Sümeg – Zalaszántó (OKT 9th day hike)

It is worth arriving by train at the Sümeg railway station, where the stamp can be found on a column next to the entrance to the waiting room (on the track side). The K signs lead towards the town center, and right now we face a dilemma: with some climbing and a few kilometers of detour, we can visit the castle. The significance of the eagle's nest built after the Tatar invasion increased in the mid-16th century when the bishopric of Veszprém fled to Sümeg and used the settlement as its seat for about two hundred years. The castle has been privately owned since 1989, and since then it has been continuously beautified, and excellent programs, e.g., knight tournaments, are also organized.

But it’s not only the castle but also the view that we recommend the detour for! From above, the northwestern continuation of the OKT’s flat section and its hilly extension are excellently visible. The Tátika rises opposite us in the distance, roughly at the halfway point of this hike, giving a good sense of the challenge ahead. From the scenic points along the serpentine road leading to the castle, we can enjoy the panorama even without visiting the castle (buying an entrance ticket).

Walking back from the castle, we pass Sümeg’s other sights, including the Bishop's Palace, the Public Garden, and the Franciscan church, and arrive back at the K signs on the main road. Walking straight along this road, we reach the town boundary, where a right turn takes us onto a large grassy plain. Above us, high-voltage cables cross the landscape, and to our right, we find the prehistoric flint quarry geological exhibition site. Inside, a nature trail presents the history of the area and the local rocks; at the Flint Visitor Center, we can admire a collection of several thousand artifacts. Nearby, remains of a 75-million-year-old ancient turtle were found, and a flint mine over 6000 years old was discovered, where Neolithic people used antlers to extract flint. The rock is also known as firestone since it was used to make fire but was also used as a weapon due to its shapability and sharp edges.

It's worth looking back at the town, as the castle towering over Sümeg is a grand sight. We march across the field up to the railway line, then proceed through a small settlement towards the low-traffic road connecting Sümeg with Sümegprága. At the crossroads, there is a stone cross and rest area, where the forest road also begins. Along this road, we cross the Sarvaly and Tátika forests in the next approximately ten kilometers.

Sarvalyi Forestry House – Zalaszántó

After only about two kilometers of walking, we arrive at the Sarvalyi Forestry House, where the next stamp of the Blue Trail is screwed onto a wooden column of the direction signs. The stamp image shows the classicist sandstone frame of the Sarvaly spring, which can be visited with a short detour by turning right on the path. Unfortunately, the once richly flowing spring no longer always provides water (and when it does, it is not drinkable), but a large resting place has been created beside it. The forest resting place, shaded by excellent condition old beech and linden trees, offers numerous benches, a cauldron place, a rain shelter, and tables, suitable even for a whole school group to sit. The minor remains of the 16th-century Sarvaly village currently hide behind a fence; a model of the settlement can be seen in the Hungarian National Museum.

In the next section, we twist a long way on forest roads, with only a few right-angle turns breaking the monotony. This section is not strong in elevation; we record these kilometers among our memories. At the junction by the Ágota well, we finally arrive at a wilder path. The wide, roughly paved forestry access road changes to a very charming trail, and we start climbing: over 1.5 kilometers, we ascend 110 meters. But it's more important that we are passing through the Tátika primeval beech forest. We are in the core area of the Tátika Forest Reserve, where we can see trees aged 180–210 years — one of the best-preserved, almost primeval beech forests in Hungary. There is no 'hallway of trunks' characteristic of managed and planted forests; the trees' size and age vary, and the natural conditions are also due to the forest block having been protected since 1953.

We also pass by the Black Lake halfway through our journey. This waterlogged area without drainage often dries up in summer; its water surface is covered by duckweed. Soon we reach the Tátika junction, where by turning right and following the KL signs, with a small detour, we can visit Tátika Castle at 413 meters altitude. Only the massive walls remain of the former castle, but it is still a spectacular place, not to mention the views! Due to wooden cladding, we do not have a full panoramic view; for example, Sümeg is visible only from the serpentine road leading to the castle, peeking between the trees. However, Zalaszántó can be seen, along with the stupa next to it and Rezi Castle opposite; around us are rolling fields, pastures, and forests. Built in the 13th century and named after its first owners, this castle was destroyed by the Turks; its decline continues, but the old stable's room still exists.

The route from Tátika Castle to Zalaszántó is well traceable: we lose altitude on a beautiful forest trail on the mountain's western side, then, crossing the Sümeg–Keszthely main road, we walk along meadows and forest belts towards Kovácsi Hill, home to the Peace Stupa. We pass two rest areas, one of which has a rain shelter. At the Tátikahidegkút farmstead (located on the site of a long-lost medieval village), we find the Hideg-kút well deep in the nettle, but the spring has dried out.

The last notable ascent of the section is the steep, gravel-covered path leading to the Peace Stupa, which is accessible by car. Although surrounded by beautiful forest, the beech does not cast much shade on the path, making this a rather scorching climb in summer. The route also passes two built rest areas with tables, benches, and rain shelters, but there is no spring water. Near the first rest area stood Kovácsi village; at the second rest area, we find one of Zalaszántó’s stamps on the OKT info board (the other is in the window of the Tátika presszó). Here, we can also make a very short detour to the Peace Stupa, built in 1992, which is one of Europe's largest stupas. The white, pointed structure can be spotted from great distances and is visible from both Rezi and Tátika castles.

The stupa was erected based on an idea by Bop Jon, a South Korean Buddhist monk, who decided to find a place for the sanctuary in one of the post-communist countries. The stupa was consecrated by the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyaco, on June 17, 1993. The Peace Stupa is a 30-meter-high, 24-meter-diameter building housing relics and remains of Buddha, as well as a tree of life. In 2007, it was renovated and expanded; there is now a meditation center and gift shop next to it. It is important to walk around it always on the right-hand side. It is also good to know that the gift shop sells bottled drinks and snacks, and there is a (paid) restroom available.

The volcanic Kovácsi Hill can be reached by a longer, at least one-hour detour to the basalt street. Here, spectacularly shaped basalt rock towers surface, building the mountain and surrounding slopes that once held castles, though erosion has removed the softer layers.

We descend the village through the vineyards on the slopes of Derék Hill. Along the way, we encounter beautiful vineyards and weekend houses, and at Zalaszántó's border, we can rest in front of the Saint Donát Chapel. The early 20th-century neo-baroque chapel is named after Saint Donát, who protects against lightning and hailstorms. Near the elegant chapel, next to the stone cross, we find tables and benches.

Already inside Zalaszántó's built-up area, close to the main road, we pass the Kotsy watermill on the Kovácsi stream. Equipped with historical working tools, the mill is generally open to visitors in the morning and is better suited to include on tours starting in Zalaszántó. Although the current mill building dates from the early 20th century, a watermill has operated at the site since the Turkish era.

The day's section ends with the impression of the stamp placed in the window of the Tátika presszó — but it's worth walking one bus stop further toward the school, as there is also a convenience store there.