Wandering on the Giants’ Table

Itinerary

• From Bánkút we set off on the southern branch of the K trail, which we follow to the Három-kő junction.
• We make a detour to Három-kő on the Z▲ trail, then return on the same path.
• We climb up to the Tar-kő ridge on the K trail.
• The K▲ trail leads to the Tar-kő lookout, then its other branch connects back to the K trails.
• The K trail leads down to the Virágos-sár along the fence of the Primeval Forest.
• Arriving at the 2nd gate of the Primeval Forest, we continue north on the Z trail.
• At the fork, we turn right onto the K+ trail.
• We follow the K+ trail to the Huta-rét junction (the gate of the Hármaskúti forest guard's house).
• We make a detour to Huta-rét on the S trail, then follow the S signs back to Bánkút in the opposite direction.
• From Bánkút, we climb up the K▲ trail to the Bálvány lookout and return the same way.

Detailed description of the tour

Bánkút

From the parking lot at Bánkút, we find ski slopes in several directions: the cool climate of the elevated Bükk Plateau and the snow-retaining capacity of the northern slopes have been utilized since the 1960s on still operating pastures (on the Upper Borovnyák and Bálvány sides). By 1930, the Bánkút Tourist House was built beside a rich spring in the middle line of the plateau, which is now called the White Eagle Guesthouse. The property owner, Count Alfonz Károly Pallavicini, made the site available to the Hungarian Tourist Association for an annual symbolic rent of 1 pengő, specifically for building the house (he also contributed building materials and transport). Initially a popular tourist facility, after World War II it came under state management and gradually fell into ruin due to the lack of necessary modernizations and repairs. The troubled establishment closed by the late 1980s and was left to decay. The ruins were purchased in 1997, and the guesthouse has been operating since. In the opposite direction, at the foot of the ski slopes, we find today's tourist house, the Bánkút Ski Club's ski lodge. The construction of the house is a significant milestone in tourist history, and our tour also highlights what attracts nature lovers to the Bükk.

We start on the K trail, which soon passes through a clearing (fortunately, not many on our route). On the right, we see the Bálvány lookout (our final goal), and below it the rolling, lush green meadows which are covered by skiers in winter. Over the next kilometer, dense forests and charming meadows alternate, and we only change direction at Faktor meadow (where a Madonna is painted on a beech trunk). We turn south and wind along a rocky logging road. The forest is dotted with dense, spicy-smelling pine woods: their presence is not natural but results from old human decisions. Huge areas of the grove vanished in the 18th-19th centuries due to the enormous demand for wood by the nearby industry, while grazing hindered reforestation. Pine species (especially the spruce visible here) grow fast, so to address timber shortages, they were widely planted on the Bükk and other medium mountain ranges - now atmospheric forest areas, but the warming and drying climate and the lack of lasting snow cover damage their health, causing many to become ill and eventually die, and forestry has cut them down.

The hillocks of the plateau

At the end of an S-curve, we step onto a path and enter the bowl valley of the Mély-Sár valley with rows of sinkholes. The Bükk Plateau was once covered by volcanic debris and tuff deposits scattered by surrounding volcanoes - these were slowly eroded by streams flowing in a wetter climate than today, uncovering the karst surface. However, water and limestone interaction started under the covering as streams bore through the tuff layer to the limestone and began rock dissolution. Thus sinkholes formed, and as the streams cut more deeply into the volcanic layer, they dissolved new funnels. Earlier sinkholes became inactive - their remains are the hillocks, these deep, bowl-shaped small forms whose bottoms trap cold air, maintaining surprisingly low temperatures even in summer. Unique, green velvet-like clearings open the forest, and only the dark silhouettes of juniper bushes rise from their cover.

