustling pine forests.

Soon an information board and foundation remains covering the forest floor prompt us to stop: we arrive at the ruins of Nyír-rét castle. We have no idea what life once went on here! The towered manor was built at the end of the 19th century by Baron Falkenhausen, then after his death came into the possession of the Sváb family, who also liked to spend time with their guests at the castle built at almost 800 meters elevation. After Baron Sváb passed away, his widow moved here almost every summer from Diósjenő and had food brought to her from the village via the Ételhordó road. The building burned down after World War II; locals scattered its usable stones, so today only the foundations remind us of the former noble residence. At the time, Nyír-rét and the clearings above served as ski training grounds; in 1910, the first national downhill race was held on this ridge.

Up to Csóványos

Continuing on the path, we again find ourselves in a beech forest mixed with pines. Soon we reach an open area, the charming clearing of Alsó-hinta meadow, from where we get beautiful views toward Naszály and Cserhát. Reaching the saddle between Varsa Peak and Csóványos, ash trees also mix with the old beeches. With one last exhausting climb along the Nyír-rét clearway line, we stand at the top of Csóványos under the lookout tower towering over us. The constructed rest area offers benches and tables for visitors' comfort, a good time to catch our breath.

Originally a geodetic measurement tower stood on the summit, which was renovated and rebuilt in 2014 into a lookout tower. Climbing to the top, we can admire one of the most beautiful panoramas in our country. The completely unobstructed 360-degree view is truly magnificent; to say it colloquially: you won’t find anything like this in the Boulevard! The sight and sensation compensate for the previous altitude gains. Great is the view of the central part of the mountain range, Magas-Börzsöny, which is the country’s largest uninhabited mountainous area with continuous forest. The ancient volcanic caldera rim is easily recognizable. The former edge extending from Miklós Peak through Magosfa, Csóványos, and Nagy-Hideg-hegy now forms a section of Börzsöny’s highest ridge, complemented by the Vár-bérc – Hollókő side ridge; this is the western edge of the basin. The pot-like depression has a northern outlet broken through by Csarna stream, collecting water from subsidiary side valleys. Compared to national standards, the large forests and elevation differences, the rocky cliffs, deep inner stream valleys, and the network of side ridges make Magas-Börzsöny a wilder hiking terrain than the national average for booted hikers. To the south, the horizon is framed by the Visegrád Mountains, with a view of Dobogókő area, and the characteristic break of Vörös-kő is clearly visible. A section of the Danube can also be spotted, and in the foreground, the ridges and basins of Southern Börzsöny are visible. Closer still stretches the ridge section of Csóványos – Nagy-Hideg-hegy – Nagy-Inóc. To the north, Ipolyság and Drégely Castle appear in the distance, and closer the Magosfa can be seen. The Mátra mountains are noticeable, and on clear days, the volcanic mountains of the Upper Hungary Carpathians (such as Szitnya, Körmöci Mountains, Polyána) and the Tatras also show themselves. To the west stretches the flat floodplain of the Ipoly and Garam flowing into the Danube, reaching into infinity. The identification of sights is aided by captioned photo boards, and many inform us about Csóványos and Börzsöny on the panels placed at the levels and base of the lookout tower. After descending from the tower, we can sit for a while at the built rest area.

Westward from the lookout, we also find rubble rocks from the former volcanic activity. On one, the Peace Memorial was erected, which has a touching and attention-grabbing story. In early September 1914, four young men went on a Börzsöny hike. By then, Europe was already engulfed in flames: the First World War broke out. Here on Csóványos, they vowed to climb the summit every 10 years to express their desire for peace, emphasizing the senselessness of wars. This started the Peace Hikes movement, first organized in 1924 by the Újpest nature friends (which one of the four hikers was also a member of), and most recently in 2014 on the centenary occasion. The memorial stone was built in 1964 for the 50th anniversary. The First World War took away many members from numerous tourist organizations at the fronts. In the 1920s and 30s, several associations erected monuments to honor their fallen heroes.

Down from the main peak

After we have had enough of the view and rested, we leave the summit behind in the direction of Árvakút on the K trail. We descend among ash and beech trees through the Fultán Cut to the small clearing of Árvakúti meadow. Unfortunately, the trickle has dried up, but the short detour is worth taking to see an old stone plaque commemorating Sándor Sváb, the former owner of Nyír-rét castle, for his successful hunt. Our next section is a joyful walk along the ridge of Három-hárs-bérc. Pleasantly descending, a beautiful beech forest accompanies us on the left side, and to the right a clearcut opens up views. Below us deepens the valley of Szén stream, and in the distance we can observe the southern parts and basins of Börzsöny as well as the Danube valley and the Visegrád Mountains. In the broad saddle of Fultán Cross spreads a large meadow. The stone cross surrounded by a small fence, erected in 1890, commemorates János Fultán, a forest ranger who tried to catch wood thieves but was beaten to death by them during interrogation. On the sunny clearing, a built resting place offers seating opportunities.

Along the Kemence stream

On the K◼ trail, we start descending toward the head of the Kemence stream valley. The Krozslák well, also dried up, no longer hides among the trees since ice damage decimated part of the hillside. Hard to imagine, but between 1927 and 1980, a narrow-gauge railway track stretched at the bottom of the valley; we pass the former turning place of the railway when crossing the stream. Earlier in the hike, we encountered this railway’s track at Gál meadow. On the other side of Kemence stream, we climb a short but steep slope to the contour road running on the other side of the valley. The broad cobbled road embankment once carried rails. Here, if we start left (opposite to our direction), after 350 meters we can fill our flasks at the abundant Musli spring. Strolling on the winding transport track under large beeches, suddenly we step out onto the fairytale-like mowed meadow adorned with groups of firs at Nyír-rét. This is one of the most beautiful clearings in all Börzsöny, also offering views since it lies on a hillside: we can admire the impressive Naszály and behind it the slopes of Cserhát. We cross the side ridge of Somos-bérc, then shortly join a familiar road leading into the Hárombarát saddle. From here, following the Z markers, we find our way back to Diósjenő.