Horhosok path - Green hike (short)

Itinerary

Throughout the route, we follow the red signs of the Horhosok path. 

Detailed description of the route

From the edge of the city to the Csácsi-hegy chapel

Our hike starts in the Csácsbozsok district of Zalaegerszeg, at Szivárvány Square. It is worth studying the sign located at the corner of the parking lot, at the tip of the square, which provides guidance with maps, sights, and the trails before setting off on the journey.

The building behind the parking lot is named after Imre Izsák, a mathematician, physicist, and astronomer born locally. The scientist achieved surprising breakthroughs in differential geometry, celestial mechanics, and the precise determination of the Earth's shape – the latter brought him worldwide fame. The institution named after him operates an elementary school, cultural center, and community space.

We soon leave the urban environment and the dense row of houses behind us and enter the hilly, colorful, varied world of meadows, forests, orchards, and cellars. Crossing a meadow, we reach a charming group of trees. On one side of the cart road, a pine forest with the scent of resin and carpeted with forest floor covered in moss rises above us behind a fence-like barrier, while on the other side, a loose group of deciduous trees stands – as if shepherds guarding the "pine lambs" had gathered here to chat.

Along the route, we encounter several types of pine trees. Scots pine prefers calcareous, dry soil, so it feels at home in the calcareous-sandy, mica schist soils of the Zala Hills. Small relic populations add fresh, fragrant, deep green spots to the Zala landscape. However, the spruce, introduced since the 1960s, struggles with drought caused by warming. With a decrease in resin-producing ability, its immune system weakens, making it vulnerable to bark beetles. First, resin flows appear on the trunk, then the diseased tree sheds its bark and needles – we also see examples of this along our route. The species prefers moist, cool climates, found in northern Europe and above 1000 meters in our region, so it is gradually pushed out from this area. Besides them, especially in enclosed gardens, we also come across numerous "Christmas tree plantations" where alongside classic spruces, silver firs and Nordmann firs line up.

After passing a few small houses (on the right), our path narrows into a thin track cutting through the trees; on both sides of the path, the trees rise step by step above us. We arrive at our first horhos (a V-shaped ditch), whose toxic green, moss-covered walls create a unique magic. After overcoming the short climb, we reach the asphalt strip of Petelihegyi Road, where, peeking between the houses, we can observe the hilly Zala landscape.

At the intersection with Csácsihegyi Road, a nature trail sign points out a short detour to a baroque chapel renovated through community effort. It is worth seeing the statue of the Virgin Mary on the side of the 19th-century building, the stone crucifix at the corner of the plot, and in the courtyard, the wooden statue of Saint Urban. The presence of this patron saint of vintners indicates that vineyards have been cultivated in this area for centuries. If possible, peek inside the chapel to see an altarpiece from the mid-1800s depicting the Transfiguration of Our Lord.

The spacious open building next to the chapel hosts numerous community events, from village festivals through harvest celebrations to creative camps. Occasionally, mass is also held at the site.

It is worth walking around this otherwise fenced area and admiring the stately, now protected tree standing across the road. The trunk circumference of the small-leaved linden marked by the sign is 108 cm, and its age is estimated at about 180 years.

From wine and fallow deer to two chapels

We continue on the asphalt strip between the gardens and houses of Csácsi-hegy. It is worth peeking into the nicely tended yards, where in spring we find trees dressed in floral splendor, and in autumn branches heavy with fruit – the selection is quite varied, from apples, pears, peaches to medlar and fig. 

Our path turns into a dirt road after leaving the houses. We find a sign showing local wildlife and their footprints at an ideal spot. It is worth photographing which footprint belongs to which animal – the soft soil of the sandy, loess sections of our route often reveals traces of recent animal movements. Occasionally, we also encounter surprisingly dense track clusters.

Arriving at Cserlap, a part of Zalaegerszeg, we return to asphalt. Here, no tracking skills are needed: on the left side of our path is a multi-hectare enclosed area with a large group of fallow deer. The deer garden belongs to the modern building of László Winery located a bit up the road, where, by prior arrangement, we can take a break with wine tastings, cellar visits, and homemade, oven-baked snacks. Originally a hobby, the expanding craft winery currently harvests varieties including Valentin, Kékfrankos, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc from four thousand vines.

Again, we reach a leveled cart road bordered with ivy among the trees. Pines reappear in several patches among the deciduous trees. Here, we temporarily say goodbye first to the red and then the blue marked trails – our path, which soon reconnects to the red trail, traverses sideways with a large curve turning towards the valley. The especially steep hillside is decorated with vineyards and fruit trees; their cultivation is a challenge for farmers on this rugged terrain.

