Secluded viewpoints route

Itinerary

• Throughout the route, we must follow the P marking.
• Only from the Koppány saddle do we make a short detour on the K+ marking to Nagy-Koppány, then return on the same marking.

About the route in detail

Nagybörzsöny

Nagybörzsöny has risen from its ashes several times, but one factor has consistently shaped the life of the village: the proximity of the mountainous region. From the 12th century, it was an important settlement due to ore mining in the area, and later the sunlit hills' viticulture and wine production put it on the country’s economic map – until the 19th century, when phylloxera destroyed the vines. The narrow-gauge railway network built to facilitate logging initially caused resistance among locals fearing job loss – there was even a fatal victim of the protests. However, the large-scale logging enabled by the trains ultimately only provided more jobs for the residents of Nagybörzsöny. Motorization in the 1960s led to the removal of the tracks. Today, Nagybörzsöny seems to be revived again: at the gateway to Börzsöny, it is a popular destination among hikers and those seeking narrow-gauge railways operating again for tourism purposes.

From the center, we start our long walk on the P marking, walking up to the upper edge of the settlement, where we turn left in front of the old press houses. At the end of the grassy spot stands the nicely restored Árpád-era church. The hiking trail slopes downward along the hillside; in front of us, the mirror of the fishing pond sparkles. We reach its shore, circle around the pond, then head towards the forest across a pasture. Looking back, we can see the Holló-kő ridge and the Magyar Hill closing it from the south. We ascend through young and older oak woods alternately. A monotonous section awaits us until we reach Gömbölyű-kő.

Gömbölyű-kő

In the southwestern corner of Börzsöny, the low mountains blend into the Ipoly valley with long, flat slopes. However, their eastern steep cliffs offer spectacular panoramas – as we will soon see. After bypassing a streambed, we cross a clearing and then climb surprisingly tiring, very long forest walks densely interlaced with logging roads to Gömbölyű-kő. Without any warning, suddenly emerges from the flattening mountain ridge a sunlit, yellowed grassy clearing decorated with large andesite boulders.

From the 509-meter cliff, a fantastic and unusual view opens to the High Börzsöny: the wildest part of the mountain range unfolds in front of us along its length, while the many solitary southern cones are also present (e.g., the peaks of Nagy-Sas-hegy and Sós-hegy). From here, the seemingly endless, dynamic surface mountain range of Börzsöny is divided by a lively valley network. The Csóványos-Magosfa ridge rises considerably above the landscape. The part of the hillside facing the Ipoly is the remnant of an ancient collapsed volcanic structure, the outer slope of a caldera, while the cliff of Gömbölyű-kő itself looks inside the caldera.

Kis-Koppány

It is hard to get enough of the view, but not long after, we encounter it again: our walk leads through more open and older forest, then along the edge of a clear-cut until we reach the top of Kis-Koppány. It is similar to the previous viewpoint and only 13 meters higher. Although we came no more than a quarter of an hour further, the Central Börzsöny looks much more distant; the area around the Danube Bend also appears: the Visegrád Mountains, Pilis, and the peaks of Gerecse.

Nagy-Koppány

Wading through knee-high grass, we enter the forest, then to a small clearing of the Koppány saddle. Our logging road reaches below Nagy-Koppány with a short climb—it is worth taking the short but steep path to the summit. On the southern face of the 549-meter elevation, a wide mowing meadow spreads. We can see the southern mountains and basins of Börzsöny and the mountain mass rising above the Danube Bend undulates before us. The panorama is beautiful towards the western peaks as well; the deep ditch of the Nagy-völgy valley cutting under Sákola-tető is clearly visible, at the end of which the valley of Ipoly winds – the hills of Helembai Mountain appear on the other side.

Árokösvény

We descend back to the saddle and then head south. The forest does not pamper us with its beauty again: this is not exactly the most memorable part of the national park, hence the significant change by the ditch of Misa-réti stream. The small watercourse is shallow but winds in a dark valley alongside our path. We cross multiple fords balancing on huge boulders. On the right the hillside is inhabited by young trees bending like combed hair, on the left older trees reside. We tread a charming, captivating valley where even in the hottest months a little water trickles.

After a bit more than half an hour from the beautiful valley, we climb up to the fields beside Márianosztra. On a wide dirt road, we turn towards the village; on the right, the thoroughly demolished andesite mine of Csák Hill is visible – its weekday noises often precede the view. Crossing the narrow-gauge railway tracks, following the marking, we enter the center of Márianosztra or end our hike at the station.