In the footsteps of ancient trees: only seven people can reach around the gigantic Titan of Pörböly!

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Méhész Zsuzsa

Which tree is the oldest in Hungary? This is a very difficult question to answer. But you can tell which is the thickest or the tallest. In case of trees, age and size are not always directly proportional. Sometimes older trees can be smaller than younger ones, especially if conditions such as soil force them to grow more slowly. The thickest tree in Hungary, the 38-metre-high, 100-year-old burred black poplar is found in the Gemenc Forest, on the banks of the Móric-Danube. Its trunk has a circumference of 12 metres. In autumn 2013, a nature photographer from Szeged discovered it while wandering in the area. He is the biggest one we currently know.

According to Ildikó Schreiber, an expert at Euroleasing Zrt., old trees can wittingly or unwittingly remind us of the passage of time. It is not only the destination that is important, but also the journey itself - so if you arrive at a place like this in an Oldtimer, you can tune in to the beauty of the past and present on the way.

“The saying goes that those who do not know their past have no future. It is important to preserve values, and if you really want to arrive in style at an arboretum, castle park, or even at the Pörbölyi Titan, consider renting an Oldtimer. I note that the classic elegance of Oldtimers can also be discovered in one or another of today's cars, so if you cannot let go of the technological achievements of the 21st century, do not despair: with a little care, we can find the perfect vehicle with which we can go on a journey through time.”

Our country’s oldest trees were just saplings when Queen Elizabeth I of England entered the final years of her reign, and hundreds of thousands of her country’s people set out to populate the New World. Hungary was then going through a difficult period of Turkish occupation.

In the competition of the tallest trees, the best performers are the Douglas fir trees: in Zemplén, near Háromhuta, there are also 54-55 m tall specimens. (By comparison, the tower of the Benedictine Archabbey of Pannonhalma is this high.) Earlier in Somogy, in the forest near Iharosberény, a Douglas fir tree also held the top spot with its 52 metres. The trees of the Ancient Beech Reservation in Vétyem in the Zala Hills are on average 170 years old, and some of them reach up to 48 metres.

The giant trunk of the Pörböly giant tree is the one that took the biggest prize. If you would like to see it for yourself, you can easily reach it in an hour from Baja, following the marked, wild, floodplain forest path. This titan tree is actually the result of four trees growing together, not one. Locals simply call it the “big tree”. The black poplar is a typical inhabitant of the forests of Gemenc. It thrives on being close to the Danube: it needs plenty of water, likes wet soil and even tolerates the river overflowing and flooding the area for long periods. It grows very fast, its trunk is light grey when young, but turns almost black when old: hence its name. The surreal spectacle of the giant poplar of Pörböly exudes a power and will to live that is hard to escape. In fact, as concerns its age, it is almost a child and has plenty of room to grow. The four intergrown trunks share a common root system and branch high above your head, so according to the rules of dendrology, they count as one tree. A new shoot has started to grow from its thorn. The circumference of its trunk was measured at chest height (130 centimetres from the ground by meticulous foresters), officially 1205 centimetres, so only six or seven people can reach around it. Let’s explore this titan in dry weather!

It is a good idea to choose the right time for the trip, because when the water level is high, i.e. when the Danube at Baja is higher than 480 centimetres, it is difficult or impossible to approach this giant tree living in the floodplain. Gemenc Zrt., the company which oversees the area, also restricts access to the forest during the hunting season. The area is rich in game: it is not uncommon to see deer or wild boar in the thick of the forest. If you set off in search of the tree, it is worth leaving the car at the foot of the István Türr Bridge, next to the Potyka Tavern, especially as you should try their authentic Baja fish soup made with matchstick noodles on your way back from your trip.

Gemenc is beautiful in all seasons, but it is at its most beautiful in autumn. For those who want to recharge their batteries at home, close to nature, this is an excellent choice. In addition to hikes and educational pathways, you can also take a canoe or the floodplain railway to protected, unspoilt areas. The forest area between Szekszárd and Baja has two centres: the Gemenc Recreation Centre and the Pörböly Ecotourism Centre, the southern gateway to Gemenc. It is worth planning your stay over several days, so that you have time to visit the marked trails, the Recreation Centre and the Ecotourism Centre, to observe nature, go wildfishing, see the guided exhibition and short film about deer, visit the arboretum and the bee-keeping show. In addition, in Pörböly, the excellent game dishes, roast venison and venison salami, and artisanal local cheeses will delight hungry travellers.