In the footsteps of István Fekete

Itinerary

• Starting from the bus turnaround in Bakóca, we follow the K+ mark westward, climbing up to the ridge of Tatárugrató.
• At the summit, we join the westward branch of the K mark heading to the right.
• Following the K mark, we head towards Alsókövesd, then Felsőkövesd.
• In Felsőkövesd, we leave the K mark and switch to the K● mark heading east.
• Following the K● mark, we descend into the valley, then climb up to Nagymáté Hunting Lodge and the Herb Garden, passing by the Ödön spring.
• From Nagymáté, we walk 500 meters on the K◼ mark along the ridge to reach the K mark extending along the ridge, where we continue leftward, heading north.
• At the place called Tatárugrató, we leave the K mark and return along the already traveled K+ mark back to Bakóca.

Detailed description of the tour

A village in the grip of hornbeams

The name Bakóca is of Slavic origin and means "hornbeam" — referring to a defining element of its green environment. The village center is dominated by a Roman Catholic church on the hillside, built in the first half of the 18th century and dedicated to Saint Anne. It was renovated in 1804 and then restored by György Majláth in 1848. An interesting fact about the settlement is that an unexploited lignite deposit lies deep in its territory. First, the "Doctor's Residence" and the Káni Cross await discovery, both accessible via the eastern branch of the K+ mark. The "Doctor's Residence" is the outermost house of the small village, from where we climb a steep gully to the Káni Cross. (This detour is optional; those uninterested in crosses may start immediately on the westward path.)

István Fekete

Before stepping onto the István Fekete memorial trail, let’s look at who the namesake was! István Fekete (1900–1970) was a writer and the assistant steward of the Majláth estate in Bakóca between 1926 and 1929. Not only his work but also his love and later wife, the local doctor Miss Edit Piller, tied him to Bakóca during these years. He immortalized the years spent here in his autobiographical novel, Ballagó idő (Parting Time). In his honor, the István Fekete Memorial Trail was created, with more than 30 informational boards along the route letting visitors learn about the author's work and his endless respect and love for nature.

On the Zselic hills

Starting from the bus turnaround in Bakóca along the K+ mark westwards, we leave the houses of the dead-end village behind and climb uphill on a wide dirt road. On the hill vineyard, we pass the Wayside Cross where István Fekete once rested. We then ascend along the long winding loess path up to the place called Tatárugrató, where we can catch our breath.

Signs mark the direction; we follow the right, K mark leading to Alsókövesd! We now walk downhill on the loess path, and shortly after, the K+ mark branches off to the right, leading to the nearby Éger spring and Szágyi reservoir. Arriving in the valley, we cross the forest road leading to Nagymáté and follow the mark along a fence that soon takes us to Alsókövesd. István Fekete lived and worked here as assistant steward of the Majláth estate from 1926 to 1929 and wrote letters to his fiancée, Edit Piller from Bakóca.

We climb gently and for a long time on the forest road all the way to Felsőkövesd, where we can rest in a cozy park under centuries-old linden trees by the bell tower. It's worth strolling through the charming small settlement, as the farewell sign of the memorial trail is located on its far side. From under the linden trees, heading eastward on the K● mark, we walk along a row of chestnut trees and soon reach the Magtár building on a narrow asphalt road, where we can read the cheerful story of the writer's encounter with fleas.

The Herb Garden

We move on to the right side of the building and enter the forest, continuing in a very picturesque environment. The steep path leads down to the valley, where we cross a bridge over a babbling creek. Climbing upward in a loop, we shortly arrive at the Ödön spring. From here, on a winding path, we reach the country road, cross it and climb steeply to Nagymáté, where a longer rest at the garden pavilion is recommended. Not only to catch our breath after the long steep climb, but also because this place offers many sights: walking the István Fekete Herb Garden trails and resting by the writer's statue erected in the park, a truly uplifting atmosphere can seize the visiting tourist.

Leaving the charming herb garden behind and passing the farm buildings, we turn left on the K◼ mark. On the wide dirt road, which leads to Hollófészek, the highest point of the Zselic, we walk about 500 meters, then turn left, heading north on the K mark. We walk in a very pleasant forest for nearly two kilometers, when we again arrive at Tatárugrató. Here we turn right and descend back to Bakóca along the now familiar gorge and then the vineyard road.