The next sign of the thematic path draws our attention to the chapel of Henye Hill. The short but very intense uphill detour invites us to the 288-meter peak of Chapel Hill, where we can enjoy a magnificent panorama, especially outside the vegetation period. Rows of grapevines stripe the hillside, dotted with wine cellars. To the west, the county seat, Zalaegerszeg colors the landscape, to the north the valley of the Zala river, farther the Kőszegi Mountains, and the Sá g and Somló hills can be seen. Towards the Keszthely Plateau, the white, pointed shape of the Buddhist stupa of Zalaszántó is noticeable, and if we are lucky and the weather is clear enough, the peaks of the Viennese Alps, including Rax and Schneeberg, also stand out on the horizon. Wooden arrow-shaped signs attached to a wooden pole help identify the elements of the panorama – for full enjoyment, it is good to take out binoculars from the backpack.

At the St. Stephen chapel, renovated in 2019, a pilgrimage mass is held every year on August 20. According to legend, the king rested here during his countrywide journey, and the predecessor of today's building was raised in his honor. The exact date of the original wooden chapel's construction at its current location is unknown. It is certain that the area became depopulated during the Turkish occupation and was repopulated only from the early 1700s. Presumably, at that time, the predecessor of today's building was erected, also in honor of St. Stephen, built of wood. In memory of this, one of the new stone chapel's images depicts the king giving the crown to the Virgin Mary, called the Great Lady of the Hungarians, entrusting the fate of the whole country to her.

The wooden chapel was rebuilt in stone in 1886. At that time, the locals made pilgrimages to mass four times a year: on the feasts of the Assumption, St. Anne, Our Lady of the Snows, and St. Stephen. After World War II, however, they came only once a year on St. Stephen's feast; this tradition is preserved until today. The local vintners placed a sign explaining the short history and legends of the place, as well as elements of the panorama. Next to the chapel, there are tables and benches perfect for a short rest.

Sunken castle, wooden plank walk, and lion roar

At the triple fork, we start a comfortable descent. Soon we reach the Vari path, which in 1935 was extended with a concrete building; nearby is a covered resting castle with tables and benches, and we can also read about the 10th-century earthwork fortress, accompanied by a special legend. According to the story, once a poor old man arrived at the castle gate, hungry and tired, begging for entry. The stingy lord of the castle refused his request, so the old man left. After a while, he returned again to be let in, but the lord refused aid once more. When the old man came back a third time and waited in vain for the gate to open, he uttered a grim prophecy: by the next morning, when the rooster crows, the castle would sink along with its lord. It happened as foretold; the fortress was swallowed by the earth and has not been found despite searches. The curse can only be lifted by the one who finds the snake that made its home above the sunken castle and takes from it the small key carried on its back. The reward: the castle rises from the depths and serves its new owner.

The uphill path invites us to another horhos, whose uniqueness lies in the fact that even in the driest times, some water trickles at its bottom and after rainfall, it literally flows. For better accessibility, a wooden plank walk was installed in this section so that instead of muddling and slipping, we can enjoy the special horhos with dry feet. The increasing steepness of the single-track path ascending under the dense canopy is mitigated by wooden steps as we approach the saddle.

Soon we step onto a paved road leading to the local petting zoo and animal shelter, where in one kennel truly "the king of animals" lives.

Visiting with children is definitely worth a stop at the family business operating since 2012 as a zoo, petting zoo, and animal shelter. Otherwise, the rescued animals would perish – many are saved from the circus world. Currently, about 140 animals live in the shelter. The greatest sensation is two Bengal tiger cubs (born July 16, 2022), but there are also ostriches, kangaroos, emus, lions, alpacas, fallow deer, llamas, monkeys, horses, kangaroos, spectacled bears, wolves, peacocks, and many other species. Visitors can also enjoy a playground, trampoline, carousel, and a chance for cooking in a cauldron. 

The blue and green signs sharply turn left inviting us back into the forest. A few meters alongside are fences of cellars and weekend houses, offering views of the hilly mosaic of the Zala landscape. Under our feet, on the left, a single-track path balances on the amber-covered edge of a horhos plunging deeply. We pass a stone cross, then descend more steeply into the horhos. In the sandy ditch’s side, we can observe rock layers. One deeper hole suggests that locals often carried the sand from here to their homes as building material.

Upon exiting the leafy tunnel, the character of the landscape changes: the forest is replaced by a marshy environment. Patches of willow-reed and moisture-loving alder trees dominate the horizon. If we could look a bit higher over the area, we would see the nearby meandering Zala River and the floodplain beside us. At a sharp turn, a Horhosok path sign presents the local wildlife and values of the Zala floodplain.

From here, the blue and green trails continue together through the pastures. The neighboring hillside offers a striking sight of the St. Sebastian Roman Catholic church surrounded by pines; its original was built in the 1330s, but the 1532 fire and Turkish destruction spared no mercy. Its current Baroque form dates back to the mid-1700s. If arriving around sunset, the sky painted in fairy-tale colors can further beautify the view.

Soon we reach the inhabited area of Csácsbozsok and comfortably descend among houses back to the starting point.