On Zsidó meadow

The K trail returns to the forestry track and turns right. With a gentle ascent, we enter a path and then step onto bitumen along a rain shelter. After a few more turns, we can stand on one of the most striking points of the Bükk Plateau: the huge, elongated sinkhole field of Zsidó meadow stretches as a brightly surfaced clearing, its shapes, juniper vegetation, and bordering pine forests reminiscent of the Pădis Plateau. From the 18th century, nearby brick and ironworks and glassworks destroyed huge areas of Bükk forests. Although forest management became necessary, at first with experienced Liptó forest masters (foresters) creating records, regulating the harvest quantities, cutting cycles, and renewal methods, grazing and acorn feeding played vital roles in contemporary forest use. Cattle, horses, pigs, and sheep grazed the mountains, massively nibbling saplings, creating clearings. Data from 1911 indicate that areas like Létrás, Jávorkút, and today’s Nagy-mező were connected and merged into vast meadows. Many have disappeared, and those remaining have shrunk, but they still exist, thanks to mowing. The former animal foddering activity was also ideal for the soil, as it does not compact it and helps maintain the diversity of this special habitat type’s species composition – thus nowadays mainly pursued for nature conservation.

On the plateau edge: Három-kő

The hillocks and juniper bushes fade, and at Keskeny-rét’s narrow but sunlit pasture, we reach a junction: the Z▲ trail leads out to Három-kő. A short forest walk with a gently sloping ascent brings us to the Southern Bükk’s lodge: the grassy terrace is broken by jagged rocky formations, sharply defining the plateau’s edge. To the west, the huge forehead of Tar-kő dominates the view, with the Mátra ridge emerging behind it. The southern part of the mountain range’s vast green mountain sea is marred directly below us by ugly clear-cutting patches. The disturbed, dissected forest is a mark of the tensions of modern land use: slowing climate change and protecting forest ecosystems, along with ecotourism essential for appreciating nature, require undisturbed forest protection, while the growing population consumption makes large-scale timber harvesting indispensable. Lifting our gaze to Tar-kő, we can observe the highest natural viewpoint in Bükk, which is also the next stop on our journey.

Across Tar-kő

We return to the K trail and turn left to tackle the (relatively easy) ascent. In the varied forest, limestone outcrops break the ground increasingly, indicating that we are approaching. Beyond the concrete block showing 949 meters, after leaving the K▲ trail, a dense herbaceous carpet appears, hinting at an approaching vegetation boundary. Indeed, the trees disappear, and we step onto rocky grassland (protected from change by trampling and perhaps mowing). Ahead, the peak of Ódorvár guards the exit of Hór valley, and to the east, Kőlyuk-Galya towers above its neighborhood. The southern break of the Bükk Plateau clearly emerges, dominated by the rocky cliffs and grassy top of Három-kő. Below Tar-kő, ugly clear-cutting and older fellings carve the landscape in a wide and long strip, and we can only speak of forest remnants (in the current state). However, to the west, the situation is better: nothing dissects the forest under the stones (from this angle). In the background, the Mátra Blue Block is blue, with Felsőtárkány below Castle Hill and the windows of Eger gleaming behind.

The famous stones of the plateau mostly dominate the Bükk landscape as rugged, sometimes flat wall-like cliffs. Nearly vertical limestone strata lost their support due to the faster decay of the underlying slates, then cracked and detached, leaving huge white scars. Walking along this ridge, we can look down on them (from Három-kő to the disturbed Bél-kő). Their caves, ledges, and rocky grasslands provide rich habitats and nesting sites for many protected birds of prey.

