Zirc – Bodajk (OKT-09)

Let's start the hike from "the capital of Bakony", the highest-altitude urban-ranked settlement in our country. At the Zirc railway station, we find the Blue Trail stamp, then by walking a few meters along Állomás Street, we join the Blue Trail marked with K, which follows Köztársaság Street and leads all the way to Nagyesztergár on asphalt. In the main street of Nagyesztergár, surrounded by the houses of the settlement, there is no remarkable sight.

After leaving the village, first we descend through a panoramic pasture, then along acacias into the Gaja creek valley, which increasingly leads on a deeper terrain eastwards. On a path narrowing from bushes and blackberries, we follow the most significant watercourse of the eastern Bakony. Its cleanliness is characterized by the presence of trout and other favored fish species. Crossing a clearing, we notice a ruined building: the former granary, the last remnant of Veimpuszta. This medieval-origin settlement still had 200 inhabitants in the 1960s but was eventually razed by socialist utopia to the ground.

Crossing fords that may pose difficulties during flooding, we arrive at the winding, undulating trail of the Cser-hát to the border of Bakonynána. Here, attached to a pole, we find the hike's stamp.

Bakonynána – Jásd

We go around the former sawmill building on a gravel path and then traverse along a steep creek bank trail. In times of higher water flow, we can hear the roaring Gaja below, into whose wild gorge we can sometimes look. However, the K marking does not lead to the most exciting spot along the water's course, the marvelously rocky outcrop known as the Roman Bath. Let’s not skip the KΩ marking, which is only a few hundred meters detour, at whose junction we find a forest rest area equipped with rain shelters and fireplaces.

The Roman Bath is one of the most impressive rocky gorges of Bakony, carved by the Gaja from limestone rock forming the mountain range. Water thunders down mainly after heavier rainfall on its rock steps. We can walk along the moss-covered walls and a short rocky tunnel at low water levels to return to the Blue Trail on a forest path starting there.

The K marking continues sidling a bit above the Gaja, and as the steepness of the valley moderates, we leave the creek and finally cross it. The path winds along the slope called Vadalmás towards the east, returning to the left bank at last. Along this scenic section, we find several rain shelters, fireplaces, some small wooden bridges, and forest rest areas; the best equipped is the Vadalmás spring, located on the opposite bank of the creek, with covered buildings and good equipment, making it the best bivouac and tent site in the vicinity.

We continue to follow the creek but gradually exit the increasingly broad gorge. The wild landscape disappears suddenly, replaced by gently rolling hills bordered by flowery meadows. We encounter a different atmosphere of Bakony, crossing a flowering meadow on a cart path and arriving at another emblematic place in Bakony, the Jásd Holy Well.

The spring found at the border of Jásd is over 600 years old. According to folklore, its water has healing effects, which has made it one of the oldest pilgrimage sites in our country. The current baroque-rococo sanctuary was built between 1825 and 1837 on the site of a former wooden chapel, and later benches and statues were added in the now fenced area.

A few minutes walk from the Holy Well brings us into Jásd. After the Turkish occupation, Slovaks and Germans resettled the village, which shapes its present appearance and the identity of part of its population. We find one of the stamps at the little shop and another on a sign at the intersection of Kossuth Lajos Street and Patak Street.

Jásd – Csőszpuszta (Tés)

Leaving Jásd, we cross the Gaja again, then follow the K markings southward on a not too steep climb. The landscape changes again, and we walk in a dense beech forest on a narrow path until we reach Siska spring, where folklore says that after heavy rains, water bursts out like a fountain colored brown by sediment.

Continuing uphill on a narrow, green-covered path, after crossing a forestry road, we can take a detour to another sight. The K▲ marking leads to the Count Széchenyi Zsigmond lookout. Named after the hunter, traveler, and writer, this 18 m high wooden-beam lookout offers a view mainly over the northern parts of Bakony. The windiness of this part of the mountain range is well indicated by the wind turbines seen in the distance. Although the panorama is somewhat marred by the image of old beech forests fragmented by clearcuts, the viewpoint is still splendid.

Returning to the K marking, we continue to ascend sparsely wooded young forest with scattered legacy trees. We only need to cover a few hundred meters to reach the picturesque Tési Plateau via a steep climb. In the very varied Blue Trail section from Bakonynána to Tés, Bakony shows a new face. We reach Tés at its northern boundary, and before exploring, the marking turns east on the main road toward the stamp located at the Alba Regia Cave Research Center. But don’t rush too much; let’s spend time and energy admiring the unique decorations of the windy plateau!

The main attraction of Tés is the two windmills, rarity on Transdanubian land: the Helt mill built in 1840 and the Ozi mill built in 1924, of which the Helt mill is still operational and visitable. The characteristic of the Dutch-type windmills is that their roof turns, the mill body is made of stone, and the drive mechanism consists of a six-sail wing. Under favorable wind conditions, they could mill up to 4 tens of kilograms daily.

Visiting the folk and industrial heritage windmills is worth combining with a visit to the smithy located in the courtyard at 20 Táncsics Street. Ferenc Cseszneki, a manorial smith, preserved it in its original state, worthy of remembering the craftsmen of Tés, and also exhibiting other local historical attractions and old agricultural tools.

The K marking heads from Tés (passing a buffet and pub offering hot meals) toward Csőszpuszta, which we reach traveling on the main road. Here, we find the next stamp and the research station of the longest, deepest, and also the fourth deepest cave in our country.

Csőszpuszta – Kisgyón

After leaving the research station, following the blue stamp marking, we cross the road leading to Szápár and then join the K marking (to the right) on a wide gravel forestry road, walking along the northeastern edge of the Tési Plateau next to fields – because the Tési Plateau was covered by Pleistocene loess, its soil is ideal for crop cultivation.

We arrive in beech forest at the map-marked Ash House, once a hunting trail and then operated as a lodge for decades. The distinctive wooden veranda building was dismantled in 2025 to be rebuilt in a new form. The name preserves its original function: centuries ago part of the processing of wood ash essential for glassmaking, soap boiling, and saltpeter production took place here. From Ash House, a 600 m round trip detour along the KL marking leads to the scarcely recognizable ruins of Csiklingvár. On a slightly protruding spot beside a steeply running gully, the walls of a small fortress once stood. Based on the nearby King’s Inn name, it is assumed that this building may have been a small hunting lodge in which hunting kings and nobles occasionally stayed.

Leaving Ash House, we enter the undulating Tűzköves Valley covered with beautiful wind-beech, then after touching the asphalt of the forestry road, we descend with a short winding path to a rest area and a geological attraction. Among the mossy, fern-decorated rocks, one preserved a large ammonite fossil imprint to posterity – more than 100 ammonite species have been described here, dozens of which were first discovered in the world. A few meters further above the rocks, we can find the Kígyó Valley Cave No. 2 as well.

Continuing, we soon reach a forest sanctuary, the former prayer place of miners from Kisgyón. There are benches in front of the cross for comfort during prayer or rest. Lower, at the Kisgyón nature-friendly settlement junction, a miners’ statue commemorates a bygone era. In the clearing before the statue, there are benches and a fireplace.

We arrive on asphalt road at Kisgyón, once a mining family settlement consisting of a few houses. The Blue Trail leads right here, but we can decide to take a small detour (about 50 m) to the closed Gyöngyvirág lodge and a nearby rest place with benches, or continue along the K marking, and stamp at a large fork 300 meters ahead at the Blue Trail information board. Kisgyón was depopulated during the Turkish wars and revived as a sawmill site. Coal was discovered here at the beginning of the 20th century, and mining soon began; by the mid-century, a narrow-gauge railway transported the raw materials, and the settlement even had a school. The coal ran out by 1972, the mine closed, and the railway ceased. However, some houses were used later as lodges from 1980. Since the late 2010s, the settlement awaits renovation.

Kisgyón – Bakonykúti

So far, we have mostly descended during our hike, but after stamping, the first and practically only climb of our section follows. We move gently uphill through young beech forest, then hornbeam-oak woods; from the highland, we continue almost level further on. The slope known as Köves-domb leads along a chain of pine forests and meadows eastwards then southwards. At the forest edge, we can enjoy beautiful views over the eastern, bare peaks of Bakony, unseen so far on our path.

This part of the trip leads on sunny, dusty dirt roads, which can mean a strenuous walk in summer. Skipping rest areas equipped with benches and tables, we arrive at the pine edge of the wild Burok Valley. From our winding path crossing groves, we occasionally see deep gorges carved here, primeval forest-like and removed from forestry management.

The K marking accompanies the Burok Valley for 2 km, then turns out onto the panoramic plain of Páskum field. From here, we can see not only the characteristic high ground of the Eastern Bakony, the bald peak of Baglyas hill with its radio tower, but also our terminus Bakonykúti. A few steps later, from Szabadság Street, we can admire the charming little dead-end village’s fine gates. In Bakonykúti, the stamp is found attached to a pole next to the Mayor's Office and the bus stop.

Bakonykúti – Fehérvárcsurgó

From the neat main square, we descend in two bends to the creek bank, and before leaving the village, we see, on the left, an especially atmospheric buffet with Blue Trail themes – guests can play a Blue Trail quiz for prizes, among other things. We reach the edge of the village with a steep, rocky climb to the meadow at the village outskirts, where the mass of Baglyas Hill unfolds before us – as if its top had been neatly cut off with a well-directed move. We do not climb it; upon reaching the forest, the marking turns left, and mixed pine groves lead further level ground.

The major part of Baglyas Hill remains military property today (part of Central Europe's largest dryland training ground) and was a site of large exercises before the regime change; a Soviet signal center operated in its stomach. The Blue Trail leads loosely through mixed pine and deciduous forests, then skirts one of Bakonykútipuszta's pastures. Here, we are confined between electric fences and trees but can enjoy nice views of the nearby low plateaus and hills. Descending from a rocky elevation, we enter a short forested ravine, then return to a 'savannah'-like, groved landscape. The path undulates over small dolomite peaks before turning onto the top of Bogrács hill.

On the plateau, a wide, grassy-valerian plateau unfolds all the way to the Baglyas summit but quickly, the marking leads back into the trees. Across the tree group, benches and tables provide rest opportunities. Descending in mixed forest, we reach the road, near which a sign and railing draw attention to a closed shaft of the Kincsesbánya bauxite mine (dug for ventilation purposes).

We walk briefly on asphalt, then leave it to continue on oak-dominated mixed economic forest over relatively flat terrain. We bypass a mostly unnoticed residue heap of the Kincsesbánya bauxite mining operation, active from the 1940s until 1999. This mine was the third largest bauxite deposit in the country, extracting nearly 23 million tons of ore. (The settlement’s name derives from nearby Kincses Mountain, named after fossil remains resembling coins called nummulites, also known as the coins of Saint Ladislaus.)

Finally, we reach the Kincsesbánya resort road leading to the shore of the Fehérvárcsurgó reservoir. Former cabbage fields here became the site of the construction of the valley dam lake started in 1971, necessary to prevent water ingress tied to former mine workings. Today, the lake has tourism importance and flood protection roles.

Approaching the dam, the rocky-sided Kopasz Hill appears, whose cliffs feature a unique Blue Trail section: a narrow, railing-secured path cut into rocky overhangs practically runs above the lakeside, offering splendid views of the reservoir and the wooded mountains hiding the Gaja gorge opposite shore. The Mediterranean atmosphere is enhanced in autumn by the bright colors of the cork oaks adorning the path, which also holds a stamp: the box hangs on a railing, a rare panoramic stamping spot on the National Blue Trail.

Fehérvárcsurgó – Bodajk

Walking on the dam at the lake's northeastern shore, the view remains excellent, but soon the marking turns toward holiday homes, leading to the outskirts of Fehérvárcsurgó. Avoiding the settlement known for the Károlyi Castle, we pass cottages and small wineries before leaving the lake. Crossing through the gate marking the Gaja gorge, we approach the valley in a dense oak forest, with a short walk left before entering. At the junction of P and K markings, a short detour lets us visit two early Iron Age burial mounds, resting places of aristocrats from the 7th century BC.

A few larger bends and a slight descent lead us to the valley floor, where, though hidden by trees, we are alongside the Gaja. Among the trees, the Trout or Forest Lake appears, home to the Gaja Valley Landscape Center. After an ivy-covered "avenue" of trees, a bridge emerges, and although the Blue Trail does not cross it, a short detour is worth making to return to the lake shore. Here, covered resting places line a meadow surrounded by forested hills, with a summer buffet and toilets, making it an idyllic resting spot.

Returning to the K marking, we plunge into the gorge. The sluggishly trickling creek may not look impressive, but during earlier abundant times it carved dramatic forms from the elevated cliffs below, etching a narrow valley into the dolomite mass. King Saint Stephen favored this idyllic landscape, and later the Károlyi family established a game reserve here.

Raw cliff walls occasionally appear on or near the path, which sometimes broadens into a wider promenade and sometimes narrows amidst the creek and valley walls. On one bridge lies the Adam and Eve tree: a rotting, arched giant wooden tree once a bridge over the creek, today a fallen stump, named because it was allegedly composed of two intertwined trees. Eve fell earlier (mid-20th century), and Adam was destroyed by fire, but it stood until 2013 when it broke apart. The valley’s uniqueness stems from the creek bed remaining in its original form – not reshaped into wagon or railway embankment.

We exit the valley beside the former, now closed Varjúvár pension building. Here the path turns right and climbs steeply, rocky but offering beautiful views over the gorge with peaks on side. At some points, we need to use our hands, climbing across a slanted raw dolomite slab. Following the gorge rim (with a viewpoint at one point), the path sharply turns left into the forest, where on the K▲ marking we can reach (in about 2x10 minutes) the Károlyi lookout steel terrace. Extending the hike with this detour is worthwhile because from here, the rocky-sided valley can be viewed entirely, and the reservoir is visible.

On the ridge, among a taller and more homogeneous forest (oak), we cross with a short ascent, then exit through the gate of the Gaja Valley Landscape Center. Descending along an old Bodajk ski slope corridor in dense young forest, from the edge of the town, the old ski lift remains visible, and we see on the other side the Vértes cliffs with Csókakő Castle nestled among them (though it must be searched carefully as it sits tightly among the rocks). Incidentally, this was the only ski slope in Fejér county operational from 1985 until closure in 2012.

We wander extensively in Bodajk until arriving at the old, peaceful Fenyő Bistro standing at the main road intersection, where we find the stamp.