The National Blue Trail (in Hungarian: ''Országos Kéktúra'', short: ''OKT'') is a national trail in

Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...

, for most of its length part of the European Long Distance Walking Route E4. The route starts atop the

Írott-kő The Geschriebenstein (), less commonly called the Írott-kő () in English sources, is a mountain, high,Austrian-Hungarian border then leads across Hungary eventually ending 1,170 km later at the village of

Hollóháza Hollóháza () is a village in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County in northeastern Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukra ...

by the Hungarian-Slovakian border. (
Interactive map
'). The name of the Kéktúra (Blue Trail) is a reference to the marking of the path itself: it is a horizontal blue stripe on a white rectangle. All segments of the trail are freely accessible to the public; no fees have to be paid or permits obtained, there is only one ferry to take over the Danube between Visegrád and

Nagymaros Nagymaros (, ) is a town in Pest county, Hungary. Etymology The name comes from ''Maroš'', the Slavic form of Marianus. Nagymaros—"Greater Maros" ( Hungarian). The first written mention is ''Morus'' (1257). Notable people * György Szabado ...

where you have to purchase a ticket. Although to have an official completion, you have to purchase a stamping brochure from MTSZ, the organizer of the trail. During its course the Blue Trail visits arguably the most beautiful natural and man-made sights of Hungary, e.g. more than a dozen forts and castles, lookout towers, three World Heritage Sites of Hungary (the panorama of

Budapest Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...

from the hills, the old village of

Hollókő Hollókő () is a village in northern Hungary, located in Nógrád County. The village, which was constructed in the 13th century and developed in the 18th and 19th centuries, is a well-preserved ethnographic village of the Palóc people, with tra ...

and the Stalactite Cave of Aggtelek),

Lake Balaton Lake Balaton () is a freshwater rift lake in the Transdanubian region of Hungary. It is the List of largest lakes of Europe, largest lake in Central Europe, and one of the region's foremost tourist destinations. The Zala River provides the larges ...

, the

Danube Bend The Danube Bend () is a curve of the Danube in Hungary, close to the town of Visegrád. Geology The present-day U-shaped loop is probably the result of an eruption of the volcano stretching over the whole area some 15 million years ago. The ...

, and the spent volcanoes of the Basin of Tapolca, etc. According to the official website, as of March 2023 its total length is 1172.4 km and the total climb is 31 460 meters west to east. (Values vary as there are slight changes in the route every year.)

History

Early history

The National Blue Trail (simply Blue Trail, or Tour) was the first long-distance walking route not only in Hungary but in Europe. Its path was first

waymarked Trail blazing or way marking is the practice of marking paths in outdoor recreational areas with signs or markings that follow each other at certain, though not necessarily exactly defined, distances and mark the direction of the trail. A blaz ...

in 1938; its length was 910 km in that time between

Írott-kő The Geschriebenstein (), less commonly called the Írott-kő () in English sources, is a mountain, high,Kőszeg Mountains The Kőszeg Mountains , sometimes called the Guns or Güns Mountains (, ), are a mountain range in the Alpokalja area, the easternmost region of the Alps. The territory of the range is shared between Austria and Hungary. Geologically, the mount ...

and Tolvaj-hegy in the

Zemplén Mountains Zemplén Mountains () or Tokaj Mountains (; or Tokaji-hegység) is a mountain range in Hungary. The Zemplén Mountains form part of the Tokaj-Eperjes mountain chain in Hungary, known for their ecological richness and historical significance. Ge ...

. A lot of Hungarian hikers began the completion of the Trail after World War II, so the Nature Rambler Section of the Lokomotív Sport Club of Budapest announced the National walk on the "blue" hiking path in 1952. In the 1950s the blue trail was extended with a detour to reach the vicinity of Budapest, which is the most popular section to this day. The Nature Rambler Section's Committee of Railway Employee's Union developed this issue on the national level in 1953, and published the first brochure, which showed the whole route in map sketches. Later, organisation and control of the National Blue Trail movement was taken over by the Hungarian Rambler's Association "Friends of Nature" (MTSZ) in 1961.

