Pilgrimage to the altar of the Mecsek karst region

Itinerary:

• We start along the P marker towards the lower section of the Nagy-Mély-völgy, where we stay until the Mánfai-kőlyuk crevice.
• From the Mánfai-kőlyuk, we continue on the Z marker through the incision of the Zsidó-völgy.
• Climbing to the mountain top, at a forest junction we turn left onto the K marker.
• On the upper section of the Nagy-Mély-völgy, we turn left onto the P marker, descending to the Petnyák-völgy mouth.
• On the Z marker, we turn right to climb up the Petnyák-völgy.
• From a junction, we take a short detour to the Meleg-mányi-völgy tufa steps on the P+ marker, then return.
• After the detour, on the same P+ marker but in the opposite direction, we cross the ridge to the Mánfa Árpád-era church.
• After the church, we turn left and follow the P◼ marker back to the Ciframalom.
• To our starting point, the P markers lead us right.

  About the hike in detail

At the mouth of the Mánfai-kőlyuk

We start from the Kőlyuki Betérő along the P marker into the Nagy-Mély-völgy. The atmospheric roadside inn serves well to quench our thirst and hunger at the end of the hike, but we can also replenish our supplies here at the start. Near the entrance to the valley, we pass close to two fishponds; however, the fenced ponds are merely a visual element. The gravel service road is almost impassable due to waterlogging and wheel ruts, so the hiking trail runs on a path along the hillside.

Above the ponds, returning to the narrowing valley bottom, we follow a lively stream with lush vegetation and small cascades. The valley, wedged between rocky mountainsides, develops into a gorge with diminishing light filtering through the dense forest canopy. In the middle of a moss and fern-covered rock group, a small slot opens in the hillside. The adventurous rock formations are tempting with the PΩ marker, offering a brief insight into the depth of karst activity. Among the frilled leaves of the ferns, a barely two-meter-wide rock corridor leads to the cave mouth of Mánfai-kőlyuk. This was once a spring cave, a crevice yawning at the base of a prominent limestone wall, closed off for the protection of nature and visitors. The cross-shaped, distinct formation shows the destructive effect of water working alongside tectonics. At the meeting point of the horizontal bedding plane and the vertically opened fissure formed by mountain formation movements, water dissolved the limestone over millennia, creating passage for floodwaters rising from below the surface. The impressive dimensions of the spring cave began to be explored in depth in the early 20th century, primarily for water supply purposes, when the interior was drastically altered to accommodate waterworks equipment and improve accessibility. Currently, the cave is known to a depth of 360 meters, with every opening covered by bars. The outflowing Cserkész spring reaching the surface on the stream bank provides a great opportunity to fill bottles with fresh spring water, after which we proceed through a dry valley with a forested incision between the mountains.

Among wild valleys

Although the Nagy-Mély-völgy continues to call us with its green moss carpet, rocky gorge, and stream, an adventurous path opens at the incision near the Mánfai-kőlyuk. The Z marker climbs sharply on rock steps to the right, bypassing the wall and leading into the wild forest of Zsidó-völgy. Initially, we walk over rocky terrain on a path dominated by fallen trees. We tread through the seemingly untouched lower section of Zsidó-völgy, sneaking over fallen logs rolled onto the "V"-shaped valley bottom. The evident fungal world illustrates the continuous organic matter decomposition of the dead trees most of the year. The boulders on the dry streambed recall the stream triggered by significant rainfall. Although usually dry during most of the year, particularly during snowmelt or prolonged rainfall, the stream may surface here. Upon reaching the upper part of the gorge forest decorated with old beech tree trunks, we understand why the incision remains dry. The surface is scarred by semicircular depressions; the dissolving limestone here has subsided along the cracks over millennia, guiding precipitation underground into the Triassic limestone passages.

