Kisirtáspuszta circle with wonderful panoramas

Itinerary: 

• From Kisirtáspuszta, we set off northwards on the S+ trail heading into Kollár Valley, following the "old railway" route.  
• After about a kilometer, we turn left onto the S◼ trail, which leads to Fagyos Spring under István-bérc (János Spring), but before reaching the rest area, we take a detour on an unmarked path to the Zálog-bérc viewpoint. 
• After Zálog-bérc, we return to the S◼ trail and proceed to the previously mentioned Fagyos Spring. We descend a few meters steeply on the S● trail to reach the spring.
• From Fagyos Spring, we follow the K+ trail descending in the valley until we reach the K▲ trail ascending on our left.
• We turn onto the K▲ trail, which leads to Száraz-fa-bérc, where we take a detour on an unmarked path near the summit to the mountain's viewpoint.  
• After the short detour, we return to the K▲ trail and continue further until joining the S▲ trail, which leads back to Kisirtáspuszta. 

Detailed description of the tour:

Our starting point is Kisirtáspuszta, which can be reached by narrow-gauge railway (on weekends) or on foot from Nagybörzsöny via the S trail (4.6 km), or from Nagyirtáspuszta (Szent Orbán Forest Hotel) via the P+ trail (approx. 2 km).

Starting from the mountain bowl

At the idyllic mountain bowl of Kisirtáspuszta, near the narrow-gauge railway station and the only remaining railway turntable in the country, there are three tourist accommodations available (although prior arrangements are necessary for all).

From Kisirtáspuszta, located at the junction of hiking trails, we start following the S+ trail, which ascends along the forester's access road beside the Kollár Valley stream towards the center of the mountain range. We cover nearly a kilometer in this valley, then near the foot of Zálog-bérc we switch left to the S◼ trail, which, especially after rainy periods, provides atmosphere with the sound of a bubbling stream and dense beech forest. Shortly, the trail leaves the wide dirt road and turns into a path climbing up to the saddle of Zálog-bérc. We head towards Fagyos Spring but before reaching the rest area, we take a right-hand unmarked path for a detour to one of the area's most beautiful, little-known viewpoints. For orientation, it is advisable to use GPS and the Hiking app.

On the rocky terrace of Zálog-bérc

Our path arrives comfortably climbing, passing a hunting lookout and feeding station, to the rocky terrace of Zálog-bérc, which breaks through the forest. The plateau drops steeply to the south; its grassy cliff opens majestic views over the closed forest landscape. We can sweep the valley-dissected landscape towards Nagy-János Peak and the elongated block of Nagy-Inóc, while to the south, the characteristic volcanic cones of Southern Börzsöny appear.

The magic of Zálog-bérc is mainly due to its secluded location, enchanting views, and flower-dotted rocks creating a wild atmosphere. Its name allegedly originates from an event when a forester caught a thief and took his axe and saw as pawns to prove the theft.

After admiring the panorama with only a few hundred meters of detour, we return to the S◼ trail and continue the „Börzsöny hike.” We move on level ground in the mixed forest of István-bérc along a forest road also used by forestry machinery. Soon we descend into a steep-sided valley on our left on the S● trail, which, slippery in muddy conditions, leads for a short stretch to the Fagyos Spring rest area.

Camp idyll at Fagyos Spring

In the valley gorge surroundings of Fagyos Spring (or János Spring), in the early 2010s still stood a cozy forest hut with attic accommodation. At the site of the now ashes remains a sad emptiness, but it remains a perfect spot for pitching a tent, with fireplace, bench, and table. The cool source water rarely dries even in summer. Although nothing replaces the lost hut, the beech-sheltered Fagyos Spring is still a great resting place.

From the spring in Kereszt Valley, we follow the K● trails descending, which soon merge with the K+ trail. Here we follow the stream in a once even more beautiful valley, now served by a wide dozer road for forest management. Formerly, a narrow-gauge railway ran here from Kisirtáspuszta bypassing Hegyes Hill. Its upper extension was the last part built in Börzsöny (in 1952), winding up the Nagy-Hideg Hill side to Kammerhof with numerous railway turntables (Z-shaped alternation). Many traces of these can still be seen on surrounding slopes.

The K+ trail crosses the Kereszt Valley stream, then we spot and turn onto the K▲ trail. We walk in a deeply cut, ditch-like small valley and after a relatively short climb the path reaches the top of Száraz-fa-bérc. The path does not lead directly to the hidden vantage point at the summit edge; for the experience, we must make a small detour again on an unmarked path.

Panorama of Száraz-fa-bérc

From the hiking trail, just before the slope, we turn left onto a forest road and then right to an (overgrown in summer) path, reaching the viewpoint in just a minute. The breaking foliage suddenly opens the southeast view, featuring the elongated block of Nagy-Inóc. Compared to the previously visited Zálog-bérc observation terrace, the views here are more limited; the vegetation forms a window-like outlook, but at one point the bird's eye view is unobstructed. From here, we mainly sweep the nearby Szénás Hill and Nagy-János Peak direction with the Kollár Valley stretching below.

From this secluded viewpoint, we return to the K▲ trail and continue along the southern, sometimes view-opening, steep hillside of Száraz-fa-bérc. Our narrow path crosses small flowered clearings lined mainly by oaks more tolerant of the drier climate. As we approach the deep, closed valley, the forest becomes increasingly diverse.

The K▲ trail connects on the hillside to the S▲ trail, and we descend left on it back to Kisirtáspuszta. After a few hundred steep meters, crossing the stream in Kollár Valley, we return to our starting point.

Narrow-gauge railway hub beneath the mountains

Kisirtáspuszta's role has changed significantly over time. Today, tourism takes the main role, but for long it served as the center of the Nagybörzsöny narrow-gauge railway. At the site now hosting key tourist lodges, once stood the foreman's office, heating house, and the workshop for the rolling stock, from where tracks branched in several directions, including the Kammerhof line with two viaducts and 14 railway turntables. Two turntables were also built by Kisirtáspuszta: when the Trianon borders cut the line to Ipolypásztó, engineers had to design a connection on the steep slope of Tolmács Hill towards Nagyirtáspuszta for the narrow-gauge railway to reach the mainline at Szob. This line was built by 1924 and still operates today (though with a changed purpose).

At the end of the tour, the choice is ours again: take the narrow-gauge railway or continue hiking? From Kisirtáspuszta, by walking 4 km along the S trail descending into the Hosszú Valley, one can reach Nagybörzsöny, or walk about 2 km with a slight ascent via the S+ trail to Nagyirtáspuszta. (Alternatively, the Kisinóci tourist lodge can be reached, which has parking and a bus stop.) The narrow-gauge railway ride from Kisirtás to Nagybörzsöny takes about 20 minutes, but in the other direction it can take nearly one and a half hours to Szob, for those wanting to experience the Transbörzsöny railway adventure.