Popularity in the 1980s

But the Blue Trail was known only among hikers until the beginning of the 1980s, when Hungarian TV broadcast a series ''(Másfélmillió lépés Magyarországon, One And Half Million Steps In Hungary)'' about the route of the Trail. The organiser and editor of this series was Pál Rockenbauer, who at that time worked in the editorial office named "Natura" of the Hungarian TV. Pál Rockenbauer organised a small team and they completed the National Blue Trail during 76 days in an east-west direction. They carried everything (cameras, films and other equipment) in their backpacks and undertook the whole project without any external help. Their work was very successful: the series drew people's attention to the National Blue Trail. Everybody got to know the Trail in Hungary and many people began the completion of it. A lot of hikers have the series on video or DVD at home. Pál Rockenbauer committed suicide in 1987 during a hike on the paths of the Blue Trail close to village Katalinpuszta at the foot of the Naszály Mountain. A wooden headboard column cherishes his memory on that place beside the path of the National Blue Trail.

Sister blue trails

In 1989, the MTSZ launched the second blue trail commemorating Pál Rockenbauer, called the ''Rockenbauer Pál Dél-dunántúli Kéktúra'' (RPDDK, English: ''Rockenbauer Pál Southern Transdanubian Blue Trail''). The 550 km long trail starts from the western endpoint of the OKT (

Írott-kő The Geschriebenstein (), less commonly called the Írott-kő () in English sources, is a mountain, high,Szekszárd Szekszárd (, formerly also ''Szegzárd''; ; or ; ) is a small city in southern Hungary and the capital of Tolna County. By population, Szekszárd is the smallest county capital in Hungary; by area, it is the second-smallest (after Tatabánya). ...

, covering the southern

Transdanubia Transdanubia ( ; , or ', ) is a traditional region of Hungary. It is also referred to as Hungarian Pannonia, or Pannonian Hungary. Administrative divisions Traditional interpretation The borders of Transdanubia are the Danube River (north and ...

n region including the

Mecsek Mecsek (; ; Serbian language, Serbian: ''Meček'' or Мечек; ) is a mountain range in southern Hungary. It is situated in the Baranya (region), Baranya region, in the north of the city of Pécs. Etymology The Hungarian toponym "Mecsek" deriv ...

that is not covered by the OKT. In 1996, another blue trail was launched, the ''Alföldi Kéktúra'' (AK, in English: ''Lowlands Blue Trail''). The 870 kilometers long trail runs between the RPDDK endpoint Szekszárd and

Sátoraljaújhely Sátoraljaújhely (German language, German: ''Neustadt am Zeltberg''; Slovak language, Slovak: ''Nové Mesto pod Šiatrom;'' Yiddish: ''איהעל'') is a border town located in Borsod–Abaúj–Zemplén County, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County, Hu ...

, almost reaching the eastern end of OKT crossing the mostly flat

Great Hungarian Plain The Great Hungarian Plain (also known as Alföld or Great Alföld, or ) is a plain occupying the majority of the modern territory of Hungary. It is the largest part of the wider Pannonian Plain (however, the Great Hungarian Plain was not par ...

region. The 3 official blue trails managed by MTSZ are called ''Országos Kék Kör (National Blue Circle)''. Hikers receive their badges by completing all 3 trails independently.

Revival in the 2010s

The OKT was in waning popularity in the early 1990s with fewer than 50 people completing it each year. But in the late 2000s it began to become popular again, and in 2012 the number of hikers surpassed the previous yearly record (202 in 2012 vs. 168 in 1966). Popularity continued to grow throughout the decade as the route was given a complete facelift with new signposts and waymarkers, on many sections it was rerouted for more convenient use. The MTSZ published a new brochure along with a new set of redesigned stamps, and many stamps were relocated for 0-24 hour availability. Due to marketing success and renewed interest in hiking (which was further catalyzed by the Covid-19 pandemic), the number of completions reached 500 for 2021 and 800 for 2022, making them the most popular years in the history of the Blue Trail.

