The High Börzsöny peak circuit

Itinerary

• From Királyrét, follow the K+ mark along the asphalt road of the Szén-patak valley.
• From a fork to Fultán Cross, follow the K◼ mark, staying on the forestry road.
• From Fultán Cross to Csóványos, hike along the K mark.
• From Csóványos to Nagy-Hideg Hill, follow the K mark.
• From the Nagy-Hideg-hegy tourist house, descend along the K◼ mark to the Nagy-Vasfazék-patak valley head.
• Follow the connecting K+ marks downhill all the way back to Királyrét.

Detailed description of the hike

Szokolya-Huta and its industrial history

Királyrét, a popular excursion destination, lies at the confluence of streams and was a favored hunting ground of medieval kings and also the former bathing place of Queen Beatrix. Its older name, Szokolya-Huta, refers to ironworks active here in the 18th century. The area’s several iron ore occurrences have been known for a long time; finally, an ironworks operated from 1778 within the ducal estate, including a hammer mill—a kind of industrial plant where iron was worked by large, heavy hammers. The facility operated until 1791, producing various high-quality cast and wrought iron goods. Contemporary reports attribute the plant’s closure to frequent shortages of driving water, which was available at adequate levels for only up to 6 months annually. The settlement received its current name Királyrét on March 26, 1926, though locals continued to call themselves "hutaiak" for a long time.

From Királyrét, we start following the K+ mark on an asphalt road parallel to the Szén-patak, which holds memories of various human activities. Its name refers to charcoal burning, and its water was used for work. Initially, charcoal and water power were employed for the ironworks, then after the plant’s closure, the valley was used for timber floating and sawmill operations. A narrow-gauge railway was also built in the valley, running on rails instead of the current road until the late 1960s for transport purposes into the Börzsöny wilderness. Part of this and other former longer line networks in the tributary valleys remains in use today as the Királyrét-Kismaros section.

Timber floating was a special form of forest raw material transport, a true industrial-historical curiosity. While water transport of felled trees was generally widespread in the higher parts of the Carpathian range until the early 20th century, among the mid-mountain ranges only the Börzsöny is known for it. The method involved damming streams with gates to create temporary reservoirs, accumulating logs in the streambed, then releasing sluices so rushing water would carry the logs to larger watercourses where they were tied into rafts (formerly called "szál" or "talphajó") for further transport of valuable Carpathian timber, ultimately on the Danube or Tisza rivers. The technique required precisely built and maintained reservoirs, dams, canal systems, and skilled operators. In certain mountain regions, much of the population lived from logging and rafting. The timber moved this way—and the rafters themselves—reached far-flung parts of the country. This rafting infrastructure was developed in the Börzsöny along the Szén-patak – Morgó-patak line and some of the tributary valleys, where remnants of the system are still visible today. (Királyrét’s history is also presented in detail at its well-designed and informative visitor center, and the listed industrial-historical solutions are illustrated with memorable interactive models.)

Towards the High Börzsöny!

We follow the gently ascending road for a long stretch, walking alongside young trees, and at the Szállásoki meadow we quietly leave the former iron ore mine behind. The long, uneventful walk helps us gather strength for the upcoming challenges. A left turn at a fork follows, we stay on the asphalt but now must follow the K◼ marks. Shortly we reach the Szén-patak lodge building, with a babbling stream and a captured spring in front. Passing the nearby barrier, we start the next, most tiring section of our route.

We continue on the K◼ mark: turn left and climb among the trees. We cut repeatedly across curves in the forestry transport road while sometimes climbing quite steeply. On a narrow, rocky path, we cover the elevation; the High Börzsöny doesn’t give up easily. We constantly hear the roar of the rushing stream below while climbing the small noses of the Hárs ridge, occasionally with views. In the charming clearing of the Hárs-meadow, the vast forest opens, but at the small, cool clearing of the Fultán Cross we step out into beech forest again. János Fultán, former forest ranger, hid under the surrounding foliage waiting for two wood thieves, who ultimately killed him on a stormy night – at the monument unveiling, many people gathered from the residents of Diósjenő. The meadow at the rest area marks the last part of the path leading to Csóványos.

We climb to the characteristic ridge of Three-Lindens: on the right, the darkness of towering old beech trees, on the left, golden withered fescues sway, and the view opens towards the Szén-patak valley. From one point, we can spot Szokolya as well as the mountains on the far side of the Danube Bend. The panorama helps gauge how considerable a height we have gained compared to the surrounding areas. We walk on an important watershed: the streams in the valleys deepening to our left flow directly into the Danube, while on our right emerges the longest watercourse of the mountain range, the mighty Kemence-patak with its enormous bend. It collects the waters of the caldera’s northern external slopes and the basin alike, then channels them into the Ipoly.

