Vadlán eight

Itinerary

• From the corner of Hunyadi and Jókai Streets we start on the K trail and run on it for 5 km.
• At the junction below Büdöskút, turn right to the P trail and run up to the Büdöskúti rest area.
• At the Büdöskúti junction, take the rightward S trail, and with the two interruptions noted below, stay on it until the Gyenesdiás finish point.
• The first interruption is the Berzsenyi lookout, here we go up on the Vadlán trail marker and return to the S trail on the S▲ marker; this is about 250 m detour.
• The second interruption is an unmarked path towards the quarry, which after the panorama path and lookouts also returns to the S trail.

Detailed route description

From the start point, we head out on Hunyadi Street along the K trail, slightly ascending evenly on asphalt; at the end of the street, the forest becomes visible. Upon arriving, turn left and continue on a gravel path. On the right side, the former Gyenesdiás gravel mine appears, descending along its upper edge. We enter a pine grove, the gravel disappears from the path, which becomes forest trail.

We arrive at the spacious Nagymező forest rest area equipped with playgrounds and a buffet, from which you can walk up to the Festetics lookout on Varsás Hill. The K trail continues at the upper end of the meadow, at the start of the forest exercise track; we continue on a forest path, still ascending gently through the pine forest. We reach the intersection of the loops of our eight-shaped route, where we turn right, staying on the K trail. After a little further, the path starts to descend and narrows to a single track; at a T junction, turn right. A wide, comfortable, fast forest valley section follows; we run between the Hatlábú pajta rain shelter on the left and the Ferenc József tree opposite it. The latter is marked with a memorial pole, it was one of the country's largest beech trees and was struck by lightning in 1996 in the then roughly 250-year-old tree. We continue ascending very gently; the valley widens and to the right above towers the Öreg-Szék hill. At one point, both the valley and the path split; here we take the right branch on the P trail, continuing in the Büdöskúti valley.

Slightly above, the comfortable forest road is left behind as the P trail turns left and continues as a narrow single-track path in a small, narrow valley. We proceed through a very rocky valley; be careful. After a somewhat easier section, a steeper, more difficult, and narrower part follows where we can't run but must step carefully; finally, we reach the top of the ascent where buildings are visible after turning right. Passing an agricultural stone building, we run past the Büdöskúti Tourist House on a gravel road. At the end of a gentle ascent, we arrive at the nicely arranged Büdöskúti rest area with a rain shelter, which is also a junction of hiking trails – here we also encounter the wild garlic educational trail – and we continue right on the S trail.

A wide, comfortable forest road follows, with gentle ascent, and after 500 m, almost unnoticed, we reach the highest point of our route (385 m). We stay on the S trail at every junction. We proceed on a plateau that is downhill in parts, uphill in others, then arrive under the Berzsenyi lookout on the summit of Pető Hill, where a detour is worth making (Attention! The lookout was closed indefinitely in 2023). We take a right turn perpendicular to the Vadlán Trail runner's marker because the S trail does not ascend. It's only about 150 m, and we reach the lookout. Although we are past the highest point of our run, here we get a real summit experience and panoramic views all around. Below us, towards Gyenesdiás, is Varsás Hill with the Festetics lookout, slightly right is the western end of Lake Balaton and Keszthely; behind it, the Fenyves alley with its tree row, the Festetics Castle, Hévíz, and further away the Zala hills can be clearly seen. To the north rises the highest mountain of the area, Köves-tető (444 m), and to the east we see Badacsony.

From the lookout, we go down on the S▲ trail; the path is very rocky and narrow, so step carefully on this short section. Soon we return to the S trail, and descend to the right. At a T junction, turning right again a steep, rocky section follows; run carefully. We descend to the common section between the two loops of the route, and continue descending until the S trail turns left, ascending slightly, and we stay on it. A comfortable forest road awaits us until we begin ascending on the right, on an unmarked single-track path towards the abandoned quarry. At the top of the path, crossing over, we reach a short, steep, rocky downhill into a small valley, where we turn left into a pine grove. The single-track path continues, and soon we reach the edge of the quarry, from which a fantastic view opens onto a deep, snow-white basin contrasting sharply with the deep green of the pines. There are several viewpoints along the panorama path; the route is quite exposed in places, proceed carefully, and those strongly afraid of heights should stay left. After the last viewpoint, turning back into the grove, we quickly return to the S trail.

If you have the energy and desire, turn left here and go back on the S trail; after only 200 m you will reach Vadlánlik (Wild Boar's Den), also known as the Vadlány cave. You must climb to the top of Tücsök Hill on the PΩ trail; on the far side, the path leads down to the entrance of the cave. Boys, men, beware: according to legend, half-naked, long-blonde-haired wild boar women roamed here and seduced the opposite sex.

From the cave, return to the S trail and quickly descend to the settlement, where you will find yourself immediately on Jókai Street, which leads back to the starting point.