The tree-lined canopy walkway in the fabulous Sás-brook Valley!

The Squirrel Forestry School is an inescapable institution for environmental education for young pupils in South Transdanubia. The school is renowned for its forest and experiential education methods and programmes located just two kilometres from Pécs. A link between man and nature, where children learn about the wildlife of Mecsek and the work of foresters through fieldwork activities. In connection with the forest school, a new educational and accommodation facility was built in 2010 in the Sás-brook Valley in Hetvehely, named Forest House. The eco-centre, surrounded by dense forest, is a real wonderland for children to broaden their environmental knowledge. The area is constantly expanding with new and exciting buildings. In 2014, a special birdwatching tower was built next to the Forest House, and shortly afterwards the first canopy walkway in South Transdanubia was added.

The 50-metre long, 6-metre high walkway from the birdwatching tower is naturally made of wood. The structure is supported by oak trunks over 40 centimetres thick, and its columns, rails and other elements are made of alder. Keep your eyes open and read the information signs carefully during our walk. They help us to get to know the canopy's "stars", the caring parents, the forest record holders and the special deciduous inhabitants. After raising, the trail reaches ground level after 50 metres, where you can continue your adventure. If you have the little ones with you, don't miss the den and nesting acting class next to the trail!

Another great example of the Squirrel School's emphasis on experience: in the free outdoor installation, children can climb into the “zoomed-in” large size birdhouses. Specifically, they can crawl into a tit den, spy from a stork's nest built on the chimney and hang out like a bat. We just have to get them out of the little houses. A lot of new information is best incorporated into our brain with a little forest walk. From the end of the trail, the yellow circular walk sign starts, which makes a 3.8-kilometre loop through the dense forest. Along the termites' mounds, swamps, dense shrubs, hornbeam oak and beech woods, the lessons learned earlier come to life. Expect a sharp upward at the beginning, but apart from that, the hike is doable, even if you have smaller children with you. The sign leads back to the starting point via the concrete road to the Forest House. Once you're sufficiently hungry, you're ready to move on: one of the region's most exciting farms is just a stone's throw away. 

Just 4 kilometres away, between Gorica and Kán, there is an adorable eco-farm, Farm Káca, hidden in a picturesque setting. The area surrounded by the hills is also home to native Hungarian animals that were recently on the verge of extinction. On the farm, there are Hungarian Gray, Racka Sheep, Hucul Horses, Speckled Hungarian chicken, and guinea fowl. In the petting courtyard, you can pamper your soul, and in the tasting courtyard your taste buds. At the village guest table, you can enjoy delicious artisanal products made in the cheese and meat processing plant (please ask for the homemade bread!) There is also the possibility to go on a group tour of the farm, giving you a glimpse into the animals' daily lives. We must inform the farmers in advance of our arrival: for the village guest table and the farm walk, we need to be announced in advance! It will be a fitting end to our adventure.