The widening upper section of the valley has already been reached by forestry: we turn into the hillside in a young forest following the Mecseki Zöldtúra Z marker and climb to the ridge dominated by oak woods. Here, we join the Dél-dunántúli Kéktúra K marker, crossing the highest point of our route at nearly 500 meters elevation. In the area known as Lyukas-hárs, a surprisingly large number of linden trees live; in the warm-loving Mecsek forests, we generally find more linden trees than the national average. On the far side of the ridge, we bypass a clear-cut area on the right and then steeply descend into the Nagy-Mély-völgy basin where the watercourse from the start of our route springs from.

On the valley floor, the P marker turns towards the springs, guarded by an unfolding, hall-like, old beech forest. We hike another narrow kilometer without a permanent water flow in the valley but find the stream's origin among the most beautiful beech trees with gothic cathedral-like tree trunks: the Mariska and Kánya springs. The latter lies slightly lower and has one of the largest yields in the mountain range, actively tapping the karst water. Its significant shelter and three outlets indicate that during floodwaters, karst air bursts forth here from the hillside with serious volume. Beneath are tufa steps and curved natural dams standing across the downward-flowing stream's path, indicating the water's high lime content.

Enchanted by waterfalls

We descend for a long time following the watercourse, passing by beautiful waterfalls and trickling streams. The valley narrows into the tight incision seen in the lower section. At its narrowest part, the Petnyák-völgy joins in from the right, where turning in, we follow the Z marker for a short time uphill. Its stream is also a child of the karst region—as seen at the Ágnes waterfall. Two thick freshwater tufa columns precipitate from the water falling off the rock ledge along the double waterfall. Looking at it, it seems as if the columns shaped by the waterfall hold up the undermined rock edge forming the dam, as the flow has deeply undercut around these, and frost has flaked off the lime layer.

Above the waterfall in the beech forest, we reach a four-way junction. We switch to the P+ marker (to the right), where we first take a short detour into the Meleg-mányi-völgy. Following the wide hollow comfortably, the trail leads into a basin, an old beech forest section. Next to the Meleg-mányi spring, we find a rest area with benches and a fireplace; further along the valley, a special altar-like wall rises, over which the stream cascades stepwise.

The compact tufa step waterfall of Meleg-mányi-völgy is a textbook example of freshwater limestone precipitation and a spectacular natural artwork. Its atmosphere is enhanced by the forest framed by gray beech trunks and root tangles, which with its protective canopy serves as a natural museum preserving this masterpiece. Along the stream's course, arcs of dams and pools have formed, whose walls stand nearly a meter high, made from vertical limestone ribs. Fallen branches and leaves themselves become parts of the tufa steps, soon covered in a brownish patina. Above the nearly 100-meter-long limestone terraces lies the substantial Anyák spring, source of the lime-saturated karst water. The stream first plunges significantly at the tufa steps, where the dissolved lime material precipitates thickest.

Temple of ancient times

After paying our respects to nature's masterpiece, having examined and rested beside it sufficiently, we head back on the P+ marker. At the junction, we proceed straight, climbing the deep path to the opposite ridge. From here, we descend sharply, following the opening valley to streamside clearings beside the Mánfa road.

At the last tree group of the valley floor opening with the row of meadows, a vision-like temple emerges among the foliage. The seemingly completely abandoned building was erected in the 12th century, then barely 25 square meters with a circular walled sanctuary, expanded twice. The now lonely temple is the only surviving building of the medieval village, the settlement destroyed in the Turkish era was rebuilt about a kilometer higher. Legend has it that a young herdsman from Mánfa discovered the ruins when searching for his stray bull in the bushes and heard bell ringing—the temple's former bell was sounded by the bull. In the mid-18th century, a hermit reinforced the crumbling walls, then the entire church was renovated between the two world wars. With its pleasant resting atmosphere, it is a favorite hiking destination for locals; excellent acoustics in its three-nave hall make it popular for concerts.

After the Árpád-era church, before the stream bridge, we turn left and walk back to our starting point, the Kőlyuki Betérő, following the P◼ marker. With a slight descent, we go down to the Nagy-Mély-völgy riding hall (the former Ciframalom), then swing right on the P marker to close the circular route. We can stop and refresh at the restaurant before leaving the Mecsek forests.