The past and present of Hollókő

Itinerary

• From the Hollókő settlement center, turn off the first street following the Cserhát Green Paths Z sign towards Ófalu.
• Crossing the first street, we are already on the Kertekalja nature trail T path, which we follow (straight ahead) until we reach the Ófalu street again.
• In Ófalu turn right and follow the National Blue Trail K sign to the edge of the wooded pasture.
• From the wooded pasture, follow the Vártúra nature trail T sign to the right, all the way to the Vár-kút spring.
• From the Vár-kút, start back and climb on the K● sign to the clearing in front of Hollókő Castle.
• From the castle tower, descend on the KL sign back to Hollókő.
• In Hollókő, follow the K sign again (to the right), along the Ófalu street.
• At the Visitor Center, turn right onto the Cserhát Green Paths Z sign and cover the last meters to the bus stop.

Detailed description of the route

Depressions under the gardens

We start our circular route from the village center located at the border of Ófalu, following the Kertekalja nature trail marked with a sign and T mark. The boardwalk beginning at the edge of Ófalu presents the valley of the Hollókő stream flowing below the settlement, where once residents dug small ponds for hemp retting and washing clothes. Nowadays these hemp retting ponds used for cloth-making have filled in, creating swampy, marshy habitats for aquatic life communities. The wooden plank path bends over several hundred meters, sometimes connected by stairs to bridge the elevation difference.

The signs on the trail introduce the hemp cultivation and processing process and how washing was done in the past. On the hemp fields along the stream, families cultivated sufficient hemp for themselves on their plots; it was soaked in 10-15 pits each 1-2 meters wide next to the village, then dried and processed. From sacks to underwear, many everyday clothes were made from hemp. There were also three washing pits in the valley. The pits were used until the 1960s when piped water replaced them. We can also learn about the plants grown in the old gardens of Hollókő.

Even on hot summer days, the shady valley offers cool and comfortable walks. The diverse plant life allows for some wild points; however, in drier periods the trickling of the stream may not be enjoyed.

We proceed about 800 meters along the boardwalk, then following the T sign, climb out of the Hollókő stream valley via stairs. Our way leads between village peasant houses and soon reaches the cobblestone main street of Ófalu. At this point, we can decide whether to explore the village made of 67 original gable-roofed, porch-fronted Palóc peasant houses, familiarizing ourselves with local traditions, flavors, and various sights, or save these experiences for after discovering the castle.

The charm of Ófalu

The settlement was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1987. The unified, traditional image of Ófalu was shaped by a tragedy: in 1909, a large part of the houses burned down in a village fire. (At that time, building roofs were still thatched with straw, allowing smoke to escape through a chimney opening.) The destroyed houses were rebuilt within two years, now with stone foundations, chimneys, and tile roofs. The narrow-strip village form characteristic of Upper Hungary and Palóc settlements with a single street widening spool-shaped around the church and cobblestone streets defines Hollókő's atmosphere.

Most of the old houses commemorate traditional crafts, either through museum exhibitions or the offerings of local artisans. Maintaining folk customs is also part of village life, with locals dressed in folk costumes filling the streets during religious holidays.

Pastures and peat forests

At the Palóc Doll Museum located on the village's main street, we join the National Blue Trail K sign and continue the route to the right. We slowly leave the village and after about 600 meters, on a forest path, reach the intersection of the K sign and the Vártúra nature trail. Turning right on the latter T sign, we visit the memorial site of the Árpád-era church in Hollókő, but the main attraction in this section is the natural environment.

In the area around Hollókő, traces of the former wooded pastures can be found on about sixty hectares; their value is given by the large, 120-150-year-old old trees, Turkey oaks, sessile oaks, hornbeams, and beeches. Walking through the former wooded pasture and orchard of the village, we have a view of the castle, and information boards tell us about the formation, use, and reasons for the disappearance of the pastures.

The extensive oaks served as the ancestral trees of the pasture for centuries, providing natural protection for animals against the summer heat. Good soil quality was ensured by the animals’ manure; the fruit was collected, and the trunks were worn smooth by the grazing animals.

The initially wide road turns into a gentle path and leads back to the K sign under increasing vegetation pressure, where it merges briefly with the Vár-kút valley. We arrive at the shady willow and alder grove of the stream valley. The K sign heads west, but we remain on the T sign and now follow the stream uphill towards its spring.

The castle valley and its water

In the rugged, cauldron-shaped stream valley, signs draw attention to the local wildlife representatives, supported by small pictures for identification. On a short detour through the pleasant grove forest, we find an interestingly shaped building among the foliage. Here is the Vár-kút and the former peasants' bath. Built by 1937, the bath was popular before World War II, with changing rooms established next to it. At the end of the 1950s, exploratory drilling for water supply was carried out at the spring, resulting in the construction of a waterworks around it. An overflow was also planned to fill the bathing area, but due to the growing water demand of Hollókő and the spring’s depletion, the bath ceased operation by the mid-1960s.

Beside the plentiful spring today, there is an information board, a cross, benches and a table, and an old building designed for camping (with an indoor fire pit), on top of which is a small platform-like treetop walkway. From the Vár-kút, we follow the K● sign and leave the valley on an increasingly steep climb. Supported by a wooden railing, our path climbs over rocky terrain towards the castle. This steep section is no more than 400 meters, but the effort pays off once we catch sight of Hollókő’s magnificent fortress.

At Hollókő Castle

The castle perched on the andesite rock ridge has unique, spiral ring walls and a pentagonal tower that make it intriguing at first glance. The castle is open to visitors for a fee and, according to legend, was built from stones brought here by the devil's spawn; in reality, the medieval fortress was constructed at the end of the 1200s on the 362-meter rock peak.

The castle was owned by Csák Máté and Károly Róbert, but the Hussites occupied it twice without resistance; the Turks and Hungarians also controlled it for a few years without fighting. After its liberation, at the beginning of the 18th century, it was sentenced for demolition like many other castles. Although it played no role in battles, it was used as a storehouse during the Rákóczi War of Independence, thus surviving an additional decade. Eventually, it was destroyed and was only excavated after the mid-20th century. Since the mid-2010s, it has taken on its current form, allowing us to learn about the former castle life (e.g. a medieval kitchen, bedroom, blacksmith’s workshop), and we can also climb the old tower. From the top, there is a fantastic view of the Cserhát landscape and, in the distance, the Low Tatras region. The view can also be admired from the hill next to the castle.

Back to Ófalu

After visiting Hollókő Castle, we return to Ófalu. This short downhill walk is made following the KL sign through the forest and arrives by stone steps back to the cobblestone main street we visited earlier. Turning right on the K sign, we walk again among Hollókő’s old houses. Almost all the well-preserved peasant houses offer something for tourists: the repertoire includes a folk house and postal museum, a grocery shop, and craft master workshops welcoming visitors. Naturally, we can also eat and drink at the end of the route. At the end of the quaint street, at the Visitor Center, turning right leads us back to the village center.