One landscape, three faces – short hike around Naplás Lake

Itinerary

There are no signs along the route, but based on the map visible in the lower right corner of the nature trail signs, the path route is unmistakable.

• Stations 1 and 2 are approached along the Naplás Lake dam.
• From the dam, turning left on the stairs, we reach stations 3 and 4 along the Szilas creek, then crossing the bridge over the road and the stream we reach station 5 on the opposite bank of the creek.
• Returning to the dam, turning left we find station 6, then station 7 by the water.
• At the edge of the arable fields and the forest bordering the lake, we encounter signs for stations 8, 9, and 10.
• At the sign for the Nature Conservation Area, we turn right onto the path leading into the lake’s floodplain.
• After station 11, we cross the Szilas creek on the Eszter bridge, then head right along the waterfront touching stations 12 and 13.
• We cross the bike path and Naplás road, then climb up on a wide forest path to the Naplás Lake lookout (station 17).
• On the northwest-bound path, touching stations 16 and 15, we return to Naplás road.
  (A right detour along the forest path can be taken to the skipped station 14 of the nature trail.)
• Back on the road and bike path, walking along the lakeside promenade of Naplás Lake, we return to the starting point.

Detailed route description

The nature trail’s starting sign is located at the southwestern corner of the lake, close to Naplás road and the bike path, behind the Nap-plázs buffet building on the edge of the asphalt strip running along the dam. It is worth examining the map in the lower right corner, showing the stations of the nature trails. We get to know the marshy swamp world with the yellow, the Naplás lake with the blue, and the Cinkota small forest with the green route. Our hike connects these three routes into a single loop.

The starting station presents a general overview of the Naplás Lake Nature Conservation Area, the theme of the nature trail, and introduces us to the history of Cinkota, now part of the capital city, which also served as the site of a victorious battle. On a movable picture frame, we can see how the area looked before the lake was formed and how it looks now. This marks the beginning of a playful, adventurous exploration of the area.

Following an unruly creek (yellow section, stations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

We continue along the dam to the next station, traveling back to the pre-1970s period, looking into what the landscape was like before the regulation of the Szilas creek bed and dam construction. Before us, we see the impenetrable dense reeds above shallow water and areas overgrown with willows. We get insights into the fact that the unregulated creek regularly flooded this area in many forms. The characteristic flora and fauna of the area are shown in colorful photos.

At the next station’s turn-off you need to be observant: before the overflow extending into the lake on the right side, you must descend left on the stairs to the Szilas creek (we found the correct path if the creek is on your right when moving onward). This stretch along the creek bank and back on the other bank is not without danger: the path is narrow and there are sudden landslips, so-called slumps on the way. It is worth looking at your feet and walking carefully; otherwise, in some places, you might easily find yourself in the creek. It is better to skip this part with very small children and continue the loop along the dam.

The creekside signs first guide us into the marshy swamp world. Besides highly protected, rare remnant species, we also get to know a special plant that blooms only in autumn with a flower but has no leaves or fruit. Then we observe the meadows of the drier areas, which were traditionally maintained by hand or grazing and nowadays by machines. If we proceed quietly, we have a chance to spot birds of prey hunting rodents, northern lapwings, white wagtails, starlings, and wild rabbits. The plants and animals living in the area are also presented in colorful photos.

The most dangerous few meters follow: we cross the creek by sidling along the edge of the busy road bridge. On the far side of the watercourse, we learn what it means to be made of hard wood: on the way back towards the lake, we explore the concepts of softwood and hardwood. The local specimens are displayed in photos – a fun challenge is to find them all along the route.

On slightly undulating terrain, then climbing up a staircase, we return to the asphalt dam.

Waltz around the lake (blue section: stations 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)

After the creek, the lake formed by damming it comes into focus. At the next two stations, we learn about its birth: the landscaping process, dam construction, water surface formation and regulation, and its specially shaped overflow. Walking along the water’s edge, with some luck we can spot Hungary’s only wild turtle species, the marsh turtle. WWF Hungary closely studies the local specimens, developing a species protection program.

Leaving the asphalt behind, slightly away from the lakeshore, the wide dirt road leads along the edge of agricultural lands. These arable fields serve almost as a shield for the survival of wild plants and animals here. We can get to know the characteristic wildlife of the area, from the animals to cultivated useful plants and even the "weeds" of the borderlands. Through a word explanation game, we learn about the role of crop rotation as soil revitalization and the concept of succession, which means an orderly process by which plants reclaim fallow land.

With curved bends, we approach the wetland area again. First, we walk along the edge of the marsh forest wedged between the arable fields and the lake, formed in areas where surface and subsurface waters merge. The wet, humid environment harbors a quite different wildlife. It is the home of the garden warbler, Eurasian penduline tit, green woodpecker, and little owl – just to mention a few interesting birds. At the edge of the arable lands, there is talk of invasive alien plants displacing native vegetation.

Along the sign marking the nature conservation area, our path drills into the forest, winding among the floodplain trees. We often descend on invitingly muddy steps to the Szilas creek feeding Naplás Lake, crossing it via the Eszter bridge. Heading right towards the creek, suddenly the landscape opens up: from the northern corner of the lake, we can scan the water surface and the hills behind it with a lookout tower that juts out of the landscape.

About 200 bird species have been observed at Naplás Lake so far; the most characteristic representatives are illustrated with photos on the nature trail signs. If we watch quietly, especially in the early morning hours, we likely encounter grey heron, cattle egret, mallard, northern lapwing, water rail, sandpiper, or wagtail – just to name the best-known birds visiting here.

Forest immersion on the hillside (green section, stations 13, 18, 17, 16, 15)

Returning briefly to the bike path, we say goodbye to the lake view and head across the road into the trees, where the Cinkota small forest plays the leading role. Mainly covered by black locust, pines, and oaks, the area is crisscrossed by wide walking paths. Along these, we find several fire pits equipped with pot stands and numerous tables with benches, perfect for a little grilling or enjoying a packed meal.

The next sign along the nature trail is located on a promenade parallel to the road, but our path guides us up a gently sloping hillside, at the top of which we can climb into a tower with a unique shape. From the upper level of the Naplás Lake lookout, we enjoy a full panoramic view of the route we walked along the Szilas creek, Naplás Lake, Cinkota small forest, and the arable fields surrounding the area. Farther away, we can see the Gödöllő Hills, the Buda Hills, and on a clear day even the Visegrád Hills and Pilis.

On the forest section, the nature trail signs introduce the native and invasive trees living here and the remains hiding among the leaves with colorful photos. In addition, we gain insight into the written and unwritten rules of the forest, the extensive work of Pilisi Parkerdő Zrt. managing the area, and with an illustrated example, they also show what selective forest cutting means and what advantages it brings.

From here, crossing Naplás road and the bike path again, we turn left on the lakeside promenade equipped with resting benches and return to the starting point.