The forest soon closes again above us, and in a silvery-barked, generally wind-blown montane beech forest, we charge towards Csóványos. The path leaves the straight sheath of the Fultán cut (it doesn’t matter which one we choose, they run parallel) and after about a 10-15 minute climb, we reach the base of the lookout.

Csóványos

Originally, a geodetic survey tower stood on the summit, renovated in 2014 and converted into a lookout. Climbing to the top, we can enjoy one of the most beautiful panoramas in our country. The completely open 360-degree view is truly splendid; put simply, there’s nothing like it on the Boulevard! The sight and feeling compensate for the effort of the earlier ascents. There is a wonderful view of the central part of the mountain range, the High Börzsöny—one of the country's largest uninhabited mountain areas with continuous forest. The ancient volcanic caldera arc is easily recognizable. From Miklós Hill through Magosfa, Csóványos, and Nagy-Hideg Hill runs the former rim, now part of the Börzsöny’s highest ridge section, supplemented by the Vár-bérc – Hollókő side ridge; this forms the western edge of the basin. The pot-shaped depression is broken northwards by the Csarna Stream, collecting waters of tributary valleys. The large forests, altitude differences, rocky peaks, deep inner stream valleys, and side ridges create a hiking terrain wilder than the national average for booted hikers.

To the south, the horizon is framed by the Visegrád Mountains; we can observe the Dobogókő area and clearly see the characteristic break of Red Stone. We can glimpse a stretch of the Danube; in the foreground, the ranges and basins of the South Börzsöny are visible. Closer is the Csóványos – Nagy-Hideg Hill – Nagy-Inóc ridge section. To the north in the distance are Ipolyság and Drégely Castle; nearer is Magosfa. On clear days, the Mátra appears, and the volcanic ranges of the Upper Hungarian Carpathians (e.g., Szitnya, Körmöci Hills, Polyána) and the Tatras reveal themselves. Westward extends the flat alluvial area where the Ipoly and Garam rivers flow into the Danube, stretching endlessly. Identification of sights is assisted by labeled photo boards, and information is available on panels at various levels and the base of the lookout regarding Csóványos and the Börzsöny.

After returning from the tower, we can rest a bit at the built resting area. Westward from the lookout, we see scree rocks from former volcanic activity. On one of these stands the Peace Memorial, with a touching and attention-drawing story. In early September 1914, four young men went on a Börzsöny hike. Europe was already ablaze: the First World War had broken out. Here, at Csóványos, they pledged to climb the peak every ten years to express their desire for peace, emphasizing the futility of wars. This gave rise to the Peace Hikes movement, first organized by nature friends from Újpest in 1924 and most recently on the 2014 centennial. The memorial stone was erected in 1964 on the 50th anniversary. The First World War took many members from numerous tourist organizations to the fronts; in the 1920s and 1930s, several associations erected memorials honoring their fallen heroes.

On the ridge of rocks

With our backs to the tower, we descend on the K mark (towards Nagy-Hideg Hill), seeing more volcanic formations, crowned by the large pointed rock tower of Korona-kő. The spot is also known as Vilma Resting Place, evidenced by a mounted metal plaque: dedicated to Lajosné Torma (Vilma) by nature walkers from Vértes. The rock formed from former blocks and ash-flow sediments that moved downslope after volcanic eruptions, gradually fragmenting. The varied sizes of glowing blocks and breccia mixed with finer and coarser debris flowed as a mass movement, cooling into a heterogeneous solid. This explains why we see pyroclastic fragments several meters in diameter alongside gravel-sized stones and fine ash particles. Over millions of years, erosion and intensive frost during Pleistocene ice ages sculpted these multi-component formations more resistant to weathering, now the most spectacular rock formations in Börzsöny.

Due to its location, the forest of the caldera rim ridge is almost always windy, as the heavy, cool beech forest air pours over it continuously—escaping from or entering the basin. The mystically Carpathian atmosphere of the forest opens at one point, leading onto a rocky ridge. From the top of Szabó Rocks, there's an excellent view of the Csóványos lookout, to the right the Hollókő – Vár-bérc range, and the system of lower side ridges and valleys can be observed. It’s worth looking down, as the chimney of Haramia Hole yawns in the rugged rock surface—move carefully around it! The well-like depression is likely man-made, its name referencing the last outlaw of Nógrád, Pista Sisa, who, according to locals, used it as one of his Börzsöny hideouts in the 1870s.

