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Hiking Trail
· Koszegi-hegység
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From Kőszeg to Óház Lookout - car-free
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Az Óház-kilátóPhoto: Tamás Csaba, Írottkő Natúrparkért Egyesület
If you visit Kőszeg and feel like a little excursion into the forests above the town, and want to crown your experience with a magnificent panorama visible from the lookout closest to the town, then boldly start this easy hike! If the weather is clear, you can see not only the surroundings but also part of Transdanubia and the Austrian mountains.
From the town, the path first leads through orchards, then plunges into the mountain forests. Trail marks aid orientation for most of the route, though on the way back there is also an unmarked section.
Besides natural values, the easy walking path promises many sights: for instance, the World War II Szálasi Ferenc bunker, which was a very advanced underground facility with many passages in its time. The trail panels along the way introduce some of the area's curiosities as well as the local flora and fauna.
Author’s recommendation
- At the end of the route, after reaching the yellow alpannonia® mark, turn left and walk only 200-300 meters to reach the Trianon Cross or the Calvary Church.
- If you want to enjoy a special panorama within Kőszeg's urban area as well, turn left at the lower part of the hollow road! From the Szulejmán Lookout, you can admire the town and its surroundings from a bird's-eye view.
- You can refresh yourself with lángos and other tasty snacks at the Királyvölgyi snack bar. (Open Tuesday to Friday 14:00-20:00, on weekends 10:00-20:00; closed on Mondays.)
- There is also a snack bar at the Kincs Rest Area, open daily from May to August between 12:00-18:30, and on weekends from September to May between 12:00-18:00.
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Track types
Show elevation profileSafety information
The route does not contain dangerous sections.Tips and suggestions
Szulejmán LookoutRoadbook
Itinerary
- Start westwards on Királyvölgyi Street following the K+ mark, which leads to the Kincs Rest Area passing the Szálasi bunker.
- Switch to the K● mark until the K▲ crosses our path—then turn left towards the Óház Lookout.
- Continue south along the red alpannonia® and National Blue Trail K marks, then switch to the combined red alpannonia® and Z marks!
- Turn left, northwards, onto the paved road following the blue bike path marks, then after leaving the Kincs Rest Area and about 100 m, turn right onto a gravel road at the barrier!
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At the end of the gravel road (about 1.3 km), at the four-way junction near the birch trees, keep right on a small dirt road into the young forest. Stay on the narrow dirt path throughout; here it says "keep left," so do not take any right-hand paths!
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The narrow dirt road merges into the road leading back to the city about 400 m after the four-way junction. Here, continue right among vineyards and orchards along the yellow alpannonia® mark back to Királyvölgyi Street.
About the route in detail
Start from the Királyvölgyi snack bar in Kőszeg following the K+ mark westwards. Hand-painted signs of the Királyvölgyi nature trail accompany our path among the houses. As the street ends, we switch to a woodland path with some winding sections. Soon we reach the Szálasi bunker. We can learn more about this underground shelter from the Historic Panorama Trail signs illustrated with pictures.
After a short, steep section, we reach the Kincs Rest Area (also called Okmányos), which is basically a large parking lot—cars can only come up here on the paved road without a permit. The sections leading deeper into the Kőszeg Mountains can only be explored on foot or by bike. Continue on the K● mark, which starts on the opposite side of the parking lot, goes briefly on a forestry asphalt road, then turns right into the forest. At the four-way intersection, turn left and continue on the K▲ mark! At the end of this short, steeper, heart-pumping section, the Óház Lookout, rising above the landscape, becomes visible. You can reach its entrance by turning left.
After enjoying the panorama over the Transdanubian region, continue south on the shared section of the K and the red alpannonia® marks, then switch to the combined Z and red alpannonia® marks, which cross the forestry paved road. Turn left following the blue bike path marks along the asphalt while the Csillaghúr nature trail panels highlight some interesting aspects of the mountain's wildlife.
We soon reach the Kincs Rest Area parking again. This time take the other branch of the forestry asphalt road on the left along the blue bike path marks. About 100 meters later, you reach a barrier where you need to turn right onto a gravel road. From here, you will walk on an unmarked road for about 2 km, so do not leave it! Walking further on the wide, gravel, well-passable road, we pass hunting blinds on the right side of the road. After 1.3 km, you reach a four-way junction, where at the beautiful white-barked group of birch trees you should turn right onto a small narrow dirt road, almost a trail.
There will be several junctions to the right from this narrow dirt road, but keep left through the young forest. This path merges into a wider road after about 400 m, where we continue right through vineyards and orchards. Now we follow the yellow alpannonia® mark back to Királyvölgyi Street. After about 300 meters, enjoy a beautiful view. After another 400 meters, at the four-way junction, turn right onto a charming hollow road leading to Királyvölgyi Street, where we arrive back at the snack bar, the tour's starting point.
Szálasi-bunker
Óház-kilátó
Kálváriatemplom és Szent Donát-kápolna
Trianoni-kereszt (Kőszeg)
Szulejmán-kilátó (Kőszeg)
Public transport
Public-transport-friendly
- For long-distance buses mainly arriving from Szombathely, it's advisable to get off at the stop named Kőszeg, bus station.
- If you arrive by train to Kőszeg, factor in about a 20-minute walk to the city center, which you can save by taking a bus.
Directions
- From the bus stop, head west along Liszt Ferenc Street, then turn right onto Kossuth Street, where the P marks will guide you to the Main Square. Continue on Várkör Street, then turn left westwards onto Hunyadi János Street following the Z marks starting here. At the second cross street, turn right onto Festetich Imre Street, whose far end is the starting point of the route (1.5 km).
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From the train station, carefully cross main road 87 at the pedestrian crossing! At the roundabout, take the first street, Rákóczi Ferenc Street, turning right towards the town. From there, follow the P marks to the Main Square (1.5 km). Then return via Várkör, Hunyadi Street, and Festetich Street to the starting point (2.4 km total).
Parking
- You can reach Kőszeg northbound from Szombathely along main road 87.
- From road 87, at the roundabout, take the first exit to Rákóczi Street, then turn left onto Cemetery Street. From there, turn right onto a one-way street (Győri János Street), then left along Várkör to reach Hunyadi Street. Passing the historic building of the high school, turn right onto Festetich Street towards Királyvölgy. This street continues as Királyvölgyi Street, where you will find free parking; this is also the starting point of our hike.
- Parking in the city center is paid!
Coordinates
Author’s map recommendations
Book recommendations for this region:
Equipment
Basic hiking equipment: closed shoes, season-appropriate clothing, drinking water, food. For navigation, use the Természetjáró app or a tourist map available for purchase at the Tourinform office.
Localization
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
User Questions