On foot around the Rakaca Reservoir

• From the Rakaca Reservoir bus stop, follow the unmarked dam all the way to its end.
• From the end of the dam, follow the P mark to the Fácános Street of the Várhegy resort.
• At Fácános Street, take a detour on the P▲ trail to Vár-hegy, then return.
• From the junction, continue on the P trail to the Meszes road.
• From reaching the Meszes road, the K+ trails lead us to Szegfű Street in Karolamajor.
• From Szegfű Street to the Szalonna, Karolamajor bus stop, follow the K◼ trails.
• From the Szalonna, Karolamajor bus stop, return to the starting point along the unmarked road and parallel paths.

Detailed description of the tour

Dam in the west

We begin our lake-circling tour on the unmarked asphalt road running along the top of the valley dam on the western shore of the reservoir. After a few meters, we cross the emergency spillway, a 30 m wide overflow channel that channels excess water during large floods to the meadow west of the lake.

East of us lies the Rakaca valley basin, separating the Szalonna Hills and the Szendrő Blockland. The reservoir covers 190 hectares of water surface with a capacity of 5.5 million m³ and a water catchment area of 250 km². Its average depth ranges from 2 to 4 meters, with the deepest point about 10 meters. Established as part of the Borsod Water Supply System, it meets the growing water demand of the Borsod industrial region, Ózd, and Kazincbarcika. Geological and structural surveys in the mid-1950s determined its location in the trough-shaped area between Szalonna and Meszes within the Rakaca valley basin, where non-karstic limestone to the south and clay layers to the north and east prevent water leakage. Construction of the 8-meter-high, 850-meter-long valley dam on the Rakaca stream near the Hungarian-Slovak border began in 1958, using about 135,000 m³ of clay. Today, the reservoir is operated by the North Hungarian Regional Waterworks Ltd. and plays a significant role in flood mitigation besides supplying drinking water.

We pass educational trail signs providing information about the lake's construction conditions, local natural and built heritage, and sustainable water management. Two-thirds along the dam, we reach the water discharge facility, capable of releasing water into the Rakaca stream channel via sluices up to 10 m³/s and siphons arranged like towers up to 40 m³/s, beyond which the aforementioned overflow activates.

It is worth stopping at this facility to admire the view: on the southern shore, the hills of the Szendrő Blockland are visible, and looking northward, the striking ridges of the Szalonna Hills can be observed. The 510 m high Csengő Peak with its distinctive TV and radio relay towers is clearly recognizable, and to the east rises its "twin," the highest peak of the hills: the 514 m high Szár Hill. Soon, we arrive at the restricted area of the waterworks: turning right, we leave the asphalt strip on the dam and continue on the P marked hiking trail along the fence to the forest on the lake's southern shore.

Forests in the south

Following the P trail along the southern shore, we proceed through a hornbeam-oak forest near the edge of the Szendrő Blockland. The charming single-track path first winds a few meters from the reservoir, then directly along the lakeshore passing several shaded fishing spots. Looking back toward the dam, one can see the edge of the Rudabánya and Szalonna hills separated by the Bódva river, while to our right, the steep side of Várhegy overlooks the lake, with the remains of the Meszes earth fort hidden on its oval plateau. We reach the Várhegy resort, which, thanks to local donations, features a well-maintained pier and waterfront offering excellent panoramic views across the lake to the Szalonna resort and the main ridge of the Szalonna Hills beyond.

We continue past neat holiday homes along the P trail, from which we take a detour on the P▲ trail leading along Fácános Street to the previously overlooked summit of Vár-hegy. Today, the hilltop is encircled by a 7-9 m wide and 1-1.5 m deep trench serving as a reminder of the former fortification, whose age remains unclear - researchers have described it as both prehistoric and medieval in origin.

Returning to the P trail, we continue circling the lake on a dirt path, now accessible by car and mainly used by holiday homeowners. After a short but steep ascent, we reach the first Meszes limestone quarry, which we bypass from its fence on the southern side. The area saw limestone quarrying and burning activities during the Middle Ages, as evidenced by the name of the medieval Meszes settlement, reached at the end of the wide gravel road leading from the quarry. This road also serves as a stone transport route, shared with trucks on weekdays requiring caution. We exit the village onto its main street at the northern tip of Meszes, where we bid farewell to the P trail and continue on the left-turning K+ trail.

Dense reeds in the east

The K+ trail leads along the eastern shore and the paved road to Szalonna, from which it’s worth detouring at several points for a more natural experience. Shortly after, we cross the Rakaca stream that feeds the reservoir – it is recommended to walk to the lake's southernmost point either before or after the bridge, offering views of the reed-covered and island-dotted protected fishing area. On clear days, the spectacular limestone world of the Slovak Karst is also visible.

The Rakaca reservoir is the only significant standing water in the area, supporting a large population of nesting birds and serving as an essential stopover for migratory species. Nearly 160 bird species have been observed here. Within the dense reeds, species such as great crested grebe, little grebe, little bittern, ferruginous duck, and marsh harrier breed. Smaller reed passerines including reed warbler, reed bunting, and reed cricket warbler can be heard more often than seen, requiring luck to spot. In shallower, warmer parts, white and black storks, grey herons, and great egrets forage.

After passing the last houses of Meszes, we visit the Büdös well, with its cast-iron well house dating back to 1875. Its highly iron-rich water flows into the reservoir after a few meters. The view is worth admiring here, gradually revealing the Szalonna Hills, with the quarry scar of the Meszes limestone mine visible on the southern shore’s ridge. The road winds past the dense reed-covered shore, with numerous country paths and boardwalks leading out to privately owned fishing piers, which are off-limits.

Before reaching the Karolamajor resort, we bypass the rising Jóna Hill to the right, whose treeless side and summit offer a fairy-tale panorama of the reservoir. Access from the road is straight up, but the first meters require pushing through dense undergrowth, so this detour is recommended outside the vegetation period. After this brief jungle battle, we reach the summit on a well-travelled mountainside, from where views span the Szendrő Blockland and Szalonna Hills that border the lake, the Rudabánya Hills rising west beyond the water, and, on clear days, the distant Bulgarian limestone kingdom of the Slovak Karst.

Returning to the road, we continue on the K+ trail to the southern edge of Karolamajor. At the first right side road, the K+ tourist path turns right, but we continue along the K◼ trail that leads on paved roads to the northern shore of the lake.

Fishing paradise in the north

The K◼ trails lead all the way to Szalonna, Karolamajor bus stop, from where we follow the unmarked paved road leading to Szalonna. From the winding asphalt on the northern shore, countless country paths branch off towards the reservoir, culminating in fishing spots surrounded by reeds. This is no coincidence: the lake is rich in fish species such as carp, pike, catfish, zander, and bream. Beyond fish suitable for fishing, the lake also hosts numerous protected species, including stone loach, brook lamprey, and short-spined spiny loach.

Following the asphalt, we soon reach Szalonna resort, where a side path opposite Tulipán Street leads to a birdwatching tower overlooking the reedbeds. From here, you can look out over the world of reeds, the reservoir, the Szendrő Blockland rising above the southern shore, and the Rudabánya Hills towering beyond the Bódva valley.

Returning to the road, we continue our walk toward Szalonna. We cross the Martonyi stream feeding the reservoir, where two smaller fish ponds have been formed near the mouth. This is a protected area where fishing piers are absent. We then turn onto the gravel road running parallel to the main road along the lakeshore, featuring numerous resting and fishing spots. After a few hundred meters, we rejoin the Szalonna paved road, following its asphalt back to our starting point at the bus stop.