Katalinpuszta – Felsőpetény (Day 39 of the OKT Hike)

The starting point of our hike and the first stamp are located on the information board in front of the Szepi Inn in the center of Szendehely. Across the street stands the elementary school building, whose facade bears the gleaming inscription “Grundschule,” a reminder of the village’s German roots. Szendehely is by no means an ancient settlement: it was founded in 1753 by Swabian settlers from the overpopulated village of Berkenye—its original name was Szenthely, referring to the estate of the Bishopric of Vác. Vineyards still stretch along the village’s borders today; along with forestry, they have provided the population’s main source of livelihood—it is no coincidence that they feature prominently in Szendehely’s coat of arms.

The Blue Trail begins its descent on a street in the village’s Old Quarter, though even here, a significant portion of the farmsteads no longer retain their former rustic character. We arrive via a sloping bike path at the forest road running through the Lósi Creek valley, where we turn right, thus reaching the playground, animal park, and eventually the main building of the popular Katalinpuszta Hiking Center and Forest School. Since there is a stamp here as well, we can start the hike from this point.

The visitor center, which offers numerous attractions and activities, sees a huge crowd, especially on weekends, when the parking lots are typically full and the area is bustling with hikers—mostly families with young children. The three nature trails starting from here are a major draw, while the garden train, sports fields, and open meadows make for excellent picnic spots. On weekdays, the “forest school” aspect of the complex takes center stage: forestry staff welcome groups of children with interactive forest activities and educational opportunities. The visitor center also features a snack bar and a café.

The K trail markers lead across a bridge over the Lósi Stream, and then we pass under the gate of the Gyadai Nature Trail —where Dani Hangya waves at us. To the right, the K+ trail branches off; after walking a good half kilometer along it, you’ll reach the memorial stone for Pál Rockenbauer, erected at the site where the body of this well-known popular science writer was found. We turn right at a flight of steps and begin our ascent of Naszály. The first few kilometers of our route follow the Gyadai Nature Trail, so traffic is quite heavy on this section, which climbs gradually but gently. We cross several dry ravines, deepened by water flowing down from the mountain, and then reach the most significant one, over which a suspension bridge arches. The Blue Trail turns right: from this point on, we’re “on our own,” and the number of hikers drops noticeably.

We pass by the Bik Fountain and its somewhat dilapidated rest area, then continue on a trail that runs level and rises gently in places. Beech trees come into view: to our right, the steep slope of Naszály looms menacingly, casting a shadow over the northern slopes, allowing this cool-climate tree species to thrive even at relatively low elevations. We reach a cart track, where we begin to cut across the contour lines; after a steep climb, we continue along a rocky, stony trail through the winding slopes of Naszály.

Upon reaching the saddle, the terrain and the forest become gentler. We are greeted by a section of forest with lush undergrowth, formed in the light of the sun shining from the south, with sinkholes and potholes lining the area around us. These are typical surface features of limestone bedrock, which is prone to karstification, but we also find numerous caves on Naszály, one of which we’ll visit during our hike.

From a geological perspective, Naszály is quite unique: although geographically it belongs to the North Central Mountain Range—and specifically to the Cserhát range—it is, in geological terms, part of the Transdanubian Central Mountain Range. Its main constituent rock is Triassic limestone, but it was “torn off” the rock slab by later tectonic movements and covered by the products of volcanism that occurred on the opposite bank of the Danube between the Visegrád and Pilisszentkereszt troughs. The same happened, among others, to Vár Hill in Csővár—these hills are known in the literature as the “left-bank outcrops of the Danube.”

After the rainwater collects in the drainless basin of Vaditató Lake, the K▲ trail branches off to the right. Be sure to take the easy, 400-meter-long detour to the Látó Hill lookout point, which offers a magnificent panorama from the rocky grasslands on the southern slope of Naszály. Nothing obstructs the view from this mountain massif, which stands out from its surroundings; to the south, you can see Vác, the Danube, Budapest, and the seemingly endless Pest Plain. Slightly to the right, we can admire the more rugged peaks of the Visegrád Mountains, and turning even further, the southern foothills of the Börzsöny range stretch out before us. We catch a partial glimpse of the Naszály landscape feature—the yellowish-red limestone quarry at Sejce.