Certification of completion

The entire trail or its sections can be done without any official registration. However, the official completion of the Blue Trail requires stamping the certification booklet at checkpoints. There are 150 checkpoints (stamping locations) on the route of the Blue Trail. Participants have to certify the completion of the tour by collecting all the stamps along the way and marking the completion date of each stretch between two stamps in the booklet. The National Blue Trail has its own custom designed stamps with the name of the corresponding checkpoint. They are located along the route, usually at a distance of 5-10 kilometers. If they are not exactly on the route, a marked side path leads to the seal. Some checkpoints have more than one alternate stamps, for convenience and redundancy. In case of missing or unavailable stamps, the hiker has two options: * Find an unofficial stamp nearby that contains the name of the place or an address so it can be accepted as a local stamp. Stamps from train stations, post offices, town halls, local businesses like pubs or shops ar usually accepted. * Photos are accepted if the stamp was not available and shows the place and person along with the date. Usually, hikers have to start or end a trip at a checkpoint. There is no restriction on the starting point, the direction of the hike or the continuity of the entire route, the only requirement is that the hiker must walk all sections of the trail following the actual route. There is no time limit, usually there are only a few thru-hikers, for most hikers it takes years (sometimes decades) to complete the Blue Trail in various sections. After completing the entire trail, the booklet must be sent to the Hungarian Ramblers' Association (MTSZ) in Budapest for verification, after which the official certificate and commemorative badge are issued.

Awards for completion

Anyone who completes the Blue Trail is eligible for the Blue Trail Badge of MTSZ. The badge is an irregular quadrangle with a road leading towards mountains with a blue signed post and below in red stripe with the following: "Országos Kék-túra MTSZ". MTSZ prepares and hands over the badge—if it is possible—during a small ceremony. A record of those who have completed the trail is also kept by the Association. The number of people who have completed the Trail is more than 4100 in year 2007. It is also possible to complete the Trail more than once. There are three sections on the route of the Blue Trail which have their own badges. These can be obtained without completing the whole Trail; however, by completing the Trail one is also eligible for these. * Dorogtól Nógrádig túramozgalom (Hikers' Movement between Dorog and Nógrád) through the Pilis Mountains, Buda Mountains and Börzsöny Mountains – 138.8 km, 4490 m total climb. * Mátra-Bükk útjain túramozgalom (Hikers' Movement through the paths of the Mátra and Bükk Mountains) – 120.0 km, 4360 m total climb * Veszprém megyei kéktúra túramozgalom (Veszprém County Blue Trail Hikers' Movement) between Sümeg and Bodajk through the Balaton Uplands and the Bakony Mountains – 247.8 km, 5360 m total climb Dorog_badge.jpg, The badge of Hikers' Movement between Dorog and Nógrád Matra-bukk_badge.jpg, The badge of Hikers' Movement through the paths of the Mátra and Bükk Mountains Veszpremm_badge.jpg, The badge of Veszprém County Blue Trail Hikers' Movement The Children's Blue Trail (GYKT) can be completed by children between the age of 6 and 14 hiking 300 km on the Blue Trail. It is divided into nine regions: * Kőszeg Mountains – Little Hungarian Plain
* Balaton Uplands
* Bakony
* Vértes – Gerecse
* Pilis – Buda Mountains
* Börzsöny – Cserhát
* Mátra
* Bükk – Aggtelek
* Cserehát – Zemplén Children who complete at least 50 km distance in a region obtain the regional badge of Children's Blue Trail (GYKT); at most one badge can be earned in each region independently of the distance covered. If the combined length of the completed sections reaches 300 km, they obtain the GYKT badge. In case of organising and leading a group of children, the leader can obtain the badge, if the number of the children is at least 6. Completion of GYKT counts towards gaining the OKT badge as well. The validation of the completion is the same as in the OKT.

