3 secret ponds in Mecsek, just waiting to be discovered!

Only 10 kilometres from Pécs, in Somogy, three wonderful lakes are hiding in Rückner-akna. The fishing lake here is the middle lake - and the most beautiful - with a surface area of around 0.7 hectares and a depth of 5-6.5 metres. The eye-catching little tarn is supplied by two springs, giving it an emerald-green colour that reminds us of an alpine lake. The springs keep the water level constant and the fish fauna very rich. The willows and bushes around fall intimately on the lake as if sipping its waters. We can also succumb to the temptation because its water is pure drinking water. If you would search it, follow the route on Google Maps to the Rückner-akna, then leave the electronics behind. Head north at the blue square hiking trail until you reach the blue circular sign. Follow this for a 2-kilometre loop, passing the Rückner-quarries and the fishing lake. If you're planning a harder day, you can also do a 12-kilometre hike. To do this, head north on the blue square, bypass the lakes following the blue circular walk hiking trail, then return to the blue square and join the eastward two-way sign. As soon as you come to the green lane, turn south. After Vasas, the miner's badge takes you back to the starting stone. Although our targets are pretty little creatures, we need to mention that this is a former mining area. And unfortunately, the man leaves his mark.

Pull your socks up, because Lake Cannot Wait, hiding in the Istenáldás Valley, a secret area of the central Mecsek, is difficult to find. There is no marked hiking trail, and there is no broad coastline to tell you where it is. The lake, known the tarn of the Mecsek, is sheltered from prying eyes by towering bare trees, shrubs and reed beds, with only the paths leading to it to guide the eager explorer. The tiny Lake Cannot Wait is 80 metres long and 30 metres wide, seemingly bottomless. If you want to dip in, don't, the coast is deceptively steep. The lake was man-made, created for a mine nearby, from which water would have been taken in case of fire. Although it is only 3 kilometres from the chestnut grove in Pécsbánya to the lake, it is a good idea to pack a map with pinpoint accuracy and snacks. There is a good chance to be lost! You need to go several times uphill, so make sure you have a change of T-shirt in your rucksack. If you start from the chestnut grove in Pécsbánya, you have to follow the blue cross hiking trail for about a kilometre, and as soon as you see the green cross, turn off on the first unsigned dirt road to the south. At the end of the dirt road lies the lake.

Maps also refer to this rain-fed sinkhole as a frog pit or swampy place. In drier seasons it dries out, but in spring and summer, it fills up thanks to the clay-soil and becomes a favourite holiday spot for frogs in the Mecsek. The pond, roughly the size of a handball court, hides in the young forest above the Abaligeti fork. It doesn't take long to find it, so you can plan a 7-kilometre hike. After the junction at Abaliget, start at the Gubacsos spring, and from there follow the blue circle hiking trail to the Gubacsos guest house. Head west on the yellow lane hiking trail, then south on the National Blue Trail. As soon as you meet the green cross hiking trail, turn left, then left again after 2 km on the footpath to the frog pit. With a bit of luck, you can find the lake and then return to the guest house the same way.