Returning to the saddle, a short but steep ascent awaits us, leading through a light forest with lush undergrowth up to the 652-meter-high summit of Naszály. Here we find the trail’s next stamp, as well as the geodetic tower—which is officially off-limits to visitors—from which a magnificent view unfolds. From the top, we can gaze out over the undulating landscape stretching from the Börzsöny to the Mátra and all the way to the Slovakian Carpathians.

Naszály – Ősagárd

We descend from the summit of Naszály along a narrow ridge trail. The low trees thin out here and there, and from the rocky grassy slopes, a beautiful panorama opens up to the north and east: we can see the Börzsöny and the Cserhát, with the Mátra and the Bükk in the background—we can practically follow the Blue Trail route with our eyes for a long stretch. The view toward the Carpathians is also unobstructed; the distinctive silhouette of Szitnya in Selmec is clearly visible, and on a clear day, the Great Fatra and the Low Tatras also emerge from the mist.

We reach the KΩ junction, which leads to the Násznép Cave via a short but quite steeply descending trail. The three enormous chambers of the third-longest cave in the Naszály range can be visited freely and—apart from the risk of slipping on the clayy ground—safely, and we are almost certain to find bats inside. The cave once lay at the level of the karst water table, which periodically “fed” it, allowing it to function as a spring cave; then, along with the mountain massif, it rose several hundred meters, bringing it to its current location. Several legends explain its name: according to one, people from a wedding party disrupted by Tatars or Turks sought refuge there; another tells of a couple who secretly got married here.

We descend a long way from Naszály, and once we reach the bottom, we find ourselves in the Cserhát—not just geographically, but in terms of “atmosphere” as well. The Blue Trail winds its way through this region, mostly over forested and plowed hills. We turn toward Ősagárd and, upon reaching the outskirts of the village, emerge onto a plowed field. We soon arrive in Ősagárd; passing by a charming rest area by the stream and a playground, we reach the main road and the stamp station. Next to it is a bus stop and a public well where you can fill up on water.

Unlike Szendehely, Ősagárd has few new residents, so new construction is rare. It’s characterized by a traditional village landscape, and on one or two buildings, the gabled hipped roofs typical of the Palóc region begin to appear. We pass the general store and then turn left in front of the Lutheran church. Although the settlement dates back to the Árpád era—it even got its name from the agarász, who bred hunting dogs for the kings—it was destroyed during the Ottoman period and rebuilt by Evangelical Slovaks in the 18th century.

Ősagárd – Felsőpetény

We leave Ősagárd behind, passing by the dilapidated collective farm buildings and the cemetery, and continue along the plowed fields stretching along its outskirts. We turn into a young acacia grove, dotted here and there with a few tall, old trees. We cut through the agricultural fields of Felsőpetény on an unremarkable road, from which there is a beautiful view of the surrounding hills. Gradually, our destination comes into view; the trail descends gently toward it, then leads along the outermost street of the village to reach the fence of Almásy Castle, the final stamp stop on this section .

The building, erected in 1902, and its park are undergoing renovation in May 2025 and are not open to the public. The castle is best known for having held József Mindszenty captive between November 1955 and October 1956—it was from here that a battalion from Rétság escorted him to revolutionary Budapest. In 1992, a commemorative plaque was placed on the wall of the building—which was then operating as a children’s home—in honor of the former Prince-Primate. In the 2010s, the castle passed into private hands and became the property of a hunting club; according to plans, it will be open to visitors in the near future and will serve as a cultural and nature experience center.

We turn back from the castle and walk to the Felsőpetény, doctor’s office bus stop.