Sirok - Szarvaskő (OKT-22)

Itinerary

Throughout the route, we must follow the K marking.

• From Sirok, we climb up to the saddle below the castle.
• We ride across to Rozsnakpuszta.
• From Rozsnakpuszta, we continue to the Egerbakta main road.
• After a fork, we return to the forest and walk to Szarvaskő.

Detailed description of the route

Sirok – Rozsnakpuszta

We turn from the streets of Sirok towards the skirt of the castle hill, where we ascend on a wide road, passing parking lots. Soon we reach a saddle point, from where, turning back, we can see the beautifully restored castle ruins in full glory. The history of the 13th-century stronghold is not as glorious as the nearby Eger’s: during the 1596 siege of Eger, Sirok was abandoned by its defenders. The Turks did reinforce part of it, but it later lost its function and began to decay. Today, from its walls, we can enjoy a magnificent view over the Mátra region; the entire Eastern Mátra unfolds, and the more massive block of Galya Peak also rises towards the sky in front of us.

We can again enjoy the beautiful panorama from the rocks named Barát (Friend) and Apáca (Nun). According to legend, the namesakes fell in love before turning to stone. The reality is more prosaic: during huge explosions of the nearby volcanoes, scattered debris (tuff) fused into a hard rock under intense heat. Selective erosion then wore away the neighboring softer rocks, while the resistant tuff remained. Its current shape is also influenced by frost shattering and the abrasive effect of wind-carried debris. This well-carvable rock is also found inside the castle hill, which is why the fortress inhabitants carved an extensive tunnel system beneath the structure. Walking a bit further on the path, we find a large rock balcony: the Turkish Table, allegedly a pagan sacrificial site – its carved benches provide an even better view than previous points.

Our path leads through mixed forest, sometimes younger, sometimes older stands, towards the northeast. We don’t have to expect significant elevation changes; the small hill hidden in the shadow of the higher terrains of Mátra, Bükk, and the Heves-Borsod Hills has been thoroughly eroded by the streams carving the area. We walk on a low ridge, and after a sharp right, then left turn, cutting through many clearings, we descend into the first longer valley, Rozsnakpuszta by the Kígyós stream. At the forester’s house, at the road fork, there is an OKK sign where we can find a stamp.

Rozsnakpuszta – Szarvaskő

We cross a planted pine forest and ascend barely noticeably over the next hill. Through Turkey oak woods on a winding path, we reach the main road connecting Egerbakta and Bátor. Fortunately, we turn left a few meters after. Beside us lies a charming, spacious meadow under steep forested hills. After crossing a bridge over the stream, we turn right at a forester’s house and continue on a dirt road. Soon we turn right from the Water Valley (Víz-völgy), and here, in the side of Gilitka pit, we can clearly feel the proximity of Bükk: dense forest covers the stream, enclosing narrow, closely packed valley slopes.

From the short valley we arrive at a huge clear-cut area, with hills rolling around us in all directions. At a sign, we turn left to reach a forest edge after some ascent. At a fork, we choose the right direction to reach the pastures around Szarvaskő, where the vegetation is slowly closing in some places. Due to the topography not being suitable for animal husbandry directly around the village settled in the narrow valley bottom near water and traffic corridors, cattle were driven up here to the small plateau formed by hills after the forest was logged. Even today, cattle can be seen behind electric fences.

Here and there, the view towards the Bükk mountains, Eger, and the mining scars of Felsőnemes is beautiful. We cross a road, then head west again towards Szarvaskő. On the right branch of the connecting educational trail, in about 10 minutes, we can reach the lookout on Major Hill, offering a splendid panorama. From here, we can look at the volcanic gorge of the Eger stream and the Bükk plateau, the range of Bükk stones, and also Eger. The gorge is made more spectacular by railway tunnels bored through the rocks and by the harsh, bare basalt cliffs – the landscape is so unique in character that nothing similar can be found in the country.

The Blue Trail descends into the valley, welcoming us among weekend houses in Szarvaskő. We pass under the church built on a height and arrive at the village center. Opposite is the product of oceanic rift volcanism: the quickly solidified basalt pillow lava has formed the black ridge of the castle hill rising like a wall over the houses – it also represents the first bastion of Bükk, offering much wilder experiences and more untouched nature than the landscape left behind. At the fence of the village’s railway station in the narrow, shaded gorge, or at the information board in the parking lot opposite Vár Presszó, we can stamp our booklet.