Tihany Echo 11

Itinerary

• We start from the starting point on the S+ mark.
• On the geyser field we switch to the ZT mark.
• On the Sajkodi side the S mark joins the ZT mark, and from there we run along this double marking for 4 km.
• At the intersection after Nyereg Hill we choose the S▲ mark, touching the lookout point.
• After leaving the vineyards we run on the Z▲ and ZT marks beyond the Szélmarta rocks to the main road.
• From the main road on Völgy Street, on an unmarked road, through the Szőlő area and again on Völgy Street, then on Major Street, we return to the starting point.

Detailed description of the route

Through the geyser fields

We start on the S+ mark from the Lavender House on the shore of the Inner Lake. First on asphalt, then on gravel road we run past the football field, then next to the gray cattle pasture as long as we stay on the S+ mark and turn left into the forest. We start ascending steeply on a single-track, sometimes rocky path towards the geyser field and soon arrive at the first spring cone on our route, the Hármashegy cone, which is just a few meters of splash off the path to the right. The rocks offer a nice view over the Inner Lake, Tihany, and Lake Balaton. From here, the path only gently rises, and we quickly arrive at the Aranyház, a larger rock formation spring cone, which we can also climb to look around. Here we switch from the S+ to the ZT (nature trail) marking. We run past the rock display building and, after leaving Sajmeggyes spring cone, after a sharper right turn, we start ascending more steeply. We arrive in Szarkádi Forest: from a lookout point, through the trees, we can already see the western basin of Lake Balaton. The ZT marking runs parallel with the S mark; from here we follow this double marking for 4 km.

An extremely atmospheric section reminiscent of the Mediterranean follows along the edge of a pine forest, then a large descent, still on a single-track path. Then the forest changes to oak, we run on a real ridge and ascend higher above the lake. After the ridge follows a particularly scenic, exposed section with a completely open panorama continuously showing the lake and the southern and northern shorelines of the western basin. After this, our path starts descending, widening to a double-track forest road, and we arrive in the valley, at the office of the Balaton Uplands National Park and the beautiful building of the Tihany Lavender Forest School. Here we turn left on the asphalt but after about 100 m we turn right uphill and leave it again, continuing on a single-track path still following the S and ZT markings. After roughly half a kilometer, we start ascending more distinctly and arrive at a very atmospheric wooden-roofed rest area a few tens of meters left from the road. From here we ascend further and reach Gurbicza Hill.

Peak running with panorama

From Gurbicza Hill, we start descending continuously, reaching again a concrete road where we turn left and about 50 m later right again, switching to a forest single-track path. From here no mercy (but we wouldn’t want it as this was the reason for coming): an 800-meter section connecting the lowest (115 m) and highest (210 m) points of the route awaits us, ending with conquering Csúcs Hill. We start with a stepped section, moving carefully as many steps have missing boards and the metal rods intended to hold them bare and sticking out, easy to trip on. Higher up, waiting for us is a more barren but very scenic panoramic section — a single-track path full of rocks and roots demanding continued attention. Underneath the rock block of the peak, the S mark branches off to the right and climbs the peak as a climbing direct path requiring hands. We stay left on the ZT mark, circum-navigating the west side of the peak block and reach the rejoining point of the S mark, from where just a few steps to the right lead to the peak without climbing. Here, due to a few trees, we get an almost full panorama: the Outer and Inner Lakes, the lavender fields, Tihany, our route so far from a bird’s eye view, the eastern basin, Balatonfüred, the northern shore mountain range, and the Sajkodi Bay — all are the reward for our effort.

From Csúcs Hill, staying on the S and ZT marks, after some descent we run through a beautiful panoramic ridge section (view of Sajkod, Aszófő, Balatonfüred), reaching Nyereg Hill, then down a stony slope to a large clearing where among the many options we choose the S▲ mark to run through the Watchtower Lookout standing on Apáti Hill, just a few meters lower than Csúcs Hill. After conquering Csúcs Hill, the 60 steps leading to the top level of the tower are nothing, but the wonderful circular panorama compensates for every step. After the lookout, we stay on the S▲ mark and on a stony, slightly descending section, on a single-track path, crossing a grove, we reach the vineyards where we turn left. We meander between vineyard plots on a wide agricultural road, then arriving at the tip of the Inner Lake continue left on the Z▲ and ZT marks towards Kiserdő Hill and the Szélmarta rocks. Leaving the vineyards, we start climbing on a single-track path first gently briefly then steeply and long — the path is root-strewn, move cautiously. The last challenge of the route follows: a 600 m long, 60 m height difference await us.

Approaching the lower end of the rock ridge of Kiserdő Hill — which is a remnant of an ancient volcanic caldera rim — the path splits: the upper path on the right is the Z▲ mark, the lower path on the left is the ZT mark enveloping the rock ridge in a plum seed shape. Turning left, we stay on the more runnable ZT mark. It is a very narrow, sometimes exposed single-track path; run carefully. At the upper end of the plum seed, where the two markings merge again, if you have the strength and desire, you can climb back about 50 m up the Z▲ mark to the peak, from where there is a very nice view of the Outer Lake and above it the Watchtower Lookout. Passing the Szélmarta rocks, we descend on a comfortable, grassy single-track path to the main road.

Just before the main road, immediately right, we continue on the asphalt of Völgy Street. At number 10, the street bends slightly left, but we descend straight on a stony dirt road towards the lake. At the bottom, a small asphalt section returns, but after the Miska Cellar Inn we turn left again onto a dirt road and run along the riding hall. At the end, left on Szőlő Street, then at its top right on Völgy Street leads us out to Major Street, returning to our starting point, the Lavender House.