Paddle walk on the Szarvas Back Körös

At the Szarvas public beach, there are several comfortably low docks and also options in a small bathing bay among the grass – the latter can understandably be crowded in summer. There is also a buffet here, as well as restrooms, showers, changing rooms, and a playground – which can be useful both at the start and at arrival. After boat launching, we head north towards the Arboretum. We should not expect major boat traffic, but the two Szarvas sightseeing boats, Boglár and Katalin II, can appear anytime either from the Arboretum or under the bridge, so be prepared for this.

After starting, move immediately to the middle because staying near the shore will sooner or later get you tangled in fishing lines. After 250 m, on the right side, you can see the Napestig beach and buffet, which has a comfortable dock and a far better selection than the public beach buffet (planned for the return). A right-angle right turn follows, then on the left, the Szarvas Arboretum appears – popularly called the Pepi Garden – which has been a nature reserve area since the mid-20th century. We pass by the Arboretum boat dock and keep a respectful distance from any sightseeing boat that might be moored there. You will not encounter fishermen here, so it is possible to move closer to the shore, if only to study the signs of the Water Nature Trail. From the shore, trees sometimes stretch into the water or just above it, so be careful when passing those.

Along the Arboretum, we proceed with a large, gentle left bend, in the middle of which, on the right side, we arrive at the Szarvas Historical Memorial Park. First, a narrow stone staircase and then a concrete platform with railings offer mooring opportunities both on the way in and on the return. After stepping onto the shore, we can view the Center of Historical Hungary monument, which was established at the geometric center of the former Kingdom of Hungary determined at the end of the 19th century.

At the end of the large bend, on the left, there is a concrete slipway where, if necessary, one can easily dock. Here, with a right hairpin turn, we circle around Nyúlzug, then we start a left semicircle which ends at the turnaround point of the route and the Szarvas siphon. Despite its name, the latter is not a pub but an engineering structure for backwater filling and water replenishment. The last 50 meters is a fenced-off area with chains and warning signs. On the return, you can again realize that the return trip on a water tour offers a drastically different view, so boredom will not be an option.