Detailed route description

Kőszeg Mountains and Small Plain

142,1 km, 710-metre climb The route of the Blue Trail begins on the top of the

) until the town of

Kőszeg Kőszeg (; ; ; ; ) is a town in Vas County, Hungary. The town is known for its historical character. History Medieval Period The origins of the only free royal town in the historical garrison county of Vas (Eisenburg) go back to the third quart ...

. It passes by the Hétvezér-forrás (Spring of the Seven Leaders), the lookout tower of Óház-tető and the Calvary Church of Kőszeg. After Kőszeg, the Blue Trail reaches the wide plains of

Rába The Rába (; ; ) is a river in southeastern Austria and western Hungary and a right tributary of the Danube. Geography Its source is in Austria, some kilometres east of Bruck an der Mur below Heubodenhöhe Hill. It flows through the Austrian ...

River. The route of the Trail crosses the

Little Hungarian Plain The Little Hungarian Plain or Little Alföld ( Hungarian: ''Kisalföld'' , Slovak: ''Malá dunajská kotlina'', German: ''Kleine Ungarische Tiefebene'') is a plain (tectonic basin) of approximately 8,000 km² in northwestern Hungary, sout ...

in northwest-southeastern direction via

Sárvár Sárvár ( or ; ; ) is a town in Vas County, Hungary. Sárvár lies on the banks of the River Rába at Kemeneshát. The population is nearly 16,000. The town has become a tourist centre of international renown. Etymology ''Sár'' means "mud" i ...

– where the route crosses the Rába River – until

Sümeg Sümeg () is a town in Veszprém county, Hungary. Sümeg is mostly known for Sümeg Castle. It is north of Lake Balaton. Twin towns – sister cities Sümeg is twinned with: * Aichtal, Germany * Sovata, Romania * Tapolca Tapolca (; ) is a t ...

. The total climb on the 120 km long plain section is only 460 metres. Stamping places Lookout Tower of

Írottkő The Geschriebenstein (), less commonly called the Írott-kő () in English sources, is a mountain, high,Kőszeg Kőszeg (; ; ; ; ) is a town in Vas County, Hungary. The town is known for its historical character. History Medieval Period The origins of the only free royal town in the historical garrison county of Vas (Eisenburg) go back to the third quart ...

, Tömörd, Ablánci Malomcsárda (Water Mill Tavern of Ablánc), Szeleste, Bögöt, Csényeújmajor,

railway station, Gérce, forester's lodge of Rózsáskert, hunter's lodge of Hidegkút, village Káld, village Hosszúpereszteg, forester's lodge of Szajk at Lakes of Szajk, Ötvös railway station, Kisvásárhely, Sümeg railway station

Balaton Highlands

129.9 km, 2,870-metre climb At the town of

the Blue Trail reaches the edge of the plain and the route goes on among the 200–300 metres tall hills of the Balaton Highlands. The path visits the castle ruins of Tátika and the Buddhist Stupa at village of Zalaszántó. Later the path reaches the old, extinct volcanoes at the coast of

. Among others the route visits Szent György-hegy (415 m), the

Badacsony Badacsony () is the name of a region on the north shore of Lake Balaton in western Hungary, a mountain top and a town in that region. The nearby basalt mountains are unique geological relics, and the habitat of many rare plants and animals. The ...

(437 m), Gulács (393 m) and the

Csobánc Csobánc is a hill in the Tapolca Basin, Hungary. Geography and environment Csobánc is one of the highlights of the region. Similar to the other hills in the area, it is of volcanic origin. These hills are witness hills. The expression ori ...

(376 m). The tops of the extinct volcanoes rise 250–300 meters above the Káli Basin. After the basin the Blue Trail goes among the hills of the highlands until it reaches

Nagyvázsony Nagyvázsony is a village in Veszprém, Hungary. It lies approximately 15 km (9 mi) north of the Lake Balaton. It houses Kinizsi Castle, a 14th-century fortification donated by Matthias I to Pál Kinizsi. Kinizsi's sarcophagus can b ...