The Primeval Forest, a model of the original wilderness

If possible, linger on Tar-kő to enjoy the magnificent view, as the rest of our route will again be dominated by forest and meadow struggles. The mixed age and species structure characterize the old, near-natural forest section we descend along the Tar-kő slope. Although beech dominates, hornbeam also appears: grazing and acorn feeding once had a foothold here. We turn right on the K trail and at the end of a short ascent face a (trampled) fence: we stand at the gate of the Primeval Forest. Entry is forbidden, but walking along the wire fence, we can excellently observe the ancient trees of this special forest section from the reserve protection zone. The area is part of the Forest Reserve Program, and accordingly, no human interventions occur, with natural cycles organizing forest life. Old trees (mainly) break and fall during storms, and their decaying bodies host countless decomposers and enrich the soil as humus. Fallen trees open the canopy, allowing sunlight to penetrate to the forest floor, where saplings begin to grow competing with each other. Thus, we see a forest with varied age composition and uneven canopy levels, producing outstanding species richness due to its sheltering. The Primeval Forest was withdrawn from management in the early 19th century, and in 1942 forest engineer Lajos Király from Szilvásvárad persuaded the property owner, Count Pallavicini, to leave the forest undisturbed and declare it protected – from then on the forest community’s natural processes became the focus of scientific studies.

We bypass the Primeval Forest on a rocky path along the fence, which since 2018 is among the few Hungarian areas included in the "Primary forests of Europe" database listing forests never disturbed or long left undisturbed. Some giant trees creaking in the wind are only about 200 years old but still serve as keepers of ancient atmosphere: we see a scene of forests almost free from human impacts.

We proceed north on the Z trail. After a short, steep, rocky ascent (near a fallen fence), we enter a narrow path – the trace of a former narrow-gauge railway embankment is still visible in the landscape. Perhaps surprisingly, from the early 20th century, rails also served here for timber transport, connecting to the Salajka valley railway via the funicular built in the Kukucó valley. When the Primeval Forest was declared protected, this section was removed. Most of the route ran along the northern edge of the plateau (almost to Bánkút); the upper station of the funicular was northwest of the Olasz gate.

Along the dismantled narrow-gauge railways

We climb up a logging road that we must cross; on the far side, we continue on a path (K+ trail) running parallel to the asphalt. Here, at the northern edge of the Bükk Plateau, old pines planted in long pastures still thrive. The tourist sign winds through aromatic spruce forest, evoking the atmosphere of the higher Carpathian ranges. At one point, the dark opening of a deep sinkhole cave gapes between limestone cliffs. Soon, the shady forest is interrupted by an interesting clearing: the massive deep pit formations of Káposztás-kert make the terrain lively, and walking along the intermediate rim feels like balancing among egg carton compartments. Velvet-green grass and trees with ground-reaching foliage create an intimate, hidden landscape. The short row of hillocks formed similarly to those on Zsidó meadow, but here the steepness and closeness make the effect more conspicuous. (At the bottom of one depression, you can see a device collecting weather data that traps cold well.) We soon reach a descent (to the right, the Feketesár forest guard's house stands under the trees), and a spacious clearing opens up before our eyes.

The Feketesár meadow is pocked with small hillocks; the slope rises like a bent bowl with fine lines - perhaps the plateau’s most beautiful spot. On the left, the Olasz Gate cliff appears. Among the World War I prisoners, 18 Italian soldiers arrived at the property of Count Pallavicini, of Italian descent. Led by Gáspár Thurzó, in 1918, they cut through this rock, which blocked the timber hauling narrow-gauge railway's route. The breach nowadays is one of the plateau’s most important northern gates (with a parking lot on the far side, it is the other car-accessible route to the highest parts of Bükk besides Bánkút). Up until the early 20th century, this spacious meadow served as a nighttime resting place for the herds of nearby villages – the name may come from the muddy patches made by the animals trampling the turtle-shaped dip’s bottom.

Along meadows

The K+ trail crosses the Feketesár meadow and follows a forestry track traversing a steep and sometimes rocky hillside. To the left rises Huta-bérc, which we bypass, and after a short descent, we turn into the gate of Huta meadow. Don't miss a short walk to the meadow’s end: it’s one of the Bükk’s most beautiful, quiet corners. The narrowly undulating meadow’s centerline has a tire track (in the former narrow-gauge railway corridor), and on the edges, densely packed spruce forests with graceful dark threads swoosh. Exploiting springs originating from the plateau’s edge, a small mountain settlement formed by the meadow is located in the vicinity of Hármaskút; one building is available as a key rental house.

