From the narrow-gauge railway to Kékes

  Itinerary

• From Lajosháza, we start on the Z+ trail heading northeast to main road No. 24.
• Crossing the main road in a northeast direction, we continue on the S◼ trail at the Vörösmarty tourist house.
• At the fork at the base of Sombokor, we go straight to join the S trail.
• At the overgrown clearing of Sombokor, we take a detour to the left on the S▲ trail to the Sárkányos viewpoint.
• Returning, we follow the S trail to the summit of Kékes.
• From Kékes, we descend on the K and then the K▲ trail through Mátrafüred to the main road.
• Following the S trail heading southeast, we reach the terminus of the Mátravasút railway.  

Details of the hike

Lajosháza

 On this line of the Mátravasút, an economic railway called the nyírjesi line was first established in 1906, powered by horses, with a track gauge of 600 mm. It ran from Gyöngyössolymos through Lajosháza northeast across the Nagy Valley. Today, a significant section of the Z+ trail runs along this route. In 1907, Lajosháza became a junction station when the Blokkházi and Cseternási lines branched off from the Szén-patak valley. In 1917, a new section was built between Gyöngyös and Gyöngyössolymos, and steam locomotives replaced horses. Within a few years, the forests around Gyöngyössolymos were connected by a 15.4 km railway to the Gyöngyös MÁV station.

The nyírjesi line was rebuilt to the current 760 mm gauge in 1925. General passenger traffic was introduced in 1968, after which the Mátra narrow-gauge railway took on a significant tourist role. Its most successful period was in the 1970s, when more than half a million passengers were carried annually on the Mátravasút's lines. Meanwhile, freight traffic began to decline; timber transport ceased in 1978, and stone transport in 1980, shortening the line back to Lajosháza. Eventually, narrow-gauge freight transport was completely replaced by truck transport. In 2009, the railway track was reconstructed up to Szalajkaház, but due to floods in 2010, the section between Lajosháza and Szalajka-ház was soon closed. After repair, the Szalajka-ház has been accessible by train again since September 2012. The line was last renovated starting in 2018. Currently, passenger service operates seasonally from spring opening to autumn closing. The Gyöngyös–Lajosháza–Szalajkaház line is operated by the railway division of Egererdő Zrt.

From Lajosháza to the Hidasi forest ranger guesthouse

The hike starts at the Lajosháza railway station. We follow the Z+ trail northeast through the atmospheric valley of the Nagy stream, along the former railway track. The watercourse, flanked by resinous ashes, still shows traces of its former force with huge, round, smoothed stones rolled in the riverbed. Among the trees, remains of the narrow-gauge railway’s bridges frequently appear, and in some sections even decaying ties can still be seen.

Shortly after the Z▲ trail branches off, the Nagy Valley narrows, leading to a picturesque section with creek crossings and mossy scree slopes on the side. After a short stretch under young hornbeams and hazel bushes, we reach the Z◼ junction from where a wide path leads slightly steeply uphill to the Vargák kútja (Vargák well), mentioned in a letter from 1829 by Mihály Vörösmarty and since converted into a waterworks. Near the Vörösmarty tourist house, we cross main road No. 24 heading northeast, continuing the hike on the S◼ trail in front of the Hidasi forest ranger guesthouse. 

The hardest section: Sombokor

At the fork near the Hidasi forest ranger guesthouse, we turn right together with the ʍ trail. The wide path alternates between flatter and steeper sections, then at the base of Sombokor, the S trail joins, becoming steeper. Watch out for protruding stones and roots! A rest is recommended at the bench on the Sombokor side, as the steepest part of the hike up to the first small clearing starts here. From the rocky grassland, there is a nice view of the peaks of the western part of the Mátra mountains, Gyöngyös, the Great Plain, and the southern ski slope.

The path then becomes gentler, alternating between almost flat and less steep sections up to the overgrown clearing of Sombokor. At the signpost, it is worth going left first and taking a small detour on the S▲ trail to the Sárkányos viewpoint, named after the large flat rock found there with a mysterious-sounding name. This was formerly a starting point for dragonfly paragliders. From the viewpoint, you can see the eastern and northern parts of the Mátra, the Bükk, and the Heves-Borsod hills; on clear days, the peaks of the Tátra are also visible. We return to the S trail and complete the last 60 meters of ascent to the Angels’ Meadow much more gently.

Down from the TV tower

The TV tower standing on Kékes summit has a circular café at 42 meters high and it is worth climbing just for the view. The stunning panoramic view stretching out from here offers surprises every season. Around us are the Mátra mountains, to the south the Great Plain, to the east the Bükk, and to the west the Karancs can be seen. To the north, we have a view into Slovakia, where the High Tatra is visible on clear days. After sightseeing, it is worth visiting the mini bottle collection displayed here by János Kányai. Below the tower stands the distinctive national-colored summit stone of Kékes, and beside it, a place commemorating all deceased motorcyclists.

We leave Kékes summit on the K and then the K▲ trail for a few steps. Quickly, we reach the Jávoros spring beneath the parking lots, named after the mountain maple that once grew here. The resting place has a stone shelter and two grills. Crossing the asphalt road again and passing the forestry road near the four-corner boundary, we pass by the waterworks. Here the previously together-marked K+ and K▲ trails separate. We continue left on the latter. After the steep S curve of Nagy-nyak, we descend through the wide and deep Csatorna Valley, whose sides are covered with scree slopes. The mysterious atmosphere here makes one feel that any tree or mossy rock in the rocky beech forest might reveal a mythical creature like the Seven-Horned Kapanyányimonyók or another otherworldly being. Lower down, large andesite agglomerate rocks lie beside the path, formed by volcanic explosive eruptions. Their clearly visible layering shows the successive eruptions of the volcano. Under the Jugókő rock, we cross a forestry road next to a beautiful andesite block; about 400 meters from here on the right is the Meleg spring.

In the flattening valley, the trail goes directly along the stream bank, then crosses stones protruding from the stream in front of the waterworks. Through young hornbeam forest, we reach an asphalt road with an S curve, where before a rain shelter we have to turn right. At the far end of the wooden bridge arises the Őrdög spring. At the nicely developed resting place, a fire pit and a small waterfall enliven the hike. Continuing along the K▲ trail next to the mill canal, at the fifth fork we continue straight on the trail. The path trodden to the rock leads steeply down after a small clearing to the confluence of the Csatorna and Somor streams, which then unite in the Bene stream. Soon, streamside resting places and fire pits follow. We reach the main road No. 24, where following the S trail southeast, we soon reach the railway station.