. Stamping places

railway station, forester's lodge of Sarvaly, Zalaszántó, Rezi, Gyöngyösi csárda (Tavern of Gyöngyös), Hévíz bus terminal, railway station of Keszthely, Vállus, Lesenceistvánd, Tapolca railway station, Tourist Hostel of Szent György-hegy, Szigliget Castle, Badacsonytördemic railway station, Káptalantóti, Mindszentkálla, Szentbékkálla, Balatonhenye, tourist shelter of Csicsó, Nagyvázsony.

Bakony Mountains

117.9 km, 2,490-metre climb Departing from Nagyvázsony the route reaches the

Bakony Bakony () is a mountainous region in Transdanubia, Hungary. It forms the largest part of the Transdanubian Mountains. It is located north of Lake Balaton and lies almost entirely in Veszprém county. The Bakony is divided into the Northern and ...

(Bakony Mountains), which is the first member in the long row of medium mountains in Hungary. First the Blue Trail climbs to the top of Kab-hegy (599 m) and descends to the valley to the railway station of Városlőd-Kislőd. After Bakonybél the Trail visits the tallest peak of Bakony, Kőris-hegy (700 m). After

Zirc Zirc () is a town in Veszprém county, Hungary. It is the administrative seat of Zirc District. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, Jews lived in Zirc. In 1910, 92 Jews lived in Zirc, Some of them were murdered i ...

the route of the Blue Trail leads among the hills of the Eastern Bakony. This area is the oldest of Hungarian medium mountains, it has only mild hills and valleys. Stamping places Nagyvázsony, forester's lodge of Kab-hegy, Úrkút, Városlőd-Kislőd railway station, Németbánya, Bakonybél, peak of Kőris Mountain, Borzavár, Zirc railway station, Bakonynána, Jásd, Tés, Kisgyón, Bakonykúti, Fehérvárcsurgó, Bodajk

Vértes Mountains and Gerecse Hills

115.7 km, 3,110-metre climb The route of the Blue Trail goes through the forest of the about 400 meters high

volcanic plateau A volcanic plateau is a plateau produced by volcanic activity. There are two main types: lava plateaus and pyroclastic plateaus. Lava plateau Lava plateaus are formed by highly fluid basaltic lava during numerous successive eruptions thro ...

of the Vértes and reaches the Gerecse Hills. From the tops of the last hills of this region opens a very good view towards the Danube and Slovakia. Stamping places Bodajk, Csókakő, Gánt, Mindszentpuszta homestead, Kőhányáspuszta, Castle of Gesztes, Szárliget railway station, tourist shelter of Somlyóvár, hunter's lodge of Koldusszállás, ruins of the forester's lodge of Bányahegy, children's holiday resort on the Gerecse Mountain, Pusztamarót homestead, pilgrimage place Péliföldszentkereszt, Mogyorósbánya, Tokod,

Dorog Dorog () is a small town in Komárom-Esztergom County, Hungary. It lies north-west from the center of Budapest. Etymology The name comes from Slavic ''drugъ'' (drug) - a partner, comrade, "brother". History The valley between the Pilis a ...

railway station.

Pilis Mountains and Mountains of Buda

100.7 km, 2,880-metre climb The

Pilis Mountains Pilis Mountains is a mountainous region in the Transdanubian Mountains. Its highest peak is ''Pilis-tető'' at . It is a popular hiking destination in Hungary. It is the direct southern neighbour of the Visegrád Mountains which are based on ...

lie in the big bend of the Danube, where it turns towards southern direction from the earlier western-eastern direction. The route of the Blue Trail is similar to a big, inverse "Ω" letter here; the Trail first goes in southern direction until the area of

, only touching the forests of the capital (Mountains of Buda). Not much later the path returns to the

and reaches the

Danube The Danube ( ; see also #Names and etymology, other names) is the List of rivers of Europe#Longest rivers, second-longest river in Europe, after the Volga in Russia. It flows through Central and Southeastern Europe, from the Black Forest sou ...