We continue on the undulating main ridge, whose edges feature bedded andesite lava flow remnants tilted with vertical walls, making the ridge line asymmetrical. We touch the huge, 21-meter-high breccia rock tower of Katalin Rock—named after Kautezky Larder Katalin, commemorated by her husband in 1991. The landscape and its man-made elements remain unchanged; soon we reach the Tóth Tamás memorial plaque’s location. In a few places, the forest opens slightly, but its dark, wild character remains intact.

A short, unmarked path to the right allows a detour to the open grassy-rocky lookout of Hangyás-bérc, where views of the opposite Hollókő rock peaks are limited by growing trees. Staying on the Blue Trail (Kéktúra), we arrive at Égés Hill’s 851-meter cone, where we can catch our breath, enjoying the view towards Nagy-Hideg Hill. At the peak’s edge stands a characteristic twisted rock formation composed of wood and various-sized stones.

A steep descent follows, a few minutes through silvery shining beech forest, passing the wooden cross erected in memory of Saint Stephen. We emerge onto gentler terrain at the Rakodó tourist trail junction. The 779-meter saddle’s name relates to logging. In the first half of the 20th century, timber was brought here to the valley narrow-gauge railway for transport towards Királyrét. Lumberjacks used a unique tool—a human-drawn Romanian sled—to carry logs down. Controlling loaded, heavy sleds was hard work, as sometimes they unexpectedly ran downhill causing fatal accidents. After unloading, heavy equipment was dragged back uphill. The use of the Romanian sled is depicted in the Börzsöny episode of the "One and a Half Million Steps in Hungary" Blue Trail film series.

Only one steep climb remains to Nagy-Hideg Hill: bypassing the former ski jump, tall old beeches make the hill sweat-inducing. But it doesn’t last long, and we soon break out onto the splendidly situated meadow of Nagy-Hideg Hill. (It’s worth taking a detour right to the bike trail next to the lift house for excellent views of Csóványos and Hangyás-bérc.)

Nagy-Hideg-hegy

The multi-story tourist house stands on the side of the 864-meter peak. Inside, there is a restaurant, buffet, and toilets—a great place to take a refreshing break. Part of the house represents Hungarian tourism history: construction began in 1936 and was finished in the 1940s. Fortunately, it has continuously operated as a mountain hut since opening, though in recent years accommodation reliability declined, and food has become less readily available. The hill is also a center of Hungarian skiing (the country’s first ski lift was built here), with several slopes serving winter visitors with skis. Its name refers to a higher number of snowy days compared to the national average, described by András Vályi in his 1790 country description as "early covered by snow and lasting long."

Even from the terrace we get nice views, but definitely hike up to the nearby crafted peak stone, as from there the landscape truly unfolds. The treeless grassy summit offers a great panorama: southward rise Magas-Tax and Inóc, we can see the ridges of South Börzsöny and, across the Danube, the Visegrád Mountains. To the left of the Danube Bend and Szentendre Island, Naszály appears; to the northeast, Csóványos dominates the view, and to the north rises the Hollókő – Vár-bérc ridge section. On clear days, higher Carpathian peaks (e.g., Szitnya or Madaras ridge) also appear.

The outer mantle

There is still a lot left, time to get moving. The K◼ mark starts a steep descent under the house, along the ski slope, then leads down the outer mantle of the High Börzsöny in the shade of a closing beech forest. We cross a wide forestry road and walk down a muddy section along the spring (waterworks) providing the house’s water supply on a rocky path. Gradually, we descend into the Nagy-Vasfazék-patak valley, where we hike on the K+ mark parallel above the watercourse. On the left, we pass the Inóci quarry worked in the first half of the 20th century, from where the quarried andesite was transported by cableway and funicular. We cross again the rocky path of Nagy-Hideg Hill, then over a bridge above the stream. Crossing the old funicular track and circumventing a barrier, our footsteps land on the asphalt of the Cseresznyefa parking lot. This was the terminus of the narrow-gauge railway, which initially transported ore and wood and later tourists until the 1970s. The removal of tracks and termination of the terminus was justified by building the asphalt road. We walk briefly on the road because the K+ mark turns right off it to continue further in the forest on the valley floor of Vasfazék.

On the last leg of our hike, we follow the former narrow-gauge railway’s route, crossing the winding stream repeatedly. Occasionally, we observe remains of bridge pillars and railway embankments. Our path leads through forests of different ages and species, cutting across clearings in a beautiful valley; at one point, we also pass an excavated rain shelter. Finally, near the edge of Királyrét, we rejoin the asphalt road. We reach the Forest School and Visitor Center building which also includes the Hiúz House, then cross the Bagoly-bükki-patak bridge arriving back at our starting point.