We wind along a particularly beautiful, wooded path, gaining momentum towards Bánkút on the S trail. The calm meadow chain is enclosed by higher edges on both sides; the forest draws a narrow corridor around us – by the time we pass here, we can enjoy the lively birdsong in the afternoon sunshine. The rattling of the narrow-gauge railway disappeared from the landscape in the 1960s, and to our left, hidden by trees, the closed wilderness framed by Leány and Ablakos-kő valleys deepens. At Faktor meadow, we leave the meadows behind and proceed in a closed beech forest towards Csurgó. The Csurgói forest guard's house, built by Count Pallavicini in the 1930s, stands on the elevated fissure spring site. Interesting is that Tibor Déry's film "Simon Menyhért's Birth" portrays the challenges of old hard beech settlements through a forester living here. The neighboring building has served as a caving house since the late 1970s.

Until the outbreak of World War I, the summer pastures of the Bükk Plateau were leased by the farmers of Mályinka, Nagyvisnyó, and Szilvásvárad (from Count Pallavicini), and by mid-March, they drove out more than 500 head of cattle, grazing in the mountains until St. Andrew's Day (November 30). In the water-poor karst plateau, watering was possible only at wells such as Csurgó, so animals typically spent winters here. Like Hármaskút, Csurgó springs from fissures in volcanic rock: both are low to medium yielding but stable springs feeding streams that deeply carved as ravine-like valleys on the northern side of the plateau, sculpting hard limestone rib layers, which include the eponymous Ablakos-kő or can be observed from the lookout of Leány Valley.

The Bálvány

The trail becomes harder to follow as we wind along the Bálvány side towards the parking lot. Opposite us, yellow marked bands appear again on the trees, and we reach asphalt. As a closing act of our tour, let's take a short detour to the top of Bálvány to the Petőfi lookout; you won’t regret it! On the K▲ trail, we rush among rocks. The path crosses a thin ridge, then climbs a broader ridge to the 956-meter Bálvány, where a telecommunications tower shares the lookout. It has stood here since 1948, built for the 99th anniversary of the War of Independence; its name comes from here – its material is from the signaling tower of the Diósgyőr ironworks. After the narrow stairs and then a ladder posing a serious challenge for people afraid of heights, the panorama awaits.

We can enjoy one of Northern Hungary's most beautiful views: below us, the prominent, undulating Bükk Plateau, and beyond it, the entire Northern Medium Mountains appear (in clear weather). To the east the Zemplén, northeast the Aggtelek karst, to the left the Heves-Borsod hills and Karancs rise, with the long ridge of Mátra distinctly towering over the surroundings. Among the hills of the Uppony Mountains shines the mirror of the Lázbérci Reservoir. With luck, in the distance, the Börzsöny, and even the Visegrád Hills can be seen. The whole sight is a large, stone-frozen undulating landscape, with mountain ranges emerging like islands. To the north, the terrain's variety seems endless, as the Slovakian Carpathians, though distant, unfold in wide splendor: the slopes of Gömör-Szepesi Ore Mountains and the volcanic series background show wild giants like Krizna at the southern end of the Great Fatra main ridge, the Low Tatra’s alpine pastures mass behind valley basins, and above all, the rocky crown of Upper Hungary, the High Tatras. Arriving near sunset, the panorama is picturesque, as the valley slopes “ignite” in golden light and emit wisps of fog.

Return to Bánkút

The hardest part of our hike is letting go of the magical view and turning our backs on the bird's eye perspective, but if we succeed, we can close the walk in just a few minutes. We can return to Bánkút the way we came, or choose the steep (unmarked but beaten) path beside the lookout that leads to the top of the sledding slopes. Following the upper edge of Csurgó meadow, we get a beautiful perspective on the plateau landscape before re-entering the parking lot under the trees.