at the Danube Bend at Visegrád, a popular tourist destination known for its castle atop the hill. Stamping places Dorog railway station, Klastrompuszta, Piliscsaba railway station, a pub named Muflon Itató on the Zsíroshegy, Hüvösvölgy Children's Railway Station, peak of Hármashatár-hegy, Virágos-nyereg (Virágos Col), Rozália Brickyard, Kevély-nyereg (Col of Kevély), Pilisszentkereszt, the peak of Dobogókő (700 m), forester's lodge of Sikáros, Pilisszentlászló, forester's lodge of Pap-rét, peak of Nagy-Villám, ticket office of the ferry in village Visegrád

Börzsöny Mountains and Hilly Country of Cserhát

157.1 km, 4,890-metre climb The Blue Trail goes further on the left coast of the Danube and climbs the peaks of the

Börzsöny Börzsöny (; or ''Novohradské hory'', New City Mountains) is a mountain range in Northern Hungary. Its tallest peak is the Csóványos with . It is the westernmost member of the North Hungarian Mountains, which belongs to the Inner Weste ...

(Nagy-Hideg-hegy: 864 m and Csóványos: 938 m) and after the peak of Naszály (652 m) it reaches the Cserhát Hills.

, a

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

, lies among the hills and on the Trail. After the peak of Tepke (566 m) the route reaches the

Mátra The Mátra () is a mountain range in northern Hungary, between the towns Gyöngyös and Eger. The country's highest peak, Kékestető (1014 m), belongs to this mountain range. Formation Pre-volcanic formations The formation of the Mátra ...

Mountains. Stamping places Nagymaros railway station, Tourist Hostel of Törökmező, Tourist Hostel of Kisinóc, Tourist Hostel of Nagy-Hideg-hegy (864 m), Nógrád railway station, Magyarkút, Katalinpuszta, Ősagárd, Felsőpetény, Alsópetény, Romhány, Kétbodony, Becske, Szandaváralja, Cserhátsurány, Nógrádsipek, Hollókő, Nagymező-puszta homestead, Nagybárkány, Mátraverebély.

Mátra Mountains

65.1 km, 2,480-metre climb

is the highest mountain range in Hungary; the Blue Trail climbs the two highest peaks: the Galyatető (964 m) and the Kékestető (1014 m) – the latter being the highest peak of Hungary. After the peaks the Trail descends on the long eastern ridge of the mountains to

Sirok Sirok is a village in Heves County, Hungary, in the Mátra mountain range, beside of the Tarna River. As of 2022 census, it has a population of 1625 (see Demographics). The village located 18.9 km from Eger, the capital of the county and beside ...

and later to Szarvaskő. Stamping places

Mátraverebély Mátraverebély is a village in Nógrád County, Hungary, beside the Zagyva river, between the Cserhát and Mátra mountain ranges. As of 2022 census, it has a population of 1752 (see Demographics). The main road 21 goes across the village, whic ...

, Tourist Hostel of Ágasvár, Mátraszentistván, the peak of Galyatető, forester's lodge of Nyírjes, Vörösmarty Tourist Hostel,

Mátraháza Mátraháza is a resort area within the town of Gyöngyös in Heves County, Hungary, situated in the Mátra mountain range. Mátraháza has its own postal code, 3233, and is located 14.4 km from the center of Gyöngyös. The highest peak in Hung ...

, the peak of Kékestető, forester's lodge of Hármashatár, Sirok railway station, Restaurant Hunor in

, forester's lodge of Rozsnakpuszta, Szarvaskő

Bükk Mountains and Aggtelek Hills

116.6 km, 3,150-metre climb The path climbs the 800–900 metres high plateau of the

Bükk The Bükk Mountains () are a section of the North Hungarian Mountains of the Inner Western Carpathians. Much of the area is included in the Bükk National Park. Geography Although Kékes, the highest point in Hungary, is not here but in t ...

Mountains, then it descends into the valley of

Sajó The Sajó ( , Hungarian) or Slaná ( Slovak) is a river in Slovakia and Hungary. Its length is 229 km, of which 110 km is in Slovakia. Its source is in the Stolica Mountains range of the Slovak Ore Mountains. It flows through the ...

