The crocodile and the valley of mysteries

Itinerary

• From the bus stop, we follow the Z sign heading northwest.
• After Vállusszentmiklós, on an unmarked section bypassing Görbe-tető, we continue left along the Wild Garlic nature trail.
• From the Büdöskúti rest area, we follow the P sign east on the asphalt until the end of the route.

 Detailed description of the hike

 Panoramic introduction

From the bus stop, we follow the Z sign heading northwest, then turn right onto Kaszaháza Street, at the end of which we reach the vineyard hill. Soon, we come to a panoramic section, where the Tapolca and Káli Basin's landmark hills line up before us. A local peculiarity is that from this viewpoint the southern hills of Szigliget resemble a crocodile lying in water.

Leaving the vineyards and vegetable garden, our path enters a planted black pine-black walnut forest, then after a small clearing, a short section densely overgrown with blackberries and, except during winter, common field bindweed follows. From here, we reach a beautiful beech forest. Our trail turns left before the bed of a seasonal stream and climbs on Fagyos road up to the edge of the Ederics plateau. In the middle section of the road, a developed erosion ditch runs, and hollows also make progress difficult; it is advisable to walk on the slope.

Walk from the plateau to the St. Miklós valley

When the terrain flattens, after a short blackberry section, we move from the beech forest into an oak forest without holm oak and turkey oak. Turning right, we proceed straight ahead for a long distance, with dense vegetation bordering both sides. At the second elevated hide standing in a clearing, where we cross a clearing, it is worth taking a short detour right because an unmatched view opens towards the Tapolca Basin.

Following our sign, we cut through a dense beech regrowth, then passing by a slender, split-trunk companion tree, we enter a forest section rich in dead wood. Another straight section follows until we spot the P+ sign on a beech trunk. Here the Z sign bypasses the tree on the left and leads down through the cool, shady beech forest of Szapu valley to the St. Miklós spring in St. Miklós valley.

This is the mountain range's most abundant and highest spring, its emergence location owing to the encounter near the surface of main dolomite with the range's oldest surface rock, the water-sealing Csicsó marl. The gravitational discharge type spring's former yield is well suggested by the fact that in the Middle Ages the Pauline monks built a fishpond on it by damming its water. The main factor in the water level's decline was the Nyirádi bauxite mining.

How did the Paulines come here? After a few hundred meters' walk, we get the answer. Crossing the creek, we climb the steep path, along which a fire pit and benches enhance our comfort if we take a rest here.

Vállusszentmiklós

After turning left following the sign, a small path leads left after a few meters to the ruins of Vállusszentmiklós. The excavation of the former Pauline monastery began in 2016 in collaboration between the Göcsej and Balaton Museums.

The church is first mentioned in 1429 when László Pethő and his sons plundered the monastery's five serf plots in Keszthely, and the Kapornak convent reported this to King Sigismund. The founding date and founder are unknown, but the building was constructed in at least two phases with walls nearly one meter thick in places. Among the finds were Viennese pennies minted in the late 1240s from the Duchy of Styria and a silver denar of King Louis IV from 1272, suggesting an earlier foundation than previously thought. The finds include pottery shards, knives, book clasps, remains of a still used for medicinal fruit brandies, as well as iron hooks and a iron bell remain. The former was probably used for a fishpond created by damming the then higher yield St. Miklós spring and the latter for grazing in the monastery garden. Archaeologists also uncovered two monks aged about 45, both suffering from joint disorders; one likely had sinusitis. The most mysterious finds were bones of a 6.5-7 month-old fetus, probably buried here so the baby could be baptized by rainwater dripping from the sanctuary roof. (At that time, and even in some places until the early 20th century, there were special church regulations regarding the burial of unbaptized children.) The monks here lived in relatively good conditions, as confirmed by woolen cloth plumbs from the German-speaking region. The monastery was destroyed during the Turkish invasions. Tradition holds that a large flood washed away the Mary statue carved from local sandstone from here to the church in Vállus.

Continuing to Büdöskút

We return to the Z sign, then shortly continue left on an unmarked section bypassing Görbe-tető, avoiding the military dog cemetery 400 m straight ahead. The 15-station Wild Garlic nature trail, shaped like an 8 starting from Vállus, introduces us to the Keszthely Mountains’ lifeless and living world and traditions. Earlier at Görbe-tető, a military relay station closed to civilians, built due to the Warsaw Pact, also served an air defense role. Nowadays, only commercial antennas are on the red-white striped tower.

Our path reaches the Büdös-kúti quarry, where we might find fossils of Triassic mollusks and algae in significant quantities on exposed sections of the main dolomite formation of the Padkő Dolomite Member.

Continuing straight, we arrive at the Büdöskúti rest area, where a rain shelter, fire pit, benches, and tables await. At the eastern edge of the clearing stands a statue of Saint Hubert.

Crossing the plateau

From the rest area, following the P sign east on the asphalt and the wide dirt road, which after 300 m turns left, crossing the Boncsos-tető north, we cross the Ederics plateau. (Boncs is the folk name for the small wintergreen.) Underneath huge old oaks here was once the fenced hunting park of Count György Festetics, mainly with sweet chestnut nurseries. About the middle of the plateau, we reach a lookout tower. Across the intersection stood the Vékony-cseri hut where laborers once rested.

Following our sign, at the third right turn, 100 m away, we bypass water sinkholes hiding the 201 m deep Kessler Hubert and the only half as deep November 7 cave, and arrive at the edge of the ancient Sárkány Forest named after the Sárkány family of Ákosháza.

Back to Nemesvita

At the beginning of the descent, the crumbling dolomite at the slope signals former thermal water activity. We descend through a wild, washed valley on a black pine-planted mountainside. Behind the planted forest trees, glimpses of the Saint George Hill and Szigliget’s pyroclastic hills appear.

Soon, we reach the first holiday cottage. A short asphalt section follows, then a left turn brings us down to the upper vineyard road between the vineyards. Here, our sign turns sharply right – however, we continue left back towards the center of Nemesvita. Behind a lilac hedge stands a cross erected in 1920 guarding the area. Immediately after the next plot, a unique view opens towards the Tapolca Basin. After 400 m, we arrive at the former orchard-named Cseresznyés Street, continuing straight and joining Petőfi Street. In the garden of house number 29 stands a beautifully carved sandstone cross from Rez.

Turning right at the church square, we pass by Saint Stephen Church. A church already stood here in the 14th century, which was expanded and rebuilt in Baroque style in 1778. Curiously, above the western door, a bear-headed coat of arms can be seen.

Walking straight from the church, we return to the starting point.