Hungary awaits: In the corners of the Hungarian wilderness – On foot, by rail, by water and on two wheels in Börzsöny

The National Blue Trail runs through the trees of the romantic forest, but there are less-travelled trails in almost every corner of the mountain range. Its ranges are surrounded by the Danube and the Ipoly, you can row on the rivers, cycle on their banks, while in the inner parts the silence of the wilderness surrounds the hiker. On clear days, the High Tatras can be seen from the peaks of the mountain range, and in the friendly Palóc villages of its northern areas, not only the food is juicy, but also the local dialect.

Királyrét, located in the heart of Börzsöny, has long been a centre for hikers. The forest railway transports visitors there from Kismaros. The children's favourite is the train track, where they can pedal cars running on rails. In the Lynx House, an interactive exhibition presents the fauna of the mountains, but you can even get an insight into the life of tropical leafcutter ants. The three-kilometre Királyrét nature trail starts from here, which guides you along with an exciting code-breaking game, and halfway along it, the Bajdázói Lake, where marsh turtles also live, offers a place to rest. Nearby rises the Nagy-Hideg Hill, where the restaurant of the tourist house has long been a refuge for hikers in boots.

One of the most interesting treasures of the mountains is the Csarna Valley. Once a forest railway crossed it, today nature is slowly erasing all traces of man. The fallen tree trunks, moss-covered stones and the tracks winding along the streambed provide a moving sight as the forest reclaims what was once its own. In this undisturbed, ancient forest, rare, protected species such as the lynx or the Ural owl can also be seen.

Standing on the edge of Börzsöny, Nógrád Castle dominates the landscape from afar. The ruin, which stands at the top of the 286-metre andesite cone, is one of the oldest stone castles in Hungary. From its walls, you can see the surrounding area and, on clear days, even the peaks of the Mátra Mountains.

The Nagymaros circular tour leads to the legendary Hermit Cave and the Julianus Lookout, reminiscent of a medieval bastion, and then returns to the town via Kövesmező. The lookout offers the most beautiful view of the Danube Bend, but the view is not free: the moderately difficult route is made difficult by friable terrain, and it is not worth setting off without good boots and enough water.

Cycling is closely linked to the Danube line that runs around Börzsöny. The cycling path on the banks of the Danube runs from Vác to Szob, and from there over the new Ipoly bridge to Slovakia. Along the way, churches, museums, pastry shops and sandy beaches offer worthwhile stops, and in Helemba you can sip Kofola on the Slovak side.

The gem of the mountains is the St. Stephen's Church in Nagybörzsöny. The Romanesque-style building is one of the most beautifully preserved monuments from the Árpád era. The Nagybörzsöny Light Railway Nature Trail, which starts next to it, tells the story of the forest railway's past, and the current route of the light railway connects the Middle Ages with the industrial heritage of the twentieth century.

More detailed tour descriptions and downloadable maps are available on the aktivkalandor.hu website.

The article was originally published in the Hungarian Tourism Association Foundation's magazine "Hungary awaits".

Source: turizmus.com