In the footsteps of vanished Zselic villages

Itinerary

• From the Abaliget railway station, we head north on the K trail.
• We walk nearly eight kilometers on one of Zselic's most beautiful ridge routes on the K trail, making a detour to the Tóth Spring on the K● trail.
• We reach a fork at the top, from where we walk on the K↺ trail through Kán to Gorica.
• After the bell tower in Gorica, we leave the K↺ trail and walk on an unmarked asphalt road to the Bükkösd railway station.

Detailed description of the route

Leaving the buildings of the railway station northwards on the K trail of the Rockenbauer Pál South Transdanubian Blue Trail coming from the Mecsek. Upon reaching the main road, turn left, then after about 200 meters, turn right at a ruined residential building. Watch the signs carefully, as the path is only lightly worn. We climb up a winding trail on the edge of the forest through shrub-covered hillsides.

Leaving the forest strip, we reach a hunting stand on a wider forest road; this is a good place to stop, catch our breath, and glance back at the Mecsek mountain range. We continue ascending, passing another hunting stand, then follow the trail left at road junctions. From here the widening, cleared trail mostly offers panoramic ridge views, allowing us to cover the kilometers quickly.

Soon we leave the beautiful wooded surroundings, walking through forest strips, fields, and pastures along the path. Looking left into the valley, we soon see the houses of Karácodfa, a view that accompanies us for a long stretch. Karácodfa and neighboring Szentkatalin also became depopulated in the 1970s. The narrow valleys, the small villages, and the lack of resources were not favorable for industry, causing people to migrate to distant cities hoping for work—a process that still continues today, although new, somewhat contrary trends have also appeared.

Shortly, we pass by the Hódosi Cross on Kántor Hill, then head west towards a wine press house visible in the distance. About eight hundred meters from the small house – on the right – we find the K● trail, where it is worth descending to the valley-hidden Tóth Spring. In one of the atmospheric corners of Zselic, deep in the Lipalagi forest, a spring flows with a red marble plaque on its facade inscribed with: "Wanderer, who drinks the cool, fresh water of this spring, tip your hat to the forest’s servant." In the shade of beech trees at the constructed resting place, we can linger and refresh ourselves. It’s especially worthwhile to walk down to the spring because there are no other water sources on this section.

Returning to the ridge, we continue through a beautiful forest, then leave a steeper section among loess walls behind. We still go two more kilometers on the wide forest road until we reach a tourist trail junction. A signpost shows distances and directions, making orientation easy. It is worthwhile to make a short detour to Hollófészek (358 m), considered the highest point in Zselic.

Here we leave the K trail, which heads right towards Alsókövesd, and join the K↺ trail. We walk along the forest edge next to a fence, then after one and a half kilometers turn left into the forest. The path soon steeply descends into a picturesque valley of Zselic, leading to Kán, a settlement of Swabian origin. Strolling among the once depopulated village's renovated farmhouses and resting by the small bell tower always offers a special experience. More and more abandoned villages share this fate: those seeking tranquility brought by isolation and forest surroundings buy ruined farmhouses, renovate them, and turn them into holiday homes or rental properties.

We quickly cover the two-kilometer distance between Kán and Gorica on the paved road, walk through the also depopulated village street of Gorica, leaving behind the charming small bell tower. At a signpost, the K↺ trail turns right towards Ratkóca-puszta. The sign reads: 5.1 kilometers remain to Bükkösd, so we continue straight on the unmarked concrete road. There are no tourist signs on the valley road, but don’t be alarmed, the paved road leads to the forestry road from Bükkösd towards Nagymáté, where we turn left. We soon reach the main road, and from here heading right we see the houses of Bükkösd. Walking along the main street, a sign indicates the railway station where our route ends.