River. Later on the National Blue Trail visits the stalactite cave of

Aggtelek Aggtelek (meaning "Old plot" in Hungarian language, Hungarian) is a village in the county of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Hungary. It is known for the vast stalactite caverns of the nearby Baradla-Domica cave system, part of the UNESCO World Heritage ...

, a

, in the

Aggtelek Karst Aggtelek Karst is a karst area in northern Hungary. The area is especially well known for its abundance of caves, which were recorded together with those in neighboring Slovakia in 1995 to the list of World Heritage Site under the name of the Ca ...

and then reaches the valley of the Bódva River. Stamping places Szarvaskő, Telekessy Guesthouse,

Bélapátfalva Bélapátfalva is a town in Heves County, in Hungary, located north of the city of Eger. The town is located inside the Eger river valley at an altitude of 311 meters above sea level. Facing the town is the Bél-kő mountain which rises 811 meter ...

, Cserepes-kő Cave Shelter, Bánkút Ski House,

Mályinka Mályinka is a village in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County in northeastern Hungary.Uppony,

Putnok Putnok ( Slovak: ''Putnok/Putník'') is a town in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, Northern Hungary. It lies from Miskolc, between the Bükk Mountains and the river Sajó. History The area has been inhabited since Neolithic times. Until 1283 it wa ...

railway station, Kelemér,

Gömörszőlős Gömörszőlős is a village in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the nort ...

, Zádorfalva,

, Jósvafő, ruins of Derenk, ruins of Szabó-pallag forester's lodge, Bódvaszilas railway station.

Cserehát Hills and Mountains of Zemplén

160.8 km, 3,550-metre climb The route of the Blue Trail crosses the Cserehát Hills and reaches the last segment of the

North Hungarian Mountains The North Hungarian Mountains (), sometimes also referred to as the Northeast Hungarian Mountains, Northeast Mountains, North Hungarian Highlands, North Hungarian Mid-Mountains or North Hungarian Range, is the northern, mountainous part of Hunga ...

, the

. After crossing the hills from west to east, the path takes a sharp northwesterly turn near

and finally climbs the highest peak of the mountains: the Nagy-Milic (895 m) which stands on the Hungarian-Slovakian border. Finally it descends to the village of

. The final point of the National Blue Trail, which is marked with a small monument, is located here. Stamping places Bódvaszilas railway station, Tornabarakony, Rakacaszend, Felsővadász, Abaújszolnok, Baktakék, Fancsal, Encs, Gibárt Hydroelectric Power Station, Hernádcéce, Boldogkőváralja Railway Station, Mogyoróska, Regéc, Istvánkút hunter's lodge of, Eszkála hunter's lodge, Makkoshotyka, Cirkáló-tanya farmstead, Nagy-Nyugodó, Vágáshuta, Nagyhuta, Nagybózsva, Füzér, Bodó-rét, Hollóháza

External links

Interactive map

Official website of the National Blue Trail

– in English with travelogues and more than 1000 photos
E&T Kéktúra oldala
– this is a website of young people walking the path of the Blue Trail with more thousand photos – in Hungarian
kektura.eu - The National Blue Trail
– a website about the Blue Trail with photos, elevation profiles, Google Earth files and travelogues – in English and Hungarian
Heyjoe's website
for logging completed segments
Gyula Rakk's website
showing the changes in the trail over the years {{coord missing, Hungary Hiking trails in Hungary European long-distance paths

History

Early history

Popularity in the 1980s

Sister blue trails

Revival in the 2010s

Certification of completion

Awards for completion

Detailed route description

Kőszeg Mountains and Small Plain

Balaton Highlands

Bakony Mountains

Vértes Mountains and Gerecse Hills

Pilis Mountains and Mountains of Buda

Börzsöny Mountains and Hilly Country of Cserhát

Mátra Mountains

Bükk Mountains and Aggtelek Hills

Cserehát Hills and Mountains of Zemplén

See also

External links