In the old forest of Hegyes Hill ridge

• We start from the parking lot of the narrow-gauge railway in Nagybörzsöny on the S trail towards the Long Valley.
• We turn onto the S▲ trail branching off to the left, which leads up to the Hegyes Hill ridge and then down to its opposite saddle.
• We join the S● trail (to the left), which leads to the side of Száraz-fa-bérc.
• At the next fork, we switch to the S◼ trail (to the left), which leads along the northern side of Zálog-bérc.
• On the right side, a sign and inscription on a tree show the way to the lookout point of Zálog-bérc, where we take an unmarked forest path detour.
• Returning to the S◼ trail, we continue towards the Fagyos Spring area.
• Turning left onto the S● trail, we descend to the Fagyos Spring.
• From the Fagyos Spring, we follow the K● trail, then shortly after merge onto the K+ trail (to the left), descending through the Kereszt Valley.
• Upon reaching the Long Valley, we turn right onto the S trail, which leads back to the starting point.

Detailed description of the tour

In the old forest of Hegyes Hill ridge

We start the circular tour from the parking lot of the Nagybörzsöny Forest Railway, at the entrance of Long Valley. From here, we follow the S trail into the valley, but shortly switch to the left branching S▲ trail to begin the steep ascent to our destination. The climb up to Hegyes Hill ridge is strenuous but rewards us with a tranquil environment and impressive old pedunculate and Turkey oaks on the mountainside. We can also enjoy some views of the surrounding valleys and hills where the thin rocky soil only supports sparse trees.

The Hegyes Hill ridge is only 571 meters high but stands as a prominent peak, with contour lines on maps clearly indicating its steepness. This block is likely a displaced fragment of the High Börzsöny. Ore-bearing solutions that passed through the rock's fractures sustained mining near Nagybörzsöny, also causing strong weathering. The volcanic structure of High Börzsöny rests on these weathered rocks on the southwest side, but eventually, the volcanic dome slid off with great force in this direction. The Hegyes Hill ridge peak likely serves as a remnant of this movement and is not far from its original position. The swiftly eroded weathered rocks were cut through by river erosion after the slide, explaining the area's deep, dense valley network.

Ancient trees don't just live at the summit; already on the ascent, we can spot some older oaks whose unusual shapes evoke a wild forest atmosphere. Along our path, deadwood trees also signify the forest's untouched nature: their decayed bodies serve in numerous ways to maintain the forest's health, cycles, and biodiversity.

We ascend a moss-covered rocky path for about a kilometer to the narrow ridge where an oak ancient tree stands at the highest point. No views are available from the summit because the trees have successfully established themselves in the thin soil exposed to the weather.

Winding through beech woods

Conquering the Hegyes Hill ridge accounts for the 380-meter elevation gain of our tour. From here, we mainly descend, only needing to gain some elevation on the rocky terrace of Zálog-bérc. Until then, we proceed on level ground along the northern beech side of Száraz-fa-bérc, following the S● trail on a wide bulldozer road. The beech forest has its peaceful charm: among the orderly rows of gray beech trunks, we glimpse the life of forest dwellers; birds flitting under the foliage are visible from afar, and animals on the slope are visible despite their camouflage.

Our turning and resting point is the Fagyos Spring, which we reach by switching to the S◼ trail. Before that, we take a detour on a right-branching unmarked path to visit one of the most beautiful, little-known lookouts in the area. For navigation, it is useful to use GPS and the Nature Walker app.

On the rocky terrace of Zálog-bérc

The forest road leads comfortably upward to the rocky plateau of Zálog-bérc. The steeply southern cliff's grassy rocky terrace opens a magnificent panorama of wooded terrain, mainly towards the long blocks of Nagy-János Peak and Nagy-Inóc, and looking south, the characteristic volcanic cones of the South Börzsöny appear.

The charm of Zálog-bérc is primarily due to its secluded location; the stunning views and flower-adorned rocks create a fairytale atmosphere. Its name supposedly relates to an event: a forester caught a thief and took his axe and saw as a pledge to prove the theft.

After admiring the panorama, only a few hundred meters detour, we return to the S◼ trail to continue exploring the landscape. We proceed on level ground in the mixed forest of István-bérc along a dirt road also used by forestry machinery. Shortly after, we turn steeply left downhill to Fagyos Spring via the S● trail, which, though short, can be challenging in slippery conditions.

The Fagyos Spring in better days

The valley-confined Fagyos Spring (or János Spring) was surrounded by an idyllic forest cabin with open bivouac space on the attic from 1969. The cabin burned to ashes in 2016, and today the picturesque site shows sad emptiness, though the spring's abundant water still offers perfect relaxation and camping opportunities. A campfire place, ruined bench, and table provide some comfort. The spring's cool water never dries, even in dry summers. Despite the absence of the cabin, the spring embraced by beech slopes remains a wonderful location.

We now walk in the dense valley of Kereszt Valley. From the spring, we follow the K● trail down, soon joining the K+ trail. We remain in the narrow valley, following a wide dirt road alongside a burbling creek towards Nagybörzsöny, partly along the old railway track carved into the mountainside. Once, a narrow-gauge railway ran here from Kisirtáspuszta going around Hegyes Hill. This line was last extended in Börzsöny (in 1952) to the Nagy-Hideg Hill side, Kammerhof, winding with several switchbacks (Z-shaped junctions).

Our comfortably passable wide dirt road crosses the andesite boulder stream bed twice. This poses no problem in dry conditions, but after heavy rains, dry feet might be difficult. In this gorge-like valley resembling wilderness, to the left is the steep cliff of Hegyes Hill and ahead is Rustok Hill's steep, rocky slope. On the right, the Sanctuary Forest's over-180-year-old section thrives on a noticeably steep slope.

Return to Nagybörzsöny

The valley broadens as we reach its bottom. Returning to the fork where the K+ trail connects to the S trail, we follow the tracks through Long Valley back to the forest railway's terminal building, where programs and a snack bar are available on weekends.