The lookout mountains of Southern Börzsöny (PICK Burgundy circular route)

Itinerary

• From the center of Márianosztra, we set off north on the Z trail and follow it to the Kopasz-hegy junction.
• At the junction, we turn right onto the Z▲ trail, ascend to Kopasz-hegy, then descend back the same way.
• We continue to climb the Z trail up to Sós-hegy (marked as Só-hegy on some maps), following this trail to the clearing called Nagy-rét.
• At Nagy-rét, we take a detour to the right on the Z▲ trail to the lookout point on the side of Nagy-Sas-hegy.
• Returning to the junction, we continue straight on following the Z▲ sign to the summit of Nagy-Sas-hegy, and stay on this hiking path until Keselyűs-orom.
• At Keselyűs-orom, turning left on the Z trail, the hiking path splits again after a few hundred meters.
• At the junction, turn left onto the Z+ trail leading to Nagyirtáspuszta and to the railway station.
• At Nagyirtáspuszta railway station, turn left onto the P+ trail which takes us back to Márianosztra.
• Upon arriving at Márianosztra, we leave the last houses on Szőlő Street and then on Ady Endre Street, joining the Pᵯ trail which leads to the Kálvária Chapel situated on the hilltop.
• From the Kálvária Chapel, continue following the Pᵯ trail to the edge of the village.
• In Márianosztra, turning left on the P trail, we return to the starting point of our route, the center of Márianosztra.

Detailed description of the route

Our hike begins in the meticulously developed, cobblestone-paved center of Márianosztra (at the intersection of Kossuth Lajos Street and Miklós Street), where all facilities are available to replenish supplies before departure: there is a bistro, restaurant, and a small grocery store. We will need to refill our water bottles here since the next opportunity for this is only at the turning point of the route, Nagyirtáspuszta.

We get onto the Z trail at the start of Miklós Street where the village community house can also be found. Although their website states they are open every day of the year, this is not always the case in practice; therefore, especially if interested in ethnographic values, it is advisable to book in advance to see the charming small exhibition.

Following the Z trail, we walk up the gently ascending Miklós Street toward the beckoning mountains in the distance. At a Y-junction, turn left onto Szőlő Street, walking out between houses amidst rather noisy dogs. The street's name is telling: many people in Márianosztra historically engaged in viticulture and wine production, although today little trace of this remains on the sunny slopes surrounding the village, where orchards and small gardens have replaced the vines.

Leaving the paved and then gravel road, we enter the forest starting at the municipality's border and walk in the shade of the trees along the wide dirt road marked with Z signs. The path gently ascends the entire time, serving as a warm-up before conquering the panorama points ahead. Along the trail, we pass the TVK spring and the larger clearing called Sarok-rét, and after more than two kilometers, we arrive at the junction of the Z▲ sign that leads up to Kopasz-hegy. This path takes us to the 539-meter summit, but be prepared for a particularly steep, rocky, and slippery climb toward the end.

High mountain experience under six hundred meters

Despite the exertion, it is worthwhile to climb the grassy, horseshoe-shaped hilltop, where the absence of trees, some rocky terrain, and the suddenly unfolding view evoke an almost alpine atmosphere, accentuated by the iron cross erected near the summit. While catching our breath, we can admire the gently undulating, forested highlands of Börzsöny and see the houses of Márianosztra behind us, including the basilica and the prison most easily spotted from here. Looking further away, the shimmering ribbon of the Danube divides the landscape. Also recognizable is the distant Naszály, marked by the mining-damaged side above the tiny houses of Kóspallag.

Interestingly, an original wooden cross stood on the summit but was destroyed by lightning in 1970. The current iron cross and statue of Jesus were erected in 1973 by a local chief hunter who recovered from illness out of gratitude. For geocachers, good news: a cache is waiting near the summit, though the steep mountainside makes it a challenging find.

After sightseeing, we return the same way on the Z▲ trail back to the Z trail, turn right, and continue toward Lengyel-rét. This is actually a small clearing crossed by a narrow path through young oak forest on the Z trail. After a while, the path steeply ascends with sharp curves signaling that we will soon reach the next panoramic point, the shoulder of Sós-hegy.

Fortunately, this climb is not as steep as the previous summit, and the panorama here is also impressive. From the bare mountainside, the landscape appears wilder, with only Kóspallag among the nearby villages visible amidst the waving, forested slopes and peaks. The sights extend from the Mátra through the southwestern tip of Börzsöny to Gerecse, and with some searching, one can spot the outline of the Esztergom basilica near the Visegrád Mountains.

From the treeless slope with excellent views, a small climb awaits to the 584-meter-high summit of Sós-hegy, but from here, the outlook is limited, so we can start descending to Nagy-rét. As its name suggests, Nagy-rét is a truly large, irregularly shaped clearing resting in the saddle between Sós-hegy and Nagy-Sas-hegy. Crossing this picturesque meadow, one can almost hear the bells of cattle once grazing here, with the clearing’s original function hinted at by several old trees, one of which is a massive oak.

"Secret" tip for a forest picnic 

Crossing the meadow, we reach another junction where both right and left show Z▲ signs. First, turn right to enjoy the third great viewpoint of the hike on the side of Nagy-Sas-hegy. Despite the earlier panoramas, this lookout on a relatively flat clearing does not disappoint and is a perfect spot for a brief rest. Those with a blanket can use it here for a short break, picnicking, and sightseeing. As with previous spots, from here, the characteristically flat ridges of Mátra, the Naszály, and on the other side of the Danube, the Visegrád Mountains are clearly visible, and it's easy to spot the castle in the distance without much effort.

As tempting as this delightful view is, especially after so much climbing, get moving and return on the Z▲ trail to the aforementioned junction. From there, continue straight, following Z▲ to the next mountain peak, Nagy-Sas-hegy. At 609 meters, it is the largest volcanic cone of Southern Börzsöny, which you will feel in your leg muscles during the climb. Be prepared that unlike previous spots, here there is no nearly complete panoramic view; yet, the rich vegetation occasionally offers rewarding glimpses: besides the already known summits, you can look back on your route, and the altitude gained so far makes the earlier viewpoint seem like a small hill.

Descending on the Z▲ trail, rejoin the Z trail at Keselyűs-orom, where turn left and again left after a few hundred meters onto the Z+ trail. From here it is a downhill walk through oak forest to Nagyirtáspuszta. Before reaching the small railway station in Nagyirtáspuszta, we pass the Szent Orbán Forest Wellness Hotel in the middle of the forest, where food and drinks are available, and from spring to autumn, a large, open terrace and café welcome hikers. You can also have coffee at the buffet near the small railway station, although it is advisable to check opening hours in advance. The charming stop at the edge of the pine forest, equipped with restrooms, is the highest point of the Transbörzsöny narrow-gauge railway (formerly called Water Divide for a reason) and surrounded by numerous information boards and maps. The railway was originally built in the early 20th century, in 1924, through the Börzsöny forest to Szob for transporting timber from the surrounding valleys to the main railway.

This area once belonged to the Archbishopric of Esztergom, and Nagyirtáspuszta was the center of forest ownership. The name suggests a larger clearing, but today the once quite large clearing has almost completely reforested, with only a few clearings around the hotel and mostly evergreen trees covering the rest.

The hike can also be finished by narrow-gauge train

We are about halfway through the hike, and this is the point where we can decide whether to rattle back to Márianosztra by the narrow-gauge railway on the track re-opened in 2016 or continue on foot. From here, the path leads downhill through beautiful forest areas.

At Nagyirtáspuszta – crossing the narrow-gauge railway track – we must find the P+ trail, turning left to start descending south along the wide bed of the Bezina stream. If here, a very short detour on the P● trail to the once more splendid Vasas-kút is recommended. Unfortunately, the flowing water is not safe to drink, and the spot is of interest mainly for tourist history: the small memorial plaque states that the Vasas Nature Conservation Society Mechanical Laboratory Division built it in 1960. This detour is also highly recommended for geocachers, as the second hidden box of the hike is found here.

Traces of Börzsöny gold rush

Returning to the P+ trail, we continue descending towards Márianosztra along a wide forest road, encountering an old mining tunnel as the next attraction. Looking into the small, jagged-edged cavity on the left, it is hard to imagine the amount of work that took place here and in the surrounding areas when gold and silver were mined in Börzsöny. One of the most atmospheric sections of the hike is descending through the wide Bezina valley among young, but still fine beech trees which provide continuous shade under their canopy in summer. We cross the narrow-gauge railway track at Bezina meadow.

Following the P+ trail, we return to our starting point, Márianosztra, leaving the last houses once again on Szőlő and Ady Endre streets, joining the Pᵯ trail. This leads to the Kálvária Chapel on the hilltop and the baroque sculpture group in front of it. The last but most beautiful panorama of our hike unfolds here: the rolling peaks of Börzsöny form a picturesque backdrop to the houses of Márianosztra.

The huge linden trees standing between the stations, several hundred years old, hint that this is no recent construction. In 1756, the prior P. Dónyi Gellért marked and blessed the site of the three crosses on the hilltop, and the 16 stations were established in 1759. Descending along the stations, we reach the houses and take a left turn on Ady Endre Street, following the P trail back to the starting point in the center of Márianosztra.

Here, it is worth visiting the previously mentioned community house and the nearby Basilica of Our Lady of Hungary. The basilica complex includes a former Pauline monastery building now used as a prison. In the 1950s, this institution "enjoyed the hospitality" of notable inmates, including Árpád Göncz, István Bibó, and Tibor Déry. After 1989, only the church and parish building returned to church ownership; the former monastery remains a prison.

Finally, a curiosity about the name of the village: the Pauline Order built a monastery here in the mid-1300s under King Louis the Great, next to which a church was erected in honor of Our Lady of Hungary. The entire settlement is named after the church and its patron saint, as the Latin "Maria nostra" literally means "Our Mary."