Hike on the caldera rim

Itinerary:

• We start from the bus stop following the P◼ mark beside the church in the Tilalmas-side.
• After reaching the ridge, we turn onto the P mark, which takes us along the caldera rim across Jancsi Hill, Holló-kő, and Kővirózsás to the Castle Saddle.
• We climb up to Salgó Castle on the P▲ mark and return the same way.
• From the Castle Saddle, we descend back to the village on the P+ mark.

Description:

In the oak woods above the village

We start our hike from the charming small village center of Perőcsény. The village's attraction is the colorful row of mushroom-shaped cellars, visible immediately upon entering the inhabited area on both sides of the access road. The village lies in an idyllic setting in the basin-like bend of the Orzsán creek, at the foot of the Börzsöny oak forests, surrounded by orchards and vineyards.

We start from the bus turning point in the village center, following the P◼ mark towards the picturesque park standing near the Reformed church. Entering the forest behind the village, we soon leave behind the mixed acacia surrounding the settlements and walk through a park-like, increasingly older oak forest. The mossy floor, sunny forest is an excellent mushroom-producing area. Here, on the slopes with silicate soil, apart from popular mushrooms like the slippery jack and Boletus, we most often find colorful parasol mushrooms, the popular chanterelle, and Amanita species during the wetter summer and early autumn. Locals harvest the forest's fruits as well – naturally with indispensable knowledge of edible and poisonous species.

After one and a half kilometers of steadily and distinctly climbing the hillside, we reach the ridge, where we leave the P◼ mark and continue on the P mark, keeping the previous direction and elevation change through increasingly rocky forest ground. The emerging volcanic material of the mountain indicates that step by step we approach the center of the dramatic events shaping the surrounding landscape.

On the rim of the extinct volcano

Climbing the ridge above the inner areas of the Csarna creek valley, the steep hillside covered by dense, impenetrable forest on the left becomes steeper. The Slavic-origin word “csarna” (black) refers to this steep-sided, deeply seated dark forest. At the rocky ridge on the top of Jancsi Hill, the ridge temporarily opens up, and the steady ascent eases. We first get a glimpse into the caldera, though still somewhat limited by the surrounding forest.

Jancsi Hill is a milestone on our hike since from here we enter the wild "adventure park" of the ridge forest decorated with winding moss-covered rocks and knobby trees. The row of backbones is colloquially called Ökör-orom; we continue along this rocky hump series through the increasingly mystical landscape. After passing Hajzer Saddle and the humps of Ökör-orom, we must climb a steep, block-strewn slope to reach the rocky peak, where the hike’s most spectacular panorama unfolds. We arrive at the peak towering in the andesite ridge of Holló-kő. Here, the mountain mass facing us, the Central Börzsöny’s volcanic ruin, unfolds with astonishing dimensions. The block, cut by countless ridges and steep valleys, falls into the Csarna valley surrounding the mountain foot. As on the map, from Holló-kő we almost look down on the intricate landscape, getting a sense of its size and complexity.

Understanding this uniquely wild landscape in Hungary requires clarifying its geological formation. Börzsöny volcanism supplied the volcanic material constituting the mountains in several phases. The first eruptions filled a still shallow sea environment and, raising a larger area to dry land, about 16 million years ago formed the extended volcanic complex forming the base of Börzsöny. This central area is surrounded by mountains about 4–500 meters high. After a longer eruption pause and transformations caused by hot waters and erosion, about 14 million years ago, geologically just a short time, the huge layered volcano of Central Börzsöny was formed through intense lava flows and ash eruptions. The original volcanic block was much higher than it is today. The extinct volcano was sharply carved by heavy tropical rains of that time, but the greatest destruction was caused by the valley system biting into the volcano from the northwest with the collapse of the crater rim. In the steep, rapidly eroding central crater, no vegetation could establish, so the rainfall washed out a significant part of the volcanic material through the increasingly deep-cut valley system. Finally, tectonic forces tilted the block northwest, rising the eroded surface by a few hundred meters, giving the mountain range its present position.

In the former crater's interior, the caldera shaped by erosion hosts one of Hungary’s least disturbed forest ecosystems, granted the highest protection status. This central area laid the foundation for today’s Duna-Ipoly National Park, where experts still vigilantly guard the natural treasures. In the early last century, these mountains echoed with the sounds of woodcutters. The steep surfaces of the central areas, crisscrossed by winding valleys and slopes, were served by a narrow railway transporting timber from previously inaccessible places.

A winding path continues from the Holló-kő peak, meandering around mossy stones and rock towers along the ridge. Views are very limited, only a few glimpses through gaps in fallen trees beneath the canopy, and this section requires caution. With every tiny detail, this mystical landscape never feels boring for a moment: the jagged ridge studded with broken rocks, the thick moss-covered rock blockades, and the old forest around us reveal the essence of the true wilderness. We do not even sense reaching the Kővirózsás peak because along the rocky ridge we sometimes climb higher, sometimes descend on a path adapted between stones until a final larger descent brings us to the forest management road crossing at Castle Saddle.

The last bastion of Salgó Castle

Among the red roads converging at the Castle Saddle gorge, before descending back to the village on the P+ mark, it is worth taking a short detour on the P▲ mark to nearby Salgó Castle. The castle standing over Salgótarján on the far side of Nógrád county only resembles the namesake here: the western Börzsöny’s name twin is a long-abandoned, forgotten former stronghold. At the end of a short climb through dense beech forest, we arrive at a rocky peak edged by a toothless stone wall almost indistinguishable from the original rock. On the steep eastern side, we can walk past a larger strip of wall, while at the former southern entrance carved into the rock, we may find the foundations of the gate tower. Little is known about the castle. It was probably built after the Tatar invasion and lived through the first century as a royal castle. Its last owner’s unlawful life caused its downfall: Metal forgery and adultery charges condemned the nobleman, who was stripped of his fortune, and the building in his possession was razed in 1424. Nevertheless, the rock standing in the former castle center still offers excellent views over the forests toward the Central and Western Börzsöny peaks.

Several prehistoric fortifications, ditch remains, as well as tile and building ruins are found in the area. Such fortified settlements with ditches existed within a few kilometers on Magyar Hill, on the top of Halyagos, and also on Jancsi Hill, which is already part of our route.

After the short detour, we return to Castle Saddle, then follow the P+ mark along the gravel road winding down the hillside, comfortably descending to Perőcsény. The rolling oak woods are interrupted only by the clearing of Büzmöd Meadow halfway. Pay close attention to the mark near the clearing because we have to leave the forestry road that offers easy progress. In the last kilometer before the village, we walk again through acacia groves and arrive among the quiet village’s single-story peasant houses. If time allows, we can visit the Perőcsény local museum or relax our legs in the village’s swimming pool.