Panorama circular route along the legends of Jakab Hill

Itinerary:

• We follow the K+ mark in the Éger Valley to a large junction.
• From the junction we follow the P mark (to the left) to a ruined shelter.
• At the shelter we turn left onto the Z+ mark, which we follow to the next junction.
• We switch right to the Z● mark, climbing to Jakab Hill.
• Briefly on the Z mark we detour to the ruins of the Pauline monastery.
• We walk back along the K mark to the junction (past the rest areas), then continue along the ridge of Jakab Hill.
• We make a short detour to Zsongor Stone on the K▲ mark, then return to the Blue Trail on it.
• We briefly follow the K mark to the next junction.
• Turning left onto K▲, then descending straight on the K+ mark to the Babás rock formations.
• At the rock formations we turn left on the P▲ mark, onto the Panorama road.
• At a junction we continue straight on the Z mark to Éger Peak.
• On the meadow we visit the Éger Peak lookout tower.
• We return to the Éger Valley then to the end point of the tour on the Z mark.

Detailed description of the tour

On the side of Jakab Hill

Starting from the parking lot at the entrance of the Éger Valley in the Magyarürög district, we begin on the K+ mark into the forest, climbing alongside the creek. Shortly after entering the gorge-like forest, a beautiful forest lake appears between the tree canopies. The small water flow was dammed to create this lake, encircled by a forested promenade with a great picnic area, a shelter, and the source of the Delelő well at its upper end.

Past the lake, Éger Valley narrows, and a shaded path following the creek meanders through the forest, splitting at the valley confluence above Éger spring. We take the left serpentine path following the P marks, crossing a beautiful beech forest carpeted with moss to the junction before Farkas spring. At this spring, from a stone-structured basin, we can take water for our journey, arming ourselves with the thirst-quenching mountain water to begin climbing Jakab Hill to the ruins at the summit.

At the shelter we turn back into the hillside following the Z+ mark, and after a short ascent, we take the right-joining bulldozer road on the Z● mark starting the climb. The oak woods on the eastern slopes soon change to beech depending on altitude and exposure as we steadily advance along the ridge between Paprágy and Szörnye valleys. Turning to the northern side, already in the summit area, we cross a rocky isthmus deeply cut. It becomes clear that the flat summit was extended at the edge with an embankment of stones and soil, creating a steep ditch surrounding the top. This forms the outer ring of the earth fort, which also encircles the subpeak; the inner ditch fully surrounds the tight Jakab Hill summit.

Mountain of Cultures

The earth fort was built by the people of the Hallstatt culture in the 8th century BC, early Iron Age, and the Celts also inhabited it according to found artifacts. Its size suggests it was an important central fortress, with only its eastern and western more gentle slopes heavily fortified due to the favorable natural position. Two entrances, gates of the structure, are located there. Probably linked to this fortress is a local legend that the lord reigning at the hilltop buried treasures in two tubs—gold and silver—during an unexpected war outbreak, guarded respectively by a rooster and a dragon, both supposedly cursed kings. No living person can access this treasure.

At the flat summit edge, on the forest clearing, there is a towering rest place with tables and benches, also a spacious shelter with a loft-floor suitable as a dormitory. On the far side of the meadow lie the ruins of the Pauline monastery, to which the Z mark leads. This unique Hungarian-founded monastic order chose the Carpathian Basin's most beautiful natural points with particular sensitivity. This is truly understood when stepping onto Zsongor Stone and looking around as if from God's throne over the world below. The monastery was founded in 1225 by Bishop Bertalan of Pécs and consecrated to Saint James. It was originally an expansion of an older church here, remodeled in Renaissance style in the 16th century. The building, which deteriorated during the Turkish era, was rebuilt and made two-storied in the 18th century, but the order was dissolved by decree of King Joseph II at the century's end, and locals removed stones from the abandoned ruins.

From the monastery ruins we start back on the K mark, which leads across to the other side of the earth fort, near the highest point of Jakab Hill. Below the peak is a small rest area beyond the ditches, where only 1-2 meter embankments protected the fortress. The gap at the hill rim, a natural chasm, made the summit nearly inaccessible. A trail leads to the edge along the K▲ mark and after a few meters reaches Zsongor Stone rock. The breathtaking sight shows a landing jutting out over an endless seeming depth. The Mecsek Association, after its late 19th-century founding, installed the iron railing still bearing the carved date 1892. At the rock's upper edge is a small cavity expanded from the original fissure cave by hermits who lived here, giving the name Hermit's Cave. According to legend related to the stone, a warrior named Zsongor's bride was kidnapped and imprisoned by the lord of Jakab Hill castle. When Zsongor learned this, he rescued her but was pursued by guards. Riding to the rock's edge, with no escape path, he chose to leap into the abyss with his bride rather than face retribution. The stone's name comes from this tale.

On the path of the bridal parties

We continue for a short stretch on the K mark, soon turning down the hill rim along the K▲ mark. (On the K mark, hundreds of meters away, Iron Age burial mounds lie, possibly inspiring the legend of the former lord's cursed treasure.) The K▲ mark is very steep, leading down on rocky terrain at times. We pass the former quarry walls called Eagle's Nest, notable for their geometric shapes, from where valuable building stone was hauled by wagon to Kővágószőlős, a village famed for stonemasons. Down a rubble-filled ravine, we descend straight and, in the last few hundred meters, switch to the K+ mark guiding us to the Babás rock formations.

A new rocky cliff stops us here, its edge lined by striking, mushroom-shaped natural stone sculptures stretching along the hillside. Made usually from river gravel and more erosion-resistant conglomerate layers, their distinct shapes were attributed to magic by locals, with the legend explaining them as petrified members of two cursed bridal parties. The story tells that two wealthy, competing families in Cserkút arrogantly turned away a beggar, who cursed them to turn into stone at their happiest moments. The curse fulfilled simultaneously when both families were escorting their daughters to be married and met on the steep slope, leading to their transformation. Babás rocks offer a fine viewpoint, though lower in elevation than Zsongor Stone, allowing closer views of the nearby settlements Kővágószőlős and Cserkút.

From Babás rocks, we side-step along the level Panorama road on the P▲ mark (left branch) heading back. The path was cut in the 1990s by locals through the steep slope, creating a practical connection towards Pécs via charming beech, oak, and pine forests. Contrary to the name, the view is limited, mostly glimpsed between the canopy. Entering the gentler eastern slope of the hill, we join the Z mark (straight ahead), following the forestry road winding through the old military shooting range’s forested ridges. Passing through Körtvélyes saddle and crossing Paprágy valley, we arrive at the Éger Peak park forest. This popular Pécs hiking spot features neat shelters, benches, a playground, and a low-growth lookout closed since 2021 for structural reasons. The Éger Peak tower is reachable by an unmarked path easily found as the structure is visible from the far side of the meadow.

Following the Z mark for the remainder of our tour, we can make a short detour to visit the Mohos Little Spring hidden in a moss-covered small forest patch with a green moss carpet. Traversing down the beech forest slope, the Z mark leads us back to Éger Valley, where our circular route closes at the small lake. Walking to the parking lot, we return to our starting point.