From Királyrét to Csóványos

Itinerary

• From Királyrét, follow the K+ marker on the asphalt until the first junction.
• Turn left onto the Z+ marker, which we follow for a long stretch.
• Turn right onto the Z◼ marker, which we follow until the mountain lodge. 
• From the mountain lodge, climb up on the K◼ marker to the Foltán cross. 
• At the Foltán cross, switch to the K marker and run through Csóványos all the way to Rakodó saddle. 
• From here, cut across on the K+ marker, then shortly after join the P marker, which leads to the finish. 

Detailed description of the route

Starting from the parking lot, head out on the asphalt road looking for the K+ marker. Soon turn left onto the Z+ marker and continue running on a good quality dirt road. The Királyrét fishing lake appears beside us. After leaving the lake, jog along a charming winding streambed uphill, and soon another lake appears, this time the Bajdázói lake. We continue jogging uphill on a well-run path, then after a few hundred meters, we reach a long straight stretch. Over time, the rocky dirt road steepens, sometimes forcing us to switch to walking. After about 1.5 kilometers, we suddenly turn right onto a narrow path marked with Z◼. It first winds but then starts to descend steeply. After a short series of switchbacks, we spot the Szén-patak mountain lodge (where we change to the K◼ marker), where we run a short asphalt section, then at the next bend return to the forest. We climb steeply up the ridge along a narrow, rocky path. After several minutes of heavy breathing, the incline eases slightly and we reach a clearing where the Foltán cross stands at the corner. From here we continue on the K marker. 

We proceed on a section that is a bit more runnable but still very challenging. Soon, the landscape opens to our left, revealing the areas spreading out before the Börzsöny foothills. At the Hubertusz clearing, we turn onto the final straight, and after a tough 600-meter climb, we arrive at the Csóványos summit. The climb is not over yet, as since we are here, it is mandatory to climb the lookout tower for the stunning views. Another 133 numbered steps await us before the breathtaking panorama of Börzsöny and the Visegrád Mountains unfolds before us. 

On the way down, continue on the K marker, now joined by the P marker. We descend a steep, rocky, technical path. On the narrow ridge, sometimes very exposed sections bordered by ravines appear, so be very, very careful here. There is still a short climb ahead, but the ascent to Hangyás Hill really only takes a few minutes. Soon after, we reach a wide junction where we look for the K+ marker, which briefly bypasses Nagy-Hideg Hill.

We descend on a wide dirt road, then arrive at the closed Magas-taxi mountain hut and the meadow surrounding it. Crossing the meadow, we join the P marker and follow a peaceful, winding cart road along the hillside. In the last section of our run, we enter a long, straight clearing and take the finish on the rocky dirt road bordered by power poles back to Királyrét. Even running downhill on the rocky, uneven terrain is challenging, but this is nearly the final stretch. After a short time, the first rooftops appear, then we reach the paved road. From here, only a few minutes of cool-down jogging remain to the parking